Jason Behnken/Connected Press
First space within the NFC South belongs to the Novel Orleans Saints.
Novel Orleans defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 38-3 in Sunday’s divisional showdown at Raymond James Stadium and improved to 6-2 within the formulation with a fifth straight seize. The conflict between future Hall of Standing quarterbacks became the headliner, and Drew Brees earned bragging rights over Tom Brady with some lend a hand from Alvin Kamara and his protection.
The Buccaneers fell to 6-3 and saw their appreciate three-game winning poke with regards to an ruin with a dreadful performance on both sides of the ball.
The 35-point margin marked the worst of Brady’s occupation, in keeping with Jeff Duncan of The Athletic. It topped the 31-0 shutout Brady, then with the Novel England Patriots, became thinking again in 2003.
Necessary Participant Stats
- Drew Brees, QB, NO: 26-of-32 for 222 yards, 4 TDs, 0 INT
- Alvin Kamara, RB, NO: 9 carries for 40 yards, 1 TD; 5 catches for 9 yards
- Emmanuel Sanders, WR, NO: 4 catches for 38 yards, 1 TD
- Tom Brady, QB, TB: 22-of-38 for 209 yards, 0 TD, 3 INTs
- Mike Evans, WR, TB: 4 catches for 64 yards
Drew Brees, Saints Offense End Sport by Halftime
It might perhaps perhaps also be virtually no longer likely to script a extra excessive-profile quarterback strive towards than Sunday’s.
Entering play, Brees became No. 1 in NFL historical previous in completions and passing yards, while Brady became No. 2. What’s extra, Brady became one landing cross before Brees for the anecdote in that class.
They’ll both be enshrined in Canton, Ohio, one day, nevertheless here’s the first time they’ve been within the an identical division of their properly-known careers. Brees earned the initial head-to-head victory in Week 1 and wasted no time deciding on up where he left off with landing passes to a broad-open Tre’Quan Smith and Adam Trautman within the first quarter.
That became a signal of things to end, as he placed on an absolute sanatorium and picked apart the Tampa Bay secondary seemingly at any time when he dropped again to throw. Emmanuel Sanders made a diving landing bewitch, 11 assorted Saints tallied a reception by halftime and even Taysom Hill purchased in on the action with much runs, even handed one of which role up a Kamara uncover.
It might perhaps perhaps had been even worse for Tampa Bay, nevertheless Jared Cook dinner misplaced a fumble correct in front of the aim line on what gave the look to be yet one more landing power within the outlet quarter.
The became a 31-0 halftime lead for Brees and the Saints in a tell of absolute dominance infrequently seen between two Sizable Bowl contenders.
Sufficient injury became performed by intermission that even Brees dropping a fumble on Novel Orleans’ first possession of the 2d half of did not attain the relaxation nevertheless wretchedness his individual statistics on story of the game became already in point of fact over.
It’s no longer easy to verify somebody within the NFC beating the Saints if they play cherish they did within the first half of of this one.
Bucs Explosive Offense Comes Up Instant
Tampa Bay’s offense looks cherish a fantasy soccer dream on paper with Brady throwing to Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Fetch Gronkowski and Antonio Brown—who made his season debut Sunday—with Ronald Jones II and Leonard Fournette within the backfield.
Loads for that.
That community began with four straight punts sooner than Brady sandwiched an incompletion to Gronkowski on a fourth-down strive between interceptions to David Onyemata and Marcus Williams.
It became an abysmal tell from Tampa Bay, nevertheless the Saints protection deserves hundreds of credit with Malcolm Jenkins making performs all over the sphere and the remainder of the secondary sticking with Tampa Bay’s prolonged listing of explosive receivers.
Things did not enhance within the 2d half of when 1st-and-aim on the 1-yard line turned into zero components when Brady threw an incompletion, Demario Davis stuffed Jones, Gronkowski dropped a landing and Marshon Lattimore broke up a fourth-down cross to Evans.
That sequence, alongside with a Jenkins interception, ended even Tampa Bay’s prolonged-shot hopes for a miracle.
What’s Next?
Both teams face NFC foes in Week 10 when the Saints host the San Francisco 49ers and the Buccaneers are on the Carolina Panthers.
