Week 9 Game Recap: New Orleans Saints 31, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 14

What you need to know

New Orleans Saints

QB Drew Brees helped his team jump out to a 17-0 lead by completing his first 11 passes, including touchdown strikes to Marques Colston and Devery Henderson. He had an extremely efficient game, completing 24 of 32 passes for 314 yards and three touchdowns. His hot play led to scores on the Saints’ first three possessions.

Deuce McAllister was held in check, rushing 15 times for only 32 yards, but was able to manage a three yard rushing score in the third quarter. Reggie Bush struggled, finishing with negative yards on the ground and failed to get much going in the passing game as well.

Marques Colston led the way receiving, with Joe Horn inactive due to a hamstring injury, and tore the Buccaneers apart to the tune of 11 receptions for 123 yards and a touchdown. WR Devery Henderson also finished with over 100 yards, 111 to be exact, that included touchdown scores from 52 and 45 yards out.

Defensively, the Saints were led by LB Scott Shanle, who finished with eight solo and two assisted tackles. DL Will Smith finished with two sacks and a forced fumble, and fellow DL Charles Grant chipped in with a sack and a forced fumble himself.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Bruce Gradkowski had an up and down outing, finishing 18 of 31 for 185 yards and two touchdowns. However, the Buccaneers offense struggled on both first and third down for most of the game, and their slow start allowed the Saints to jump up 17-0. Because of the early deficit, Tampa Bay became one dimensional and the New Orleans’ defensive front came with too much pressure for the Buccaneers to handle.

RB Cadillac Williams was not a factor, as he got only 12 carries for 39 yards. The Buccaneers were forced to play catch up early, and as a result, Cadillac’s performance suffered.

Joey Galloway was one of the lone bright spots offensively for the Buccaneers, catching four balls for 97 yards and two touchdowns. He continues to blow by defenders, and while he didn’t get many chances to make big plays (6 targets), he made them count when they called his number.

The Buccaneers were able to halt the New Orleans running game, holding them to 49 yards rushing for the game. On the flip side, they had no answer for the Saints’ passing attack, and were thrown on for 314 yards and three scores through the air.

What you ought to know

QB Drew Brees, Pass: 24 - 32 - 314 - 3 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 6 - 9 - 0

Brees got off to a hot start, and never really looked back. He connected on his first eleven passes of the game, including first quarter touchdown passes to WRs Marques Colston (15 yards) and Devery Henderson (52 yards). Brees connected with Henderson again on a 45 yard scoring strike in the third quarter that put the game out of reach. He seems to be the perfect general on the field for the Saints – making great decisions and showing poise and control in the huddle.

Brees bounced back from his rough outing last week against the Ravens, finishing 24 of 32 for 314 yards and three touchdowns. He did not turn the ball over and took advantage of an ailing Tampa Bay defensive backfield to finish with a great game through the air.

RB Deuce McAllister, Rush: 15 - 32 - 1, Rec: 2 - 12 - 0 (2 targets)

McAllister was unable to repeat the success he had on the ground in the earlier contest against Tampa Bay, but still managed to get into the end zone on a three yard plunge in the third quarter. He also caught both passes thrown his way for 12 yards.

RB Reggie Bush, Rush: 11 - -5 - 0, Rec: 4 - 22 - 0 (6 targets)

Bush struggled to get much going against Tampa Bay, rushing the ball eleven times for minus five yards and catching four passes for 22 yards. His struggles rushing the ball continued, and the commentators made numerous comments on his tendency to turn everything outside, much the way he did in college. At times, Bush seems to be too quick for the play when he first receives the handoff. In the passing game, he was targeted six times and hauled in four passes for 22 yards.

Bush had been nursing a sore ankle that could have contributed to his sluggish performance.

WR Marques Colston, Rec: 11 - 123 - 1 (15 targets)

Colston had a monster game, using his size and soft hands to haul in 11 receptions for 123 yards, including a 15 yard touchdown reception. Without Horn, Colston was the most targeted receiver, finishing with 15 for the game.

WR Devery Henderson, Rec: 3 - 111 - 2 (4 targets)

Henderson filled in for the injured Horn, and gave the Saints two huge plays, scoring on touchdown receptions of 52 and 45 yards. He was only targeted four times, but because of his long plays down field, Henderson finished with 111 yards.

WR Joe Horn

Horn missed the game with a hamstring injury.

TE Mark Campbell, Rec: 2 - 16 - 0 (2 targets)

Campbell caught both balls thrown his way for 16 yards. One of his receptions netted a New Orleans’ first down.

PK John Carney 1 - 1 FG, 4 - 4 XP, 7 points

Carney hit his only field goal attempt from 46 yards out and connected on four extra point attempts to finish with seven points.

NO Rush Defense

The Saints were able to neutralize the Buccaneers’ rushing attack with the help of their offense, as the early 17-0 lead they put on the board made the job that much easier on the defense. Cadillac Williams finished with only 39 yards on 12 attempts and Tampa Bay became one dimensional for most of the game.

