In a game with heavy NFC South implications, the Bucs looked to finish off a season sweep over the division rival Saints for the first time since 2007. And after looking wildly inept on offense for most of the game, Tampa Bay did just that.
Scoring 14 points in the final three minutes, the Bucs stunned the Saints, 17-16, to get back to .500 on the season. A touchdown pass from Tom Brady to rookie running back Rachaad White with three seconds left was a game-winner.
The Bucs got things off to a hot start, working their way methodically down the field with a couple of third-down conversions. It was an impressive drive up until third-and-goal, when Leonard Fournette caught a screen pass and was dropped well short of the goal line. Todd Bowles elected to take the points, meaning Tampa Bay’s 16-play drive that took 8:35 off the clock ended in a 21-yard field goal by Ryan Succop.
The Buccaneers defense responded well to open the game, with a Lavonte David sack ending New Orleans’ opening drive before it got going. But after the teams traded punts, the Saints got their first lead of the night. Andy Dalton converted a couple of third downs to get into plus-territory, then he found a wide-open Taysom Hill for a 30-yard touchdown. With their eight-play, 80-yard drive, the Saints took a 7-3 lead halfway through the second quarter.
Neither team got much going offensively until late in the first half. Taking over at their own 11 after a punt, the Bucs got moving thanks to third-down catches by White and Mike Evans. But just when they got to midfield, Brady threw a bad interception right to linebacker Demario Davis. That set New Orleans up in favorable field position with just under two minutes to go in the half.
Starting at Tampa Bay’s 49, the Saints moved the ball with ease, getting inside the red zone with 30 seconds to play. However, a third-down drop forced them to settle for a field goal. Still, Wil Lutz’s 38-yarder made it a 10-3 lead for the visitors, who were set to receive the opening kickoff in the second half.
The Bucs defense made sure the Saints didn’t double up to open the second half, with David coming through with a third-down tackle for loss to force a quick punt.
Tampa Bay’s offense once again got going on the next drive with a nice 22-yard pass from Brady to Evans. But a Josh Wells holding penalty set them back and on a third-down pass to White, the rookie coughed the ball up and New Orleans recovered at its own 32.
The Saints then turned a turnover into points for the second time on the night, working their way down to the Bucs’ 3-yard line before settling for a 21-yard field goal by Lutz. But they took a 13-3 lead after a 12-play drive that took 7:20 off the clock. And with the way Tampa Bay’s offense was playing, that 10-point deficit felt significant.
The Bucs got rolling on their next drive, though, with back-to-back eight-yard runs by Fournette and a six-yard pass to Godwin. Then, on third-and-4 near midfield, Brady connected with Cade Otton for a first down across midfield. But a couple of dropped passes and a 3-yard pickup sent the game to the fourth quarter with Tampa Bay facing a fourth-and-7 at the New Orleans 40-yard line, down by 10.
Out of the break, Bowles elected to punt the ball away. It went for a touchback, which meant only a difference of 20 yards of field position. It didn’t matter, ultimately, as the Saints marched right down the field with ease once again. Quick gain after quick gain got New Orleans in the red zone as the clock ticked under nine and a half minutes. The Buccaneers defense ultimately held, but another Lutz field goal made it a 16-3 game with 8:02 to go.
Needing points – and fast – the Tampa Bay offense looked as rough as ever. Brady was sacked on first down before an incompletion on second down and a dump off on third down set up fourth-and-10. Bowles again chose to punt, giving the ball back to Dalton and the Saints offense, who were protecting a 13-point lead with under seven minutes to play.
The Bucs got the ball back at their own 9 with 5:21 to play and slowly but surely got down the field. Passes to Evans and Godwin got them going, then a big defensive pass interference call drawn by Evans set them up at the goal line. Their 91-yard drive then ended in a 1-yard touchdown pass from Brady to Otton, getting the team within 16-10 with three minutes to go.
With Raymond James Stadium suddenly showing some life, the Tampa Bay defense stepped up. A first-down run stop and a huge sack by Carl Nassib put the Saints at third-and-18. A Keanu Neal pass breakup then forced a punt after New Orleans took just 20 seconds off the clock.
Getting the ball at his own 37, Brady went to work. Two quick passes to Julio Jones and Godwin got them across midfield by the two-minute warning. After the break, Brady connected with Otton for a gain of eight before Fournette broke through a big hole for a pickup of 10 to the 31.
Two plays later, on third-and-6, Brady threw a tight-window pass to Scotty Miller for a first down at the 19. And one play later, Jones made a fantastic catch at the Saints’ 5.
With 19 seconds to go, the Bucs had a few chances to get the ball in the end zone. And on the first try, Brady connected for Godwin to tie the game, only for it to be called back due to a holding call on Donovan Smith, who had another rough outing with two holding calls.
But two plays later, Tampa Bay was back inside the 10 at the 6-yard line. And then, miraculously, the Bucs tied the game. Brady found White for a touchdown, tying the game at 16-16 with three seconds to go. After Succop connected on the PAT, Tampa Bay led 17-16.
One last-ditch attempt for the Saints went nowhere and, somehow, Tampa Bay walked off the field with a 17-16 win to the tune of John Denver’s “Country Roads.”
Brady finished the game 36-of-54 for 281 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Godwin was his leading receiver, catching eight passes for 63 yards. But it was two rookies, Otton and White, catching late touchdowns to key the comeback. Tampa Bay’s defense stepped up huge as well, holding New Orleans under 300 yards and keeping the offense to just 5-of-14 on third downs.
With the win, the Bucs (6-6) take a stronghold on the NFC South lead with a 3-1 record in the division. The Atlanta Falcons are in second with a 5-8 mark and a 1-3 record in the division, followed by the Carolina Panthers at 4-8 with a 3-1 record in the division. The 4-9 Saints fell to last place and have a 1-3 record in the NFC South.
Tampa Bay now heads out west to San Francisco in Week 14 for a matchup with the 49ers (8-4). Kickoff is set for 4:25 p.m. ET.
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