Buccaneers vs Saints Week 18 Sport Recap: Bucs safe playoff berth in opposition to rivals

Soccer is a recreation of inches, nevertheless it’s additionally a recreation of quarters. Let’s dive right into a quarter-by-quarter breakdown of some Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ soccer. The Buccaneers are again to ‘controlling their own destiny.’ That future had one staff in the best way— The New Orleans Saints. Tampa Bay may also have a facet quest right this moment of getting Mike Evans to 1,000 yards receiving, which might place Mike Evans subsequent to Jerry Rice in NFL historical past for many consecutive 1,000-yard seasons.

First Quarter:

The Bucs started on protection and struggled early. Spencer Rattler and the New Orleans Saints’ offense drove by means of Todd Bowles’ protection, crossing midfield and navigating their approach into area objective vary for a chip shot kick. 3-0, Saints.

A fan of tit for tat, the Buccaneers— aided by a extremely irresponsible working into the kicker penalty, responded with a Chase McLaughlin area objective. 3-3, even.

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Second drive changes weren’t on the Bingo card for the Buccaneers’ protection— Drive two added up the identical as drive one, three extra New Orleans’ factors. 6-3, Saints.

Second Quarter:

A sluggish begin plagued the Buccaneers within the first quarter and because the second quarter rolled right down to the two-minute warning, Tampa nonetheless had not discovered the anecdote. New Orleans’ domination in time of possession had netted them a Spencer rattler landing cross, a 10-point lead, and vitality— One thing Todd Bowles’ staff, in a must-win state of affairs, couldn’t discover.

Tampa tried to stop drowning their season out with a sluggish whimper, including just a few extra Mike Evans yards and three extra Chase McLaughlin factors. 13-6, Saints. These three Buccaneer factors had been quickly erased by rookie fifth spherical decide Spencer Rattler. Rattler, wanting like Tom Brady in opposition to the New York Jets, took New Orleans again down the sphere and gave Blake Grupe one other alternative for factors. 16-6, New Orleans.

Third Quarter:

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Tampa’s ball and Baker Mayfield’s drive. Mayfield’s mixture of well timed scrambles and strikes thrown, escorted Tampa deep into Saints’ territory and in the end throughout the objective line when tight finish Payne Durham snatched his second landing cross in as many weeks. 16-13, Saints.

Waking up, Tampa Bay’s protection gave Baker Mayfield and co. the ball again shortly— A 3-and-out. The Bucs offense fumbled the chance or slightly had the chance intercepted away. Baker Mayfield, focusing on Mike Evans, threw his first decide of the sport. The turnover gave area place and factors to New Orleans. 19-13, Saints.

Fourth Quarter:

By means of a 3rd quarter that was as sloppy as a pig’s trough, the Buccaneers did handle to maintain the sport and their season alive. Down 19-13, any likelihood of redemption and playoff fantasy would relaxation on the fourth quarter-arm of Baker Mayfield. Mayfield’s arm proved golden immediately— Todd Bowles choosing the uncommon fourth down try by his offense, on a fourth down and eight of all conditions, led to a deep ball conversion between Mayfield and Jalen McMillan. The duo’s spotlight reel play was instantly adopted up by a second. Mayfield, rolling to his proper, threw a laser beam to McMillan who was ready —toes tapped— prepared for six factors. Chase McLaughlin’s additional level gave Tampa Bay their first lead of the sport. 20-19, Buccaneers.

Sustaining their development of high-level defensive performances within the second halves of their contests, Todd Bowles’ protection acquired the ball again for the staff’s offense who did fail to get Mike Evans’ 1,000-yard mark however managed to get the ball into the endzone. A Baker Mayfield flip to Bucky Irving prolonged Tampa’s result in eight. 27-19, Bucs.

Photograph by Julio Aguilar/Getty Photographs

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