Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-6) – New Orleans Saints (4-9): 17-16
Tom Brady is immortal. Even heckled, in the heart of a match where the Buccaneers did not succeed much in attack, led by 13 points 5 minutes from the end of this game, the quarterback managed to find the solution to win. He’s probably not quite the player he was in his prime anymore, but that killer instinct, the one that allows him to raise his level in the most important moments, will certainly never leave him.
Against the Saints, while Tampa Bay was far behind in the score in the fourth quarter (3-16), number 12 posted an almost perfect stat sheet on two drives (14/18, 118 yards and 2 TDs) to get this meeting. A victory in the form of a miracle for Buccaneers who come back from very far.
With the game on the line, it was the 🐐’s time to shine #NOvsTB pic.twitter.com/FNJgzyw8lP
— NFL (@NFL) December 6, 2022
3 points in 55 minutes
It’s no longer a secret that Tampa Bay has had a LOT of trouble against the Saints since the arrival of Tom Brady in 2020. Prior to this game, the pitcher had only beaten New Orleans once in the regular season with the Buccaneers jersey (1-4). And this meeting is not very different from other confrontations with a Louisiana team which always poses so many worries for its division opponent. The first drive is however well mastered by the locals. The Bucs line up 16 straight plays to gain 72 yards in the first 8 minutes of the game. Except that the problem is always the same in Florida since the beginning of the season: the last 20 opposing yards.
Tampa Bay is still ineffective in the red zone and must settle for a field goal to start (3-0). These will be the Buccaneers’ only points in the first 55 minutes of this game. The fault with a defense of the Saints always so aggressive. Even without the injured Marshon Lattimore, this squad has made life difficult for their opponent. Solid against the run (76 yards conceded only), she was able to block the air as it should. And if Tom Brady is sacked only once in this meeting, he owes it mainly to his experience, because the pass-rush was present.
The Buccaneers offense and its quarterback are also not above reproach. Tom Brady offers a lot of imprecise throws in an attack that has a hard time being effective in depth. Result, Mike Evans (4 receptions and 59 yards) and Chris Godwin (8 receptions and 63 yards) are not really in sight. Not to mention Julio Jones (3 receptions for 28 yards). At the same time, quietly, New Orleans begins to widen the gap. Through a touchdown first. A 30-yard pass from Andy Dalton (20/28, 229 yards and 1 TD) for Taysom Hill, which for a long time will be the only trip to the end zone of the two teams in this meeting (3-7).
Tom Brady’s Awakening
Then, Denis Allen’s players no longer find the promised land, but worsen the score thanks to the foot of Will Lutz. The kicker scored field goals from 38, 21 and 29 yards to give the visitors an advantage that seemed definitive in the fourth quarter (3-16). That’s when Tom Brady decides to wake up. There are only 5 minutes to play and the Buccaneers will score 14 points. At first, the former Patriot and his teammates travel 90 yards to score their first touchdown of the game. A 1 yard pass to Cade Otton which unlocks the counter (10-16).
But the Buccaneers are only halfway there. In the aftermath, the defense does the job by forcing the Saints to punt. For the rest, Tom Brady does Tom Brady. He finds Rachaad White moments later with only 3 seconds left on the clock. The quarterback can add a new “buzzer beater” to his credit and extend the long list of winning drives in his career.
With this victory, Tampa Bay returns to balance and remains at the top of its division. These two miraculous drives should not, however, make us forget that the 2020 champions are still in great difficulty in attack. Very bad news when you know that they face the best defense in the country next week in San Francisco. On the New Orleans side, the defeat is frustrating as the Saints defense thought they had done the job until the end.
