THE MATCHUP: SAINTS VS BUCS 2021 WEEK 8
The Saints begin Sunday what will be a two-game stretch of NFC South contests, starting when they host the defending Super Bowl Champion Buccaneers at the Caesars Superdome. This will be the 60th overall meeting (regular season/postseason) between the two clubs since the Buccaneers first joined the NFL as an expansion franchise in 1976. Since 2002, the two teams have battled in the NFC South together as they are the only two clubs in the division to have hoisted a Lombardi Trophy on their shoulders.
New Orleans leads the regular season series 37-21, including two consecutive season sweeps, however the Saints will be looking to eliminate the bad taste from last season's 30-20 NFC Divisional Playoff loss to the Buccaneers as they used that momentum to become World Champions. Head Coach Sean Payton is 18-10 against Tampa Bay in the regular season, having won the last five.
SAINTS-BUCS SERIES HISTORY
The New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers first met in 1977. New Orleans has posted a 37-21 regular season record vs. Tampa Bay, the club's best winning percentage (.638) vs. an opponent they have played a minimum of seven games against.
In the 58 games of the series there has been:
- 2,053 points scored by New Orleans, 1,097 allowed.
- A seven-game New Orleans winning streak from 2011-2014.
- A 21-11 record for the Saints in games played at Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
- 24 games decided by double-digits.
- Seven games decided by 21 or more points.
- 33 games decided by seven points or less.
- A 41-point win by New Orleans on December 16, 2012, the club's first shutout against the Buccaneers.
- Since both clubs joined the NFC South in 2002, New Orleans has swept the regular season series seven times, including 2020.
THE LAST MEETING
NFC Divisional Playoff– Tampa Bay Buccaneers 30, New Orleans Saints 20; January 17, 2021 @ Mercedes-Benz Superdome – The Tampa Bay Buccaneers used big plays on defense to advance to the NFC Championship game with a 30-20 victory at the New Orleans Saints. With 4:30 left in the third quarter, Buccaneers safety Antoine Winfield Jr. stripped the ball from Saints tight end Jared Cook and it was recovered by linebacker Devin White at the New Orleans 40. Five plays later, Buccaneers running back Leonard Fournette tied the score 20-20 on a six-yard touchdown pass from Tampa Bay quarterback Tom Brady.
The Buccaneers then took control of the game, forcing a New Orleans punt and Tampa Bay kicker Ryan Succop booting a 36-yard field goal for a 23-20 lead. On the next series, White picked off Brees at the New Orleans 48-yard line and returned it 28 yards to the Saints' 20. Brady then capped off a four-play, 20-yard drive that ended with a one-yard rushing touchdown to put Tampa Bay up 30-20 with 4:57 remaining.
Game action photos from the New Orleans Saints vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers matchup in the Divisional Round of the 2020 NFL playoffs.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS-TAMPA BAY BUCS SERIES FAST FACTS (REGULAR SEASON)
Saints' Largest Margin of Victory:
41 points, Saints won 41-0 on 12/16/12 at Mercedes-Benz Superdome..
Buccaneers' Largest Margin of Victory:
27 points, Buccaneers won 48-21 on 12/23/01 at Raymond James Stadium.
Current Series Streak:
Saints won last five regular season games (12/9/18-present).
Saints' Longest Win Streak:
Seven games,11/16/11-11/28/14.
Buccaneers' Longest Win Streak:
Two games (Seven times), most recently 12/31/17-9/9/18.
Most Points by Saints in a Game:
44 points, Saints won 44-34 on 12/6/87 at the Louisiana Superdome.
Most Points by Tampa Bay in a Game:
48 points (two times, Tampa Bay won 48-21 on 12/23/01 at Raymond James Stadium and Tampa Bay won 48-40 on 9/9/18 at Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
Most Combined Points (Both Teams):
88 points, Buccaneer won 48-40 on 9/9/18 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
Fewest Points by Saints in a Game:
Three points, Buccaneers won 10-3 on 12/4/05 at Tiger Stadium.
