Tampa Bay
Buccaneers
7-9
36
FINAL
50
New Orleans
Saints
13-3
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a thrilling Week 18 showdown, the New Orleans Saints topped the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a final score of 50-36. With both teams fighting for playoff positioning, the Saints showcased their offensive firepower, securing a crucial victory to solidify their postseason hopes.
The Saints’ quarterback delivered a standout performance, throwing for five touchdowns and leading his team to an impressive offensive display. On the other side, Baker Mayfield put up solid numbers for the Buccaneers with 355 passing yards, while Bucky Irving contributed with 75 rushing yards, keeping the Tampa Bay offense competitive throughout the game. However, it was the Saints’ key playmakers who ultimately made the difference, including a remarkable 122 receiving yards from their top receiver.
Defensively, the Saints were able to capitalize on critical moments, highlighted by two interceptions from their standout cornerback. This defensive effort not only stymied Tampa Bay's momentum but also marked a turning point in the game, as the Saints managed to convert turnovers into points. The Buccaneers' Rueben Bain Jr. recorded a sack, but it was the Saints’ ability to create turnovers that proved decisive in securing their victory.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | YDS | TD | INT | RTG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baker Mayfield | QB | 43 | 25 | 355 | 2 | 4 | 61.6 |
| Tyler Shough | QB | 28 | 19 | 322 | 5 | 3 | 106.5 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bucky Irving | HB | 15 | 75 | 5.0 | 2 | 33 | 0 |
| Travis Etienne Jr | HB | 8 | 61 | 7.6 | 0 | 30 | 0 |
| Tyler Shough | QB | 2 | 27 | 13.5 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| Baker Mayfield | QB | 5 | 15 | 3.0 | 0 | 8 | 1 |
| Chris Godwin Jr | WR | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Emeka Egbuka | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ja'Kobi Lane | WR | 6 | 122 | 20.3 | 1 | 44 | 0 |
| Emeka Egbuka | WR | 7 | 110 | 15.7 | 0 | 27 | 0 |
| Jordyn Tyson | WR | 7 | 106 | 15.1 | 3 | 32 | 0 |
| Chris Godwin Jr | WR | 7 | 91 | 13.0 | 1 | 37 | 0 |
| Ted Hurst III | WR | 7 | 70 | 10.0 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
| Cade Otton | TE | 2 | 69 | 34.5 | 0 | 45 | 0 |
| Juwan Johnson | TE | 3 | 44 | 14.7 | 0 | 32 | 0 |
| Bryce Lance | WR | 1 | 31 | 31.0 | 0 | 31 | 0 |
| Bucky Irving | HB | 2 | 15 | 7.5 | 1 | 12 | 0 |
| Travis Etienne Jr | HB | 1 | 12 | 12.0 | 1 | 12 | 0 |
| Noah Fant | TE | 1 | 7 | 7.0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quincy Riley | CB | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Zyon McCollum | CB | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Rueben Bain Jr. | LEDG | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Justin Reid | FS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Lorenzo Styles Jr. | SS | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Roquan Smith | MIKE | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Jonas Sanker | SS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tykee Smith | SS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Yaya Diaby | REDG | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Benjamin Morrison | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Tyrique Stevenson | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kool-Aid McKinstry | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Josiah Trotter | MIKE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chase Young | LEDG | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Antoine Winfield Jr | FS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jacob Parrish | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Christen Miller | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kaden Elliss | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Carl Granderson | REDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Keionte Scott | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vita Vea | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chase McLaughlin | K | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Charlie Smyth | K | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |

