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Saints at Buccaneers Game Preview | 2021 NFL Week 15

Tampa Bay boasts a 6-0 record at Raymond James Stadium this season, hosting a New Orleans squad unafraid of visiting stadiums, with their 24 road wins since 2018 ranked first in the NFL.

saints-buccaneers-game-preview-week-15-2021

THE MATCHUP: BUCCANEERS VS SAINTS 2021 WEEK 15

After breaking a five-game losing streak with a 30-9 win at the New York Jets, the New Orleans Saints (6-7) open the second half of their 2021 NFC South slate when they play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-3) on Sunday Night Football at 7:20 p.m. at Raymond James Stadium.

Currently the Saints are tied with four other clubs for the seventh seed in the NFC playoff race for the final spot, one game behind the 7-6 San Francisco 49ers for the sixth seed.

New Orleans leads the all-time regular season series 38-21 with the Saints winning the last six meetings in the regular season, sandwiched with a 2020 NFC Divisional Playoff loss. Tampa Bay boasts a 6-0 record at Raymond James Stadium this season, hosting a Saints squad unafraid of visiting stadiums, with their 24 road wins since 2018 ranked first in the NFL.

SAINTS-BUCCANEERS SERIES HISTORY

The New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers first met in 1977. New Orleans has posted a 38-21 regular season record vs. Tampa Bay, the club's best winning percentage (.644) vs. an opponent they have played a minimum of seven games against. Saints Head Coach Sean Payton has posted a 19-10 regular season record against Tampa Bay, looking to make the Buccaneers the second team along with Atlanta (20) that he has 20 victories against on Sunday night.

In the 59 games of the series there has been:

  • In the 59 games of the series there has been:
  • 2,089 points scored by New Orleans, 1,124 allowed.
  • A seven-game New Orleans winning streak from 2011-2014.
  • A 17-9 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

Week 8: Saints 36, Buccaneers 27; October 31, 2021 @ Caesars Superdome - When Saints QB Jameis Winston could no longer walk on his own, his New Orleans teammates rose up in dramatic fashion to knock off Tom Brady and the defending champs. P.J. Williams intercepted Brady and returned it 40 yards for a touchdown with 1:24 left, helping New Orleans seal an eventful but potentially costly 36-27 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.

Backup Trevor Siemian took over for Winston and completed 16 of 29 passes for 159 yards and a touchdown without a turnover, leading the Saints on five scoring drives that produced two touchdowns and three field goals.

The New Orleans Saints take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the Caesars Superdome in Week 8 of the 2021 NFL season.

The Bucs nearly overcame their mistakes. They wiped out a 16-point second-half deficit and took a lead with 5:44 to go when receiver and former LSU trickster Cyril Grayson was left uncovered and Brady found him for a 50-yard TD. New Orleans responded by driving for a field goal and a 29 -27 lead with 1:41 left, leaving Brady, no stranger to late-game heroics, that much time plus a timeout to get in field goal range. Instead, the Saints' defense came up big.

"I just threw it to the wrong guy," Brady said of his late interception. "I had Mike (Evans) open. It cost us the game."

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS-TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS SERIES FAST FACTS

Saints' Largest Margin of Victory vs Buccaneers:

41 points, Saints won 41-0 on 12/16/12 at Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

Buccaneers' Largest Margin of Victory vs Saints:

27 points, Buccaneers won 48-21 on 12/23/01 at Raymond James Stadium.

Current Series Streak:

Saints won last six regular season games 12/9/18-present).

Saints' Longest Win Streak vs Buccaneers:

Seven games,11/16/11- 11/28/14.

Buccaneers' Longest Win Streak vs Saints:

Two games (Seven times), most recently 12/31/17-9/9/18. 

Most Points by Saints in a Game vs Buccaneers:

44 points, Saints won 44-34 on 12/6/87 at the Louisiana Superdome.

Most Points by Buccaneers in a Game vs Saints:

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, Buccaneers won 48-40 on 9/9/18 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

Fewest Points by Saints in a Game vs Buccaneers:

Three points, Buccaneers won 10-3 on 12/4/05 at Tiger Stadium.

Fewest Points by Buccaneers in a Game vs Saints:

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 14 RECAP

For the sixth time in as many home games in 2021, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers scored at least 30 points and walked off with a victory. They just needed a little extra time to get that done on this occasion.

In one of the most thrilling finishes in franchise history, the Buccaneers beat the Buffalo Bills, 33-27, on Tom Brady's 58-yard touchdown pass to Breshad Perriman with 5:31 left in overtime. It happened to be the 700th scoring pass of Brady's career (regular season and postseason combined), but it was just the second time in 46 seasons that Tampa Bay has won on a walk-off touchdown.