Fewest Points by Buccaneers in a Game:
0 points, Saints won 41-0 on 12/16/12 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
Fewest Combined Points (Both Teams):
12 points, Saints won 9-3 on 10/25/98 at the Louisiana Superdome.
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS WEEK 7 RECAP
From Buccaneers.com
1. Despite injuries, the defense dominated anyway.
The Bucs suffered another blow to their already dilapidated secondary when Jamel Dean went out technically two separate times. He was shaken up at the end of the third quarter, which forced cornerback Pierre Desir into the game. But in true next man up fashion, Desir promptly picked off Bears rookie quarterback Justin Fields for the team's third interception of the game. Cornerback Dee Delaney had another and so did safety Jordan Whitehead. It was the first interception of the season for all three players and was part of a five-takeaway effort by the Buccaneers.
2. The Mike Evans-Chris Godwin tandem.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS WEEK 7 RECAP
The New Orleans Saints-Seattle Seahawks "Monday Night Football" game at Lumen Field in Seattle turned into a defensive battle, a fight that Saints linebacker Demario Davis was more than willing to take on.
The veteran New Orleans linebacker led a dominant defensive effort in the second half as the Saints edged Seattle 13-10 thanks to five sacks and multiple tackles in the Seahawks backfield. The Saints scored the winning points on a 33-yard field goal by Brian Johnson with 1:56 to play. It was the second field goal of Johnson's career.
"I thought our defense played well," Saints Coach Sean Payton said. "Kicker did a great job. Special teams and kicking game we did some good things, too."
Running back Alvin Kamara was the Saints offense as he caught 10 passes for 128 yards and the team's lone touchdown and carried the ball 20 times for 51 yards. Quarterback Jameis Winston was 19 for 35 for 222 yards and he ran six times for 43 yards
The New Orleans Saints take on the Seattle Seahawks on the road in Week 7 of the 2021 NFL season.
The win improved the Saints to 4-2 heading into Sunday's home game against Tampa Bay (6-1), the defending Super Bowl champions. The loss dropped Seattle to 2-5 and was its third loss at home this season.
The Saints won despite going 2 for 13 on third down and losing the turnover battle 1-0, as tight end Adam Trautman lost a fumble in the second half. The Saints also were penalized seven times for 90 yards.
Seattle scored its lone touchdown on an 84-yard pass to star receiver D.K. Metcalf in the first quarter. Kicker Jason Myers added a second half field goal but also missed two other attempts.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS-TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS 2021 STATISTICAL COMPARISON
League Rankings
Saints | Buccaneers | |
---|---|---|
Record | 4-2 | 6-1 |
Scoring Avg. (NFL Rank) | 23.3 (17) | 33.3 (3) |
Opp. Scoring Avg. (NFL Rank) | 16.8 (3) | 21.0 (10) |
Total Off. (NFL Rank) | 296.7 (29) | 423.4(2) |
Rushing Off. (NFL Rank) | 120.5 (11) | 99.1(21) |
Passing Off. (NFL Rank) | 176.2 (31) | 324.3(1) |
Total Def. (NFL Rank) | 331.5 (8) | 332.1 (8) |
Rushing Def. (NFL Rank) | 80.8 (3) | 67.4 (1) |
Passing Def. (NFL Rank) | 250.7 (20) | 264.7 (22) |
Kickoff Return Avg. (NFL Rank) | 26.3 (3) | 21.7 (18) |
Punt Return Avg. (NFL Rank) | 11.1 (5) | 10.1 (8) |
Turnover Margin (NFL Rank) | +4 (8t) | +7 (4t) |
Penalties | 37 | 48 |
Penalty Yards | 336 | 481 |
Opp. Penalties | 28 | 36 |
Opp. Penalty Yards | 227 | 295 |
3,000 New Orleans Saints fans, including 750 vaccinated health-care workers from Ochsner, LCMC, and Tulane cheer on the team from inside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Divisional Round of the 2020 NFL playoffs.
