The Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost a heartbreaker last week in their first division game of the year against the Atlanta Falcons - a game in which the Bucs had multiple instances to ice the game away and walk away with a victory.
The Bucs won't be hanging their heads as they face another division rival in the New Orleans Saints who are without starting quarterback, Derek Carr, opening the door for rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler to show what he can do.
Tampa Bay received some players back after being bitten by the injury bug, but will be without starting center Graham Barton and starting running back Rachaad White. Stick with us here at BucsGameday for up-to-the-minute live game updates between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the New Orleans Saints.
- Bucs' Inactives: RB Rachaad White, WR Trey Palmer, WR Kameron Johnson, DB Christian Izien, C Graham Barton, TE Devin Culp
- Saints' Inactives: QB Derek Carr, TE Taysom Hill, LB Pete Werner, RB Kendre Miller, C/G Cesar Ruiz, G Lucas Patrick, DT Khristian Boyd
1st Quarter:
- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will receive the opening kickoff after winning the toss. The Saints will receive the second half kickoff.
- Mayfield connects with Mike Evans right off the bat for a gain of 12 yards and a first down.
- False start on Wirfs will back the Bucs up to 1st and 15.
- Mayfield finds Godwin for a gain of 8 yards and that is followed up with a two yard rush by Bucky Irving to bring up 3rd and 5.
- Baker connects with Godwin again for a gain of 7 yards and a first down.
- Baker finds Sterling Shepard for a gain of 9 yards and that is followed up with a 22-yard pass and catch from Baker to Evans for another Bucs' first down and into the red zone.
- Bucky Irving finds some room outside for a gain of 15 yards and another first down. First and goal for the Bucs from the Saints' 4-yard line.
- Baker connects with Chris Godwin for a 4-yard touchdown to take an early 7-0 lead over the Saints.
- Rattler's first NFL pass finds Johnson for a gain of 27 yards and a first down.
- Rattler bobbles the snap and recovers it for a loss on the play. 2nd and 15.
- Rattler's pass hits Chris Olave and he appears to drop it, but the ruling on the field is a fumble caused by Tykee Smith and recovered by Antoine Winfield Jr. who takes it to the house for a touchdown. The play on the field is under review.
- The ruling on the field stands and AWJ with an immediate impact in his return from injury. The Buccaneers lead the Saints 14-0.
- Kamara rushes for 7 yards and that will bring up 3rd and 3 for the Saints.
- Rattler's third down pass is incomplete for Means and the Saints will be forced to punt the ball back to the Bucs.
- Mayfield connects with Shepard for a gain of 9 yards and that is followed up with a defensive pass interference on the Saints to give the Bucs an automatic first down at their own 40-yard line.
- Sean Tucker rushes for a gain of 11 yards and a first down. Unnecessary Roughness on New Orleans will give the Bucs an extra 15 yards. 1st and 10 at the Saints' 30-yard line.
- Mayfield connects with Tucker for a gain of 15 yards to the Saints' 15-yard line.
- Delay of game on the Bucs will back them up five yards; 1st and 15.
- Baker scrambles for a gain of 12 yards to bring up third and short inside the Saints' 10-yard line.
- Mayfield's third down pass is incomplete intended for Mike Evans to bring up fourth and three.
- McLaughlin comes on and his 26-yard FG is GOOD and the Bucs lead the Saints 17-0.
- Third and seven upcoming for New Orleans after back-to-back short rushes by Kamara.
- Chris Olave is being evaluated for a concussion.
- Rattler connects with Means for 10 yards and a first down.
- Rattler hits Means again for a gain of 8 yards. Jamel Dean was injured on the play. Williams rushes for a loss of two on second down to bring up third down for the Saints.
- Rattler escapes the pocked on third down and scrambles for a gain of 16 yards and a first down.
- Rattler connects with Moreau for 13 yards and another first down.
- Jamel Dean has been ruled out for the remainder of the game.
- At the end of the first quarter, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lead the New Orleans Saints 17-0.
- Rattler finds Kamara and he fumbles the ball but it goes out of bounds to bring up 3rd and 3.
- Bucs stuff Kamara's third down rush and it will bring up fourth down for the Saints, they will attempt a field goal.
- Grupe's 42-yard FG is GOOD and the Saints have cut into the Bucs lead but still trail 17-3.
- Too many men on the field will back the Bucs up 5 yards. 1st and 15.
- A false start immediately following that on Otton will bring up 1st and 20. Bucs are going in the wrong direction.
- Mayfield has back-to-back incompletions to Evans and Godwin to bring up 3rd and 20.
