Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
Head inside the New Orleans Saints locker room postgame after the Saints' win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL Season presented by Bud Light.
As the rain and turf at Raymond James Stadium caked cleats, slicked hands and smeared jerseys, Tyler Shough left the field as pristine as he possibly could have on Sunday in Tampa, Fla.
The New Orleans Saints rookie quarterback showed off the goods that made him the Saints' highest drafted quarterback since 1971 in a 24-20 victory, his second as a starter and the third this season for the Saints (3-10).
Shough ran for two touchdowns — including a lead-taking 13-yarder with 8:42 left — and benefited from a herculean defensive effort. New Orleans' defense forced a turnover and produced five fourth-down stops, as the Saints won their second road game this season, each over the top two teams (Carolina and Tampa Bay) in the NFC South Division.
"This is why you play football," Shough said, after helping New Orleans raise its record to 2-3 in his starts. "You come in here, in the elements with all your boys, with all your teammates and we fought really hard. I was really proud of the O-line, just kind of chugging along the whole way, they did a really good job in protection.
"The defense was making huge stops. I think we did a better job of being a little bit more complementary, and I'm just proud of all of our guys. It took everybody, so it was just a lot of fun. That's the thing that is kind of resonating with me right now, it was just a lot of fun. And I think this shows kind of how we are as a team."
The Saints again proved to be a markedly better second-half team, outscoring the Buccaneers 17-10, going 5 for 7 on third down after blanking on four attempts in the first half, gaining 187 of their 260 yards and producing four stops on third down and two on fourth, including the game-sealer with 81 seconds left.
"Coming into it, we just knew they were going to be aggressive," said cornerback Alontae Taylor whose interception in the third quarter set the table for Shough's 34-yard touchdown run, the first rushing touchdown of Shough's career. "With those fourth-down plays, we were expecting them to go for them.
"I think (defensive coordinator Brandon) Staley came up with the right gameplan throughout the week. We communicated on the back end and throughout the whole defense, and we were just able to get the stops."
New Orleans opened the game with a touchdown drive, following receiver Mason Tipton's 54-yard kickoff return. Four plays, including completions of 16 and 12 yards to receiver Devaughn Vele and tight end Juwan Johnson, and an 11-yard read-option run by Shough, took the Saints to the 3-yard line. On first-and-goal from there, rookie running back Devin Neal muscled in up the middle for his first NFL touchdown.
The Bucs (7-6) responded with a touchdown and neither team scored again until the second quarter.
Shough (13 of 20 for 144 yards, with an interception, and seven carries for 55 yards) was picked off on a deep pass attempt on first-and-5 from New Orleans' 21-yard line with 11:20 left in the first half. Tampa Bay's 19-yard return set up the possession to begin at New Orleans' 40, and after gaining 17 yards in four plays, the Bucs settled for a 41-yard field goal and 10-7 lead they carried into halftime.
After Taylor's interception ended Tampa Bay's opening drive of the second half and Shough's 34-yard run gave New Orleans a 14-10 lead, the Bucs responded with a seven-play, 65-yard drive to retake the advantage, 17-14 with 7:40 left in the third.
The Saints tied it on Charlie Smyth's field goal with 1:36 left in the third quarter, and fourth-down stop No. 4 for the Saints (a Kool-Aid McKinstry pass breakup) gave New Orleans possession at its own 47 with 12:48 left.
Eight plays later, including conversions on third-and-10 and third-and-8, and the Saints were first-and-10 at the Tampa Bay 13. Shough dropped back to pass, evaded heavy pressure in the pocket and escaped through an opening on the left side, then outran the defense to the pylon for a 24-17 lead with 8:26 left.
"We were getting Taysom (Hill) on a linebacker for maybe a pylon-wheel shot and it kind of got all muddied up at the end, so I was just trying to get out of there and make a play," Shough said. "Just saw green grass and went for it. It was a good job of driving the whole way down the field and getting down there. Stuff like that happens and you've got to go for it."
The defense made it stand, allowing a red zone field goal before producing its final fourth-down stop — a Demario Davis tackle following a three-yard completion on fourth-and-4 – with 1:21 left. The Saints limited the Bucs to 301 yards and Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield completed 14 of 30 passes for 122 yards and a touchdown, with an interception.
"We've only won a couple of games this season, there's a lot of adversity you face," Saints coach Kellen Moore said. "And so, for our guys to come out and have the energy and the physicality they played with, I thought it was a credit to our guys.
"They're a special group, a group that keeps playing and all three phases contributed to this game. It was a really challenging game for both teams, it was big for our guys to come away with the win."