NO Pass Defense

The Saints defense, particularly their front seven, did a great job applying pressure on the Buccaneers and forced Bruce Gradkowski to rush most of his throws. They did allow two passing scores, but gave up only 158 net passing yards, recorded four sacks, and gave up only four third down conversions on 14 attempts.

QB Bruce Gradkowski, Pass: 18 - 31 - 185 - 2 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 2 - 12 - 0

Gradkowski had a roller coaster ride of a game against the Saints. He and the Buccaneers went three and out on their first six possessions of the game and showed little life or bounce until their fourth possession of the second quarter. On that possession, Gradkowski connected with WR Joey Galloway on two big pass plays, a 27 yarder followed by a 44 yard touchdown pass to Galloway. On Tampa Bay’s next drive, Gradkowski scrambled for one first down, connected with RB Michael Pittman on a short pass play for a second first down, and followed that up with his second touchdown pass to Galloway. He made a beautiful throw under pressure, threading the needle between two defenders and connecting with Galloway in the end zone to cut the lead to 17 – 14. Unfortunately for Tampa Bay, that would be as close as it would get.

The Buccaneers’ next four drives consisted of two three and outs, an unsuccessful fourth down conversion attempt and a lost fumble by Gradkowski. During that sequence, the Saints put the ball in the end zone twice and put the game out of reach.

RB Cadillac Williams, Rush: 12 - 39 - 0, Rec: 1 - 5 - 0 (3 targets)

Williams could not duplicate the strong outing he had in the first meeting with New Orleans, rushing for only 39 yards on 12 carries. Williams and the Buccaneers got down 17 points early, and the running game was an afterthought in Tampa Bay’s comeback attempt. To his credit, Williams always seems to run hard, whether he’s getting hit behind the line of scrimmage or breaking through the defense. The inexperience in his offensive line could be a reason for the inconsistency in the running game. He is one of Tampa Bay’s main weapons and playmakers, and they must figure out how to keep him involved in the game.

RB Michael Pittman, Rush: 1 - 3 - 0, Rec: 6 - 27 - 0 (8 targets)

Pittman had only one rush for three yards, but caught six passes for 27 yards on eight targets. He was the most targeted receiver for the Buccaneers, much a result of the pressure the Saints were able to put on the Tampa Bay offense.

RB Mike Alstott

Alstott did not register a carry or reception in the game.

WR Michael Clayton, Rush: 1 - 2 - 0, Rec: 4 - 38 - 0 (7 targets)

Clayton was targeted seven times, and finished with four receptions for 38 yards. He was open on a few plays that Gradkowski just missed him on, one coming on a fourth down conversion attempt. He also rushed the ball one time for two yards.

WR Joey Galloway, Rec: 4 - 97 - 2 (6 targets)

Galloway loves facing the Saints. In their first outing, he had over 100 yards receiving and a touchdown, and in this game he had nearly 100 yards, finishing with 97, and two receiving scores. Because of the pressure the front seven of the Saints was able to generate on the Buccaneers offense, Galloway was unable to get the amount of looks Tampa Bay surely wanted to give him. He was targeted six times, a number Tampa Bay certainly would have preferred to be much higher. His touchdowns came from 44 and 17 yards out.

WR Ike Hilliard, Rec: 1 - 10 - 0 (2 targets)

Hilliard caught just one pass for ten yards and was targeted two times.

TE Alex Smith, Rec: 2 - 8 - 0 (3 targets)

Smith finished with two receptions for eight yards on three targets.

PK Matt Bryant 0 - 0 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 2 points

Bryant did not attempt a field goal, and hit both of his extra point attempts to finish with two points.

TB Rush Defense

The Buccaneers did a nice job slowing down the Saints one-two punch of McAllister and Bush and held New Orleans to 49 yards on 35 attempts, for a 1.4 ypc average. They were relentless in pursuit and flew to the ball like the Tampa Bay defenses of the past. Bush, in particular, found it extremely tough to get anything going, as the Buccaneers held him to negative five yards rushing for the game.

Tampa Bay icon LB Derrick Brooks led the way defensively with nine solo and four assisted tackles. Fellow LB Shelton Quarles was injured during the game, and did not return.

TB Pass Defense

Playing without starting CB Brian Kelly, the Buccaneer secondary was torn apart by the New Orleans passing game. Drew Brees got off to a hot start, completing his first eleven passes, and did so with little pressure on him. They allowed over 300 passing yards and three scores through the air, and had no answer for WR Marques Colston. Both Colston and WR Devery Henderson scored first quarter touchdowns, and seemed to beat zone coverage on both scores. Tampa Bay DB Juran Bolden was injured during the game, and Torrie Cox, filling in for Bolden, seemed to get beat every time the Saints threw the ball. This is definitely not the defense Tampa Bay fans are used to seeing, as one aspect of their scheme is exposed nearly every week.