- Mayfield finds Godwin on the screen for a loss. A late hit on Bredeson will bring out a flag that will bring up 4th and 27 from the Bucs' 7-yard line and Camarda will be punting from his own end zone.
- Shaheed returns the Camarda punt 54-yards for a touchdown and the Buccaneers' lead has dwindled. Bucs lead the Saints 17-10.
- Bucky Irving rushes for a gain of 8 yards. Unsportsmanlike conduct on Shepard will back the Bucs up another 15 yards. 2nd and 17.
- Baker is picked off and the Saints have the ball inside the Bucs' 10-yard line. Unsportsmanlike conduct on the Saints will push them back to the Bucs' 28-yard line.
- After back-to-back runs it will be third and two for the Saints.
- Kamara rushes for no gain but a defensive holding on Kancey will give the Saints an automatic first down.
- Third and seven for the Saints upcoming after short gains on first and second.
- Rattler is sacked by Vita Vea on third down to bring up 4th down and the Saints will attempt a FG.
- Grupe's 29-yard FG is GOOD and the Saints continue to cut into the Bucs' lead, trailing 17-13.
- Mayfield's pass to McMillan is tipped and intercepted by the Saints who will have the ball at the Bucs' 10-yard line.
- Rattler finds Means for a 10-yard touchdown and the Saints have quickly taken the lead over the Bucs 20-17.
- A holding penalty on a good Bucky Irving run will back the Buccaneers up. 1st and 18.
- Baker connects with Godwin for a gain of 5 yards and that is followed up with a big gain from Baker to Ryan Miller for a gain of 39 yards and a first down.
- Irving rushes for a loss of two on first down and then takes a Mayfield pass for six yards to bring up third and six.
- Baker connects with Sean Tucker for a 33-yard gain and his first NFL touchdown to re-take the lead over the Saints, 24-20.
- After a five yard gain on first and nothing on second, it'll be third and five for the Saints.
- Rattler finds Means for a gain of 14 yards and a first down out to midfield.
- Rattler finds a wide open Moreau for 41 yards and a first down. Yaya Diaby was injured on the play.
- Kamara rushes into the endzone from four yards out and the Saints re-take the lead over the Buccaneers 27-24.
- Third and four upcoming after Baker finds Godwin for a gain of 6 yards on second down.
- Mayfield connects with Godwin again for a gain of 21 yards and a first down into New Orleans' territory. Two-minute warning.
- Baker's pass is tipped up into the air and he is picked off for the third time today and the Saints will take over at their own 40-yard line with 1:41 remaining in the first half.
- Defensive holding on Zyon McCollum will give the Saints an automatic first down.
- Kamara picks up seven yards on first and that is followed up with a short pass from Rattler to Means for a 3 yards and a first down.
- Third and 10 upcoming for the Saints after back-to-back incompletions from Rattler. Saints use their first timeout of the half with just under a minute remaining.
- Rattler's third down pass is incomplete intended for Shaheed and they will be forced to punt. Bucs will have the ball starting inside their own 20 with 45 seconds left in the half.
- Irving rushes for a gain of 9 yards on first down and Mayfield finds Shepard for a gain of 5 for a first down. Bucs use their first timout of the half with 19 seconds remaining.
- Defensive offsides will give the Bucs five yards and an automatic first down out to their own 29-yard line.
- Baker finds Cade Otton for a gain of 7 yards and a first down with 10 seconds left.
- Baker dumps it to Godwin who throws it back to Tristan Wirfs who throws it Otton and it ends up on the ground to end the first half.
- At the end of the first half, the Buccaneers trail the Saints 27-24.
HALFTIME: Saints 27, Buccaneers 24
3rd Quarter:
- Rattler connects with Shaheed for a gain of 11 yards and a first down.
- Third and nine upcoming for the Saints after a one-yard run by Kamara and an incompletion from Rattler.
- Rattler finds Johnson for a gain of 19 yards and a first down into Bucs' territory.
- Third and six upcoming for New Orleans after a four yard rush by Kamara on second down.
- Rattler hits means and it looks like it was fumbled after being jarred out by Tykee Smith. The ruling on the field is catch and fumble recovered by the Bucs and a facemask on the Saints will give the Bucs an extra 15 yards. The play is under review.
- The play is overturned and the Saints will retain possession after the incompletion to Means. After the face mask it will be 4th and 21 and the Saints will punt.
- Baker finds Godwin for a gain of 7 yards and Bucky Irving rushes for a loss of one on second down to bring up third and four.