The overtime heroics were needed after the Buccaneers squandered a 24-3 halftime lead and were sent to the extra period by a 25-yard Tyler Bass field goal with 22 seconds left in regulation. Buffalo scored 17 points on its three drives in the fourth quarter and the Buccaneers put up only three points in the second half after gaining 303 yards before halftime. Buffalo came into the game with the NFL's top defense, allowing just 272.3 yards per game. However, two third-down stops, both with CB Carlton Davis in tight coverage – one on Buffalo's final field goal drive and one to start overtime after the Bills won the coin toss – allowed Brady and the Buccaneers to rally for the win.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS WEEK 14 RECAP

In New Orleans' victory, the Saints ran for a season-high 203 yards rushing, powered by the duo of QB Taysom Hill and RB Alvin Kamara. Returning to the lineup after missing the last four games with knee and hamstring injuries, Kamara carried a career-high 27 times for 120 yards with one touchdown and also led New Orleans in receiving with four receptions for 25 yards. It was the fifth time in his career and second time in 2021, he reached the century mark and his second quarter 16-yard touchdown run was the 67th score of his career and tied him for the second-most touchdowns in a player's first 70 career games.

The New Orleans Saints take on the New York Jets in Week 14 of the 2021 NFL season on December 12, 2021.

Hill served as a dual threat, completing 15-of-21 passes for 175 yards, while carrying 11 times for 73 yards and two touchdowns, including a fourth quarter 44-yard scoring run, rushing for two scores for the fourth time.

The Saints defense held the Jets out of the end zone and to a 21.4% third down conversion rate, while keeping them scoreless inside the red zone three times. LB Kwon Alexander had four solo tackles and a career-high two sacks, while DE Carl Granderson added a third quarter takedown. On special teams, DB J.T. Gray had a career-high four special teams tackles, tying a career-high with 16 stops on the season, tied for the league's highest total in 2021. 

Week 15 In the NFC South

The Atlanta Falcons (6-7) travel to the San Francisco 49ers (7-6) for a matchup with playoff implications and the Carolina Panthers (5-8) play at the Buffalo Bills (7-6).

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS-TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS 2021 STATISTICAL COMPARISON

League Rankings

Table inside Article
Saints Buccaneers
Record 6-7 10-3
Scoring Avg. (NFL Rank) 23.3 (17t) 31.5 (26)
Opp. Scoring Avg. (NFL Rank) 21.9 (19) 22.8 (32)
Total Off. (NFL Rank) 319.4 (23) 410.2 (21)
Rushing Off. (NFL Rank) 121.5 (14) 96.0 (30)
Passing Off. (NFL Rank) 197.9 (25) 314.2 (12)
Total Def. (NFL Rank) 339.5 (14) 343.0 (32)
Rushing Def. (NFL Rank) 95.0 (5) 91.2 (30)
Passing Def. (NFL Rank) 244.5 (22) 251.8 (29)
Kickoff Return Avg. (NFL Rank) 22.8 (15) 19.8 (3)
Punt Return Avg. (NFL Rank) 11.0 (6) 7.5 (2)
Turnover Margin (NFL Rank) +1 (12t) -16 (32)
Penalties 76 82
Penalty Yards 635 745
Opp. Penalties 73 64
Opp. Penalty Yards 615 538

Check out the best shots of our Saints fans in the dome for Week 8 action between the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

SAINTS-BUCCANEERS 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.
  • P.J. 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.
  • Bowles served as defensive coordinator & secondary coach at Grambling State 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.
  • New Orleans wide receiver Tre'Quan Smith played at the University of Central Florida.
  • New Orleans Guard Caleb Benenoch was a fifth round draft pick (148th overall) of the Buccaneers in 2017 and played in 35 games with 22 starts on the interior for Tampa Bay.
  • 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 @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, where he was a college teammate of Alexander.
  • Tampa Bay linebacker Devin White is a Springhill native who prepped at North Webster HS and played at LSU.
  • Saints defensive lineman Christian Ringo and Tampa Bay running back Giovani Bernard were teammates in Cincinnati in 2017 and 2018.
  • Buccaneers wide receiver Breshad Perriman's father, Brett, was a second round pick of the Saints in 1988 out of the University of Miami and played in New Orleans from 1988-90.
  • New Orleans guard/tackle James Hurst and Perriman were teammates in Baltimore from 2015-17.
  • Saints secondary coach Kris Richard tutored Buccaneers cornerback Richard Sherman 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 and 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.
  • New Orleans quarterback Ian Book and Buccaneers tackle Robert Hainsey were college teammates at Notre Dame.
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