Two late turnovers proved costly for the Saints in Sunday’s 30-20 NFC Divisional loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Trailing 23-20, Drew Brees was picked off by former LSU star Devin White. The turnover led to a 1-yard touchdown run to for the Buccaneers.
Brees was intercepted again on the next Saints drive which essentially sealed the win for Tampa Bay. It was the Saints fourth turnover of the game.
The Saints scored first when Wil Lutz hit a 23-yard field goal to cap a six-play, 16-yard drive. The score was set up by a 54-yard punt return from Deonte Harris.
Lutz connected on a 42-yard field goal later in the first quarter to give the Saints a 6-0 lead with 4:39 to play. The kick caped a 12-play, 46-yard drive that was started after Harris’ 67-yard punt return touchdown was called back due to a block in the back penalty by Carl Granderson.
Tampa Bay got on the board early in the second quarter when Ryan Succop connected on a 26-yard field goal.
The Buccaneers took the lead, 10-6, on their next drive after Tom Brady connected with Mike Evans for a 3-yard touchdown. The score was set up when Drew Brees’ pass intended for Michael Thomas was intercepted and returned to the Saints 3 yard-line by Sean Murphy-Bunting.
The Saints retook lead on Jameis Winston’s 56-yard touchdown pass to Tre’Quan Smith. Winston checked into the game, lined up at receiver and after taking a pitch from receiver Emmanuel Sanders, launched a deep ball to a wide open Tre'Quan Smith who jogged into the end zone to give the Saints a 13-10 lead.
The Buccaneers evened the score at 13-13 as time expired at the half when Succop hit a 37-yard field goal.
The Saints regained the lead, 20-13 on their first drive of the second half when Smith scored his second touchdown of the game, a 16-yarder from Brees. The play capped a 10-play, 75-yard drive.
Tampa Bay tied the game again with 2:22 to play in the third quarter when Brady completed a six-yard touchdown pass to Leonard Fournette. The scoring drive started when Buccaneers linebacker Devin White recovered a Jared Cook fumble that forced by his teammate Antoine Winfield Jr.
The Buccaneers took a 23-20 lead with 9:52 to play in the game when Succop hit a 36-yard field goal.
The Buccaneers then collected the two interceptions to seal their victory.