- Mayfield's pass for Mike Evans is incomplete and the Bucs will be forced to punt the ball back to the Saints.
- Rattler is sacked for a loss of 9 yards by Britt and Braswell. 2nd and 19 for the Saints.
- Rattler is sacked again for a loss of 3 yards, this time by Calijah Kancey and Logan Hall. 3rd and 22.
- Williams rushes for a gain of 9 yards and it will be fourth and 13 for the Saints and they will punt.
- Sean Tucker carries for a gain of six yards on first down and then he catches a pass from Baker for a gain of 5 yards and a first down.
- Baker scrambles for a gain of 9 yards and another first down.
- Sean Tucker rushes for a gain of 10 yards and another first down.
- Bucky Irving spells Tucker and picks up five yards on first down.
- Chris Godwin takes the Mayfield pass 55 yards to the house for his second touchdown of the day. The Bucs re-take the lead over the Saints 31-27.
- Third and 8 upcoming after a short pass from Rattler to Kamara on second down.
- Illegal shift on the Saints will back them up five yard, 3rd and 13.
- Rattler's third down pass is incomplete for Kamara and the Saints will be forced to punt.
- Shepard takes the end around 9 yards on first down and then Baker is sacked for a loss of 8 to bring up 3rd and 9.
- Baker scrambles for a gain of 8 yards and he is banged up on the play. It will be fourth and one, and the Bucs will punt.
- Rattler scrambles for a gain of six on first down and Kamara will pick up the first down with a three yard carry. That will end the third quarter.
- At the end of three, the Buccaneers lead the Saints 31-27.
- Rattler is picked off by Zyon McCollum who gets up and starts to return it back, but he fumbles and luckily Gaines is there to recover. The Bucs will take over at their own 42-yard line.
- Bucky Irving stiff arms a defender and goes for 31 yards and a first down.
- Sean Tucker takes the next carry for a gain of 18 yards and another first down. Unnecessary Roughness on the Saints will give the Bucs an extra six yards down to the Saints' 3-yard line.
- Offensive pass interference on Shepard will back the Bucs up to the Saints' 13-yard line. 2nd and goal.
- Shepard takes the ball for a gain of 5 yards. Third and goal for the Bucs from the Saints' 8-yard line.
- Baker connects with Cade Otton for an 8-yard touchdown grab to extend the lead over the Saints. Bucs will go for two.
- The two-point conversion is NO GOOD and the Bucs lead the Saints 37-27 with 12:34 left in the game.
- Rattler is sacked by Lavonte David for a loss of five on first down. Chris Braswell was injured on the play.
- Third and 15 upcoming for the Saints after an incompletion to Kamara.
- Rattler's third down pass is incomplete intended for Shaheed and the Saints will be forced to punt.
- Sean Tucker rushes for a gain of 4 yards on first down. Sterling Shepard then takes an end around 24 yards for a first down into Saints' territory.
- Sean Tucker picks up another first down with a carry of 13 yards.
- Tucker carries again for a gain of 8 yards and Irving picks up the first down with a two-yard gain.
- Sterling Shepard is tackled for a loss of seven yards on first down. 2nd and 17 for the Bucs.
- On 3rd and 16, Baker finds Bucky Irving on the screen and he takes it 18 yards for the first down. First and goal for the Buccaneers.
- Bucky Irving rushes for 7 yards down to the one-yard line of the Saints. Second and goal.
- Irving is able to cap off the drive and takes it in from one-yard out for the score. The Buccaneers lead the Saints 44-27 with 5:33 remaining.
- Rattler connects with Tipton for a gain of 15 yards and a first down.
- Rattler hits Kamara for a gain of seven on first down and then finds Kamara again for a gain of six and a first down.
- Rattler is intercepted by Tykee Smith, the rookie's first interception of his career. The Bucs will take over at their own 36-yard line.
- Sean Tucker rushes for a gain of 36 yards and a first down.
- Third and 8 upcoming for the Bucs after a short gain on first and a loss of one on second down.
- Sean Tucker picks up another first down with a gain of 12 yards. New Orleans will use their last timeout.
- Tucker runs again for a gain of 8 yards on first down. Two-minute warning.
- Sean Tucker takes it untouched into the endzone from 5 yards out for his first rushing touchdown in his career. The Bucs lead the Saints 51-27.
- Rattler connects with Mims for a gain of 10 yards and a first down.
- On fourth and five, Rattler finds Wilson for a gain of 25 yards and a first down with 30 seconds left.
- Rattler is sacked for a loss of 4 yards by Will Gholston and that will end the game.
FINAL: Buccaneers 51, Saints 27
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