In Week 17, the New Orleans Saints snapped the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' four-game winning streak and denied the home team a chance to clinch the NFC South at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday. In the division tilt, the Saints dominated the line of scrimmage on both sides of the football and held the Bucs scoreless through three quarters. Tampa Bay produced a season-high four turnovers, providing the Saints with momentum. The Bucs' offense, which was firing on all cylinders during the club's recent 4-0 stretch, was kept off balance. On the offensive side of the ball, Tampa Bay converted just two of eight third down tries, while the Saints converted eight of 18. Tampa Bay dropped to an 8-8 record and despite the loss, it can still claim the division crown with a win over the Carolina Panthers in Week 18. The Saints can take sole possession of the South next weekend with a win over the Atlanta Falcons and a Bucs' loss to the Panthers.
"This was a division game," said left tackle Tristan Wirfs. "This was for a third straight division title. We came out looking like that – that's unacceptable. We've got to do something different. Next week is for all the marbles. There's no next week [after that] for a title. So, we have to put it behind us and move forward, look forward to next week and do the best we can to come home with a hat and t-shirt…it's all 22 of us – all 11 guys on offense, all 11 guys on defense. There's nobody to point the finger at. We've all got to do better."
Offensive Overview
Tampa Bay's offense underwent a lull in production against the Saints. The unit reached new heights in wins over the Packers and Jaguars but stalled against Dennis Allen's defense. Baker Mayfield, who had been on a record-setting pace in the month of December (perfect 158.3 QBR at Lambeau Field), threw for 309 yards on 22-of-33 passing attempts. 180 of those yards came in the fourth quarter during the team's comeback bid. Mayfield threw two touchdown passes during the fourth quarter to Trey Palmer and Chris Godwin, but too many miscues and self-inflicted wounds early on sealed the team's fate on the gridiron.
During the first half, the Bucs had four three-and-outs, 45 total yards and a turnover on six drives (22 plays). The Bucs got on the scoreboard at the 7:50 mark in the fourth quarter, as Palmer capped off a 91-yard drive with a score to trim the deficit. He ran a post, exploding out of his break towards the goal post to trim the deficit 20-7. Godwin raced across the formation late in the fourth for a 47-yard touchdown, but the team's late-game theatrics were halted with a failed two-point attempts after two penalties collided and an onside kick was recovered by Saints' Foster Moreau. Costly mistakes became the deciding factor in the game for Tampa Bay. In the first three quarters combined, Tampa Bay had only two drives cross the midfield point and both resulted in turnovers.
On the first, Baker Mayfield was intercepted by Alontae Taylor in the shadow of the goal post at the Saints' two-yard line. Trey Palmer, the intended target, ran an inside vertical but Taylor crowded the catch space and came away with the football. On the second, linebacker Demario Davis recovered a Rachaad White fumble at the Saints' 25 in the third quarter. White's positive run against the Saints' light box quickly backfired, resulting in Derek Carr and cast coming back onto the field. Then in the fourth quarter, safety Jonathan Abram intercepted a tipped pass across the 50-yard line that was intended for David Moore. Later in the final period, rookie Trey Palmer got down to the Saints' 21 on a sensational 54-yard catch-and-run but he stumbled/ fumbled at the end and the Saints recovered the ball – a microcosm of the afternoon for the Bucs.
Defensive Outlook
The Saints' offense controlled the game and bested the Buccaneers in a physicality battle. Derek Carr completed 24-of-32 passes for 197 yards and two touchdowns. The Bucs' defense did not generate a single hit on Carr throughout the Week 17 matchup, as he ran out of bounds on the lone sack he took. The Saints dominated the first half, taking a 17-0 lead into halftime with a 202-44 yardage advantage. New Orleans exploited the underneath area of the field and capitalized off free releases with tight ends. The Saints targeted tight ends 15 times and it came to fruition, producing 11 catches for 133 yards. Juwan Johnson set a career-high with eight catches for 90 yards, routinely taking advantage of soft zones. The Saints utilized a quick passing attack and a heavier dose of play-action than their previous 2023 slate of games showed, which settled protections and took pressure off the Saints' offensive line. Johnson scored on the team's opening drive, showcasing his route-running skills. He sold like he was going to run a flat route, then transitioned inside with leverage to haul in the grab, boxing out the defender.
Then in the second quarter, the Saints raced to a 14-0 lead with a 22-yard Taysom Hill touchdown. The Wildcat quarterback-turned tight end/fullback ran a switch release, putting the defensive back in a trail position. Carr, while under duress, floated the ball to Hill for a touchdown. Blake Grupe's 45-yard field goal made it a 17-0 shutout prior to the intermission. Stellar inside linebacker Lavonte David led the Bucs' defense with 11 tackles and rookie Yaya Diaby accumulated two tackles, boosting his 2023 total to 11.
