The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are set to play their first division game of the season on Sunday, and it will be against one of their more recent fierce rivals.
The Bucs are set to face the New Orleans Saints in the Big Easy, and the game should be an important one in the NFC South. As the Atlanta Falcons lost their early game to the Jacksonville Jaguars in London, the winner of this contest could get the first leg up in leading the NFC South at the end of the afternoon slate.
If you can’t watch the game, Bucs Wire has live updates from all the action in New Orleans:
- New Orleans gets a good chunk of yards on its first drive, but the Saints are stopped by Tampa Bay just outside the red zone. New Orleans kick is good, it’s 3-0 Saints.
- Tampa Bay does a decent job moving the ball on its opening drive, but it’s killed by numerous penalties (including an intentional grounding that set the Bucs back big). Bucs end up punting near midfield after picking up a few first downs.
- Saints quickly go three-and-out and punt the ball back to the Bucs — it’s a bad punt, but the Bucs are called for holding on the fair catch and get bumped back a bit.
- Bucs also go three-and-out, with Mayfield nearly throwing a pick on his last throw on third down. Bucs punt once again in the low scoring affair.
- At the end of the first, the Saints are driving down the field and currently sit around the 50 with second and long to go.
SCORE: Saints 3, Bucs 0
- Carr sails a deep ball on third and short and the Saints will punt to finish out the drive.
- TOUCHDOWN, BUCS: Tampa Bay drives all the way down the field and flicks it to Cade Otton inside the five for a score. XP is good and it’s 7-3 Tampa Bay.
- INTERCEPTION: After driving it all the way down the field, Baker Mayfield misses Godwin and underthrows him slightly, and it’s enough for the Saints. to pick it off. Saints will start at the one yard line here
- FUMBLE: The Saints immediately fumble the football inside the 10 and the Bucs will get it back again right about where they started.
- TOUCHDOWN, BUCS: Trey Palmer goes up for a goal line fade and nabs it for the score. 14-3
SCORE: Bucs 14, Saints 3
- The Bucs go three and out and punt on their opening drive of the half.
- Saints move the ball and then almost score a touchdown on a deep ball before the play is broken up by Antoine Winfield. Brilliant play that saves a touchdown.
- Bucs pick up a first but eventually punt on 4th and 1 from their own 30.
- Saints do well to drive down the field but are once again stopped by the Bucs defense in the red zone. The kick is good, so it’s 14-6 Bucs.
SCORE: Bucs 14, Saints 6
- Bucs make it to the 35 and hit a big 51-yard kick to extend the lead to 17-6. Bucs now up by two scores here in the fourth.
- Saints march down the field and score themselves on a kick, so its’ 17-9 here. Eight points separate the Bucs and the Saints.
- TOUCHDOWN, BUCS: Tampa Bay goes all the way down the field and Baker Mayfield his Deven Thompkins for a touchdown. 23-9 Bucs, and barring any miracles, they’ll win the football game.
- FUMBLE: Derek Carr gets strip sacked by Vita Vea and the Bucs recover in the red zone. Will probably focus on draining the clock here instead of trying to get into the end zone.
- Bucs kick a field goal to extend the lead 26-9.
- QB Jameis Winston is in and he immediately throws an interception. Bucs will get the ball back AGAIN here as the game dies down.
- Bucs are kneeling out, so this one is over:
FINAL: Bucs 26, Saints 9
