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Week 2 Game Recap: New Orleans Saints 14, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31
What you need to know
| New Orleans Saints |
QB Drew Brees was out of sync for the second week in a row, and was put under constant pressure by a fired up Buccaneers defense. He threw for only 61 yards in the first half, and while he picked it up in the second half, the game was already out of reach. His final statline read 26 of 44 for 260 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He connected with WR Marques Colston for the touchdown in the fourth quarter, but game changing plays were few and far between for the Saints.
Deuce McAllister rushed for 47 yards in the first half, but had a costly fumble that gave the Buccaneers great field position, which they turned into an offensive score. With New Orleans being down 21-0 at halftime, McAllister was neutralized as the Saints went to more of a passing attack. Reggie Bush struggled on the ground, but chipped in with six receptions for 43 yards in the passing game.
Marques Colston led the way receiving with eight catches for 70 yards and a four yard touchdown. His score, and a few of his receiving yards, came late in the game when it was already out of reach.
The Saints defense struggled in pass defense for the second week in a row, allowing Tampa Bay to connect on two passing touchdowns in the first half, where they were down 21-0 by halftime. While they were not helped out at all by their offense and the two turnovers that gave the Buccaneers a short field, they still have to improve in defending against the pass.
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
Jeff Garcia appeared focused from the get go, completing eight of 12 passes in the first half for 190 yards. He was able to hook up with WR Joey Galloway for two first half scores to help the Buccaneers jump out to an early lead. Garcia was helped by effective play from his offensive line, and as a result, was able to relax in the pocket, survey the defense, and take what they gave him.
RB Cadillac Williams played through his injured ribs, and although his yardage numbers weren't all that impressive, he was able to punch in two rushing scores from one yard out. Williams also tallied 24 carries and was able to finish the game, so the injured ribs don't seem to be much of a problem.
Joey Galloway was a nightmare for the Saints. Unfortunately for New Orleans, that nightmare happens twice a year. Galloway torched the Saints' defensive backfield for 135 yards on four receptions, two of which went for touchdowns.
Tampa Bay's defense showed signs of improvement from last week, slowing down the powerful Saints offense and limiting the amount of big plays they got from their offense. Dealing with extremely hot temperatures, the Buccaneers kept the heat on Brees, putting constant pressure on the quarterback and forcing him to rush some throws early on. The Buccaneers were able to force two turnovers that helped their cause, giving the offense great field position that led to offensive scores.
What you ought to know
| QB Drew Brees, Pass: 26 - 44 - 260 - 1 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 3 - 10 - 0 |
Brees does not look like the same quarterback he was last year, at least through the first two weeks of the season. His final numbers weren't terrible, but his inabilities to convert on third downs early in the game or come up with any big plays downfield were a big part of the problem. Brees totaled 260 yards on 26 of 44 passing that included a four yard touchdown to WR Marques Colston. However, he also had a costly interception that set up a Tampa Bay score and was not able to get into rhythm against an aggressive Tampa Bay defense.
| RB Reggie Bush, Rush: 10 - 27 - 0, Rec: 6 - 43 - 0 (8 targets) |
Bush really could not get much going on the ground, totaling 27 yards on ten carries with a long of just ten yards. He did receive a goal line carry on the play before the Karney touchdown, and was used as a decoy on the ensuing score. His main contribution came in the passing game, with six receptions for 43 yards on eight targets. Bush did have two fumbles in the game, but the Saints were able to recover both of them.
| RB Deuce McAllister, Rush: 10 - 49 - 0, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (2 targets) |
McAllister was off to a nice start, with nine carries and 47 yards rushing in the first half. However, with the Saints falling behind so quickly, he was seldom used in the second half and finished with just ten carries for 49 yards for the game. He had a costly first quarter fumble that led to a Tampa Bay touchdown, and McAllister seemed to have been poked in the eye on the play. The injury didn't seem to hamper him as his lack of production in the second half was a result of New Orleans focusing on the passing game. McAllister did have one reception for seven yards, and was targeted twice in the passing game.
| RB Mike Karney, Rush: 3 - 13 - 1, Rec: 1 - 0 - 0 (1 targets) |
Karney was able to punch one in from one yard out in the third quarter and ran the ball three times in short yardage situations, finishing with 13 rushing yards. He did have one reception on his only target of the game, but gained no yards on the catch.
| WR Marques Colston, Rec: 8 - 70 - 1 (10 targets) |
Colston had nice game, but did most of his damage late with the Buccaneers in deep zone coverage. He was targeted ten times, leading the team in targets and finishing with eight receptions for 70 yards, including a four yard touchdown. Four of Colston's receptions resulted in first downs, and he was clearly Brees' favorite target.
| WR David Patten, Rec: 2 - 66 - 0 (7 targets) |
Patten was the second most targeted Saints receiver, finishing with seven in the game, hauling in two receptions for 66 yards.
| WR Devery Henderson (3 targets) |
Henderson had two targets on the first drive, but had a clear drop on the second attempt. Brees never really looked his way for the remainder of the game as Henderson finished with just three targets, and no receptions.
| TE Eric Johnson, Rec: 3 - 18 - 0 (5 targets) |
Johnson was targeted five times, hauling in three passes for 18 yards.
| PK Olindo Mare 0 - 1 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 2 points |
Mare missed a field goal from 38 yards out in the second quarter, with the kick sailing wide left. He did convert two point after attempts.
| NO Rush Defense |
The Saints rush defense did a nice job containing the Tampa Bay rushers, limiting them to 87 yards on 32 attempts and just a 2.7 ypc average. They did allow two rushing scores; both from one yard out, but both came following turnovers by their offense that gave the Buccaneers a short field to work with.