SAINTS-BUCS CONNECTIONS
- New Orleans Defensive back P.J. Williams and quarterback Jameis Winston won two Atlantic Coast Conference championships and one national championship at Florida State University together from 2013-14.
- Winston was the 2013 Heisman Trophy winner and was the first overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft by the Buccaneers in 2015, holding passing yardage and touchdown pass franchise records, completing 1,563 –of-2548 passes for 19,737 yards with 121 touchdown passes in 72 games with 70 starts
- Williams prepped at Vanguard (Ocala, Fla.) HS
- Saints Head Coach Sean Payton, Tampa Bay Defensive Coordinator Todd Bowles and Defensive Line Coach Kacy Rodgers served on the same Dallas Cowboys coaching staff
- Saints Special Teams Coordinator Darren Rizzi, Bowles and Rodgers also served on the same Miami coaching staff.
- Rizzi and Tampa Bay Quarterbacks Coach Clyde Christensen served on the same Dolphins coaching staff from 2016-18.
- Bowles tutored Saints linebacker Demario Davis when he served as head coach of the New York Jets in 2017 along with Buccaneers Inside Linebackers Coach Mike Caldwell and Rodgers (defensive coordinator).
- Bowles served as defensive coordinator & secondary coach at Grambling State University from 1998-99.
- Davis and Buccaneers defensive tackle Steve McLendon were defensive teammates with the Jets in 2017
- Tampa Bay Specialists Coach Chris Boniol is an Alexandria, Louisiana native who played at Louisiana Tech and also coached special teams at Louisiana College from 2015-16
- Saints Director of Player Engagement Fred McAfee played on special teams for Tampa Bay in 1999
- Tampa Bay Head Coach Bruce Arians served as Saints tight ends coach in 1996
- New Orleans Offensive Assistant D.J. WIlliams prepped at Tampa Catholic High School and his father, former Buccaneers quarterback Doug Williams is in the club's Ring of Honor
- Saints tackle/guard James Hurst blocked for Buccaneers running back Giovani Bernard at the University of North Carolina
- Saints defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson played at University of Florida, where he played with Buccaneers quarterback Kyle Trask from 2016-18
- Saints wide receiver/return specialist Deonte Harris and Buccaneers long snapper Zach Triner were college teammates at Assumption College in Worcester, Mass
- Saints linebacker Kwon Alexander played for Tampa Bay from 2015-18
- Saints running back Tony Jones Jr. is a St. Petersburg native who prepped at IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)
- New Orleans wide receiver Tre'Quan Smith played at the University of Central Florida
- Buccaneers cornerback Ross Cockrell and Saints fullback Alex Armah played together with the Carolina Panthers from 2018-19
- Buccaneers practice squad quarterback Ryan Griffin played at Tulane for Saints Senior Offensive Asst./Wide Receivers Curtis Johnson, who served as head coach and then played for New Orleans from 2013-14 after signing as an undrafted free agent
- Buccaneers linebacker Kevin Minter played at LSU and was a high school teammate of Saints cornerback Bradley Roby at Peachtree Ridge (Suwanee, Ga.) HS
- Tampa Bay running back Leonard Fournette, who prepped at St. Augustine (New Orleans, La.) HS and was an All-American at LSU and New Orleans running back Devine Ozigbo were teammates in Jacksonville in 2019
- Tampa Bay linebacker Devin White is a Springhill native who prepped at North Webster HS and played at LSU
- Saints secondary coach Kris Richard tutored Buccaneers cornerback Kris Richard both as secondary coach and defensive coordinator with the Seattle Seahawks.
- Richard and Buccaneers running backs coach Todd McNair served on the same USC coaching staff
- Saints quarterback Trevor Siemian prepped at Olympia (Orlando, Fl.) HS
- Buccaneers TE Cameron Brate had a 2015 stint on the Saints practice squad, and also shares a high school alma mater of Naperville Central (Ill.) HS with Payton.