Led by a defensive onslaught in the fourth quarter, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated division rival New Orleans Saints, 20-10. In the final quarter, the Buccaneers amassed three takeaways - an instinctual Mike Edwards' pick-six, alongside two diving acrobatic interceptions by Jamel Dean.
The Buccaneers struggled in the first half but gained momentum as the game wore on in Caesars Superdome. Initially, the same issues that have plagued the Buccaneers against their NFC South rival, appeared in Week Two. The Bucs accumulated five penalties for 44 yards, putting themselves behind the chains. The Saints held the Buccaneers scoreless in the first half as Dennis Allen's unit imposed their will. Two of the Bucs' drives reached the Saints' 26 and eight-yard line, respectively, but no points culminated for Tampa Bay. Outside of a Mike Evans' 41-yard catch down the sideline and a 23-yard Scotty Miller reception, the Bucs did not have a pass play eclipsing the eight-yard marker in the first half. The bright spot on defense was Shaquil Barrett, recording a tackle for loss and a strip sack of Jameis Winston.
The Buccaneers found their rhythm in the second half. Tom Brady found Breshad Perriman in the end zone for a 28-yard touchdown to give the Bucs a 10-3 advantage in the fourth quarter with 7:41 remaining. The defense dominated in the fourth quarter. Devin White and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka swarmed Winston for a combined sack and a loss of five yards for New Orleans. On the ensuing play, Jamel Dean intercepted Winston on an errant overthrow – his second diving interception of the quarter. The Buccaneers capitalized with three points, Ryan Succop kicking a 47-yarder through the uprights to extend the lead in New Orleans. On the following drive, the defense created an impenetrable force. Devin White fired up the middle and knocked Winston off his feet for a loss of five – his second sack of the afternoon. A few plays later, the tide turned. Mike Edwards undercut a deep out intended for Jarvis Landry and returned it 68 yards for a touchdown, extending the club's lead 20-3. The defense sealed the victory against the Bucs' longtime nemesis, improving their record to 2-0.
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