DB Roman Harper led the Saints defensively with six solo tackles and fellow DB Josh Bullocks chipped in three solo and four assisted tackles.
| NO Pass Defense |
The New Orleans defensive backfield was exposed for the second week in a row, as Tampa Bay burned them for two scores through the air. Both touchdowns came on big plays, with WR Joey Galloway scoring on plays from 69 and 24 yards out. The Saints failed to get any pressure on Buccaneer QB Jeff Garcia, registering no sacks and getting minimal heat on the opposing signal caller throughout the game.
| QB Jeff Garcia, Pass: 10 - 16 - 243 - 2 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 2 - 6 - 0 |
Garcia was in a zone against the Saints, completing ten of 16 pass attempts for 243 yards, including touchdown strikes to WR Joey Galloway from 69 and 24 yards out. Garcia was accurate and efficient, and showed great poise in the pocket. He was not sacked in the game, and had a nice scramble play that led to a Tampa Bay scoring opportunity. Garcia played with some of the emotion and fire he showed last year with Philadelphia, pumping his fist on big plays and refusing to slide on a few of his scrambles in an effort to gain first downs.
| RB Cadillac Williams, Rush: 24 - 61 - 2 |
Williams played the game with a flak jacket to protect his bruised ribs, and rewarded owners with a nice game. He finished with 61 yards rushing on 24 attempts, including two rushing scores from one yard out. Williams averaged less than three yards an attempt, but his 24 carries are enough to show owners his ribs are well enough for him to carry the load.
| RB Michael Pittman, Rush: 5 - 18 - 0, Rec: 1 - 11 - 0 (2 targets) |
Pittman spelled Cadillac Williams in the running game, rushing five times for 18 yards. He was targeted twice in the game, catching one pass for 11 yards.
| WR Joey Galloway, Rec: 4 - 135 - 2 (5 targets) |
Galloway continued his abuse of the New Orleans secondary, finishing with four receptions for 135 yards and two touchdowns, from 69 and 24 yards out. He needed just five targets to reach those numbers, averaging over 33 yards per reception. Galloway shows no signs of slowing down, and seems to have good chemistry working with QB Jeff Garcia.
| WR Ike Hilliard, Rec: 2 - 51 - 0 (3 targets) |
Hilliard was targeted three times and caught two passes for 51 yards, 41 of which came on one play that set up a Tampa Bay touchdown.
| WR Michael Clayton |
Clayton did not contribute in the box score, getting no targets for the game, but made a huge block on the Galloway 69 yard touchdown to help spring his teammate free. His absence in the offense is definitely a mystery, and it seems Ike Hilliard is doing just enough to keep Clayton behind him on the depth chart.
| TE Alex Smith, Rec: 2 - 45 - 0 (3 targets) |
Smith hauled in two receptions for 45 yards and was targeted three times. He was quick getting off the line, and was open on a few of Tampa Bay's other long pass plays, but just wasn't the primary target.
| PK Matt Bryant 1 - 1 FG, 4 - 4 XP, 7 points |
Bryant connected on a 27 yard field goal and added four point afters to finish with seven points.
| TB Rush Defense |
Tampa Bay's defense was fired up from the opening kickoff, and never let up. For the second week in a row, they showed flashes of the great Buccaneer defenses of the past as they swarmed to the ball and the front seven pressured New Orleans QB Drew Brees. Their rush defense was aided by their offense, who jumped out to a lead and forced New Orleans to abandon the rushing attack. The Saints racked up 78 yards on 19 attempts in the first half, but fumbled the ball three times, losing one.
Buccaneer LB Barrett Rudd was everywhere, forcing two fumbles, recovering a fumble, and finishing with nine solo tackles, along with two assists. Rudd looks to be next in a line of IDP studs in the Tampa 2 system. LB Derrick Brooks chipped in with eight solo tackles, one assist and a forced fumble.
| TB Pass Defense |
DB Brian Kelly missed the game with an injury, but the Tampa Bay defense stepped up and was able to contain the explosive New Orleans offense for the majority of the game. They were able to get pressure on Brees for most of the game and limited any big plays downfield. The Saints did score a fourth quarter passing touchdown, their only passing score of the game, but Tampa Bay was in deep zone coverage and the Saints got down the field on short and medium pass routes that led to the score. Unfortunately for New Orleans, the game was already out of reach.
DB Jermaine Phillips had five solo tackles and two assists, and LB Cato June chipped in with Tampa Bay's only interception of the game.
