Despite a close call, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the New Orleans Saints 27-19 in a thriller to win the NFC South.
Going into this contest, the Bucks knew they were in a position to win, as the Atlanta Falcons needed to beat the Carolina Panthers and lose at Tampa Bay in order to advance to the playoffs as division champions. .
But Tampa Bay heads into the playoffs as the No. 4 seed in the NFC, and the loser of Sunday night's game between the Detroit Lions and the Minnesota Vikings will earn the seeding, so who will be home in the wild-card round? will have to wait. meeting.
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans receives a pass during the game against the New Orleans Saints at Raymond James Stadium. (Nathan Ray Seebeck Iman Images)
Raymond James Stadium may have erupted in jubilation at the final whistle, but by the time halftime approached and Spencer Rattler's Saints held a 16-6 lead, many Bucks fans I was nervous.
The Saints were playing their first game since the senseless violence that left 14 people dead and many more injured in New Orleans' French Quarter in the early hours of New Year's Day.
A moment of silence was held for all New Orleans residents before kickoff, and a true expression of patriotism was captured on the FOX Sports broadcast.
Bucks' Jordan Whitehead was involved in a car accident on his way to the practice facility.
And it was all New Orleans to start this game. He scored on each of his first four drives. There were three field goals and a touchdown pass from Rattler to Dante Pettis.
Meanwhile, Baker Mayfield and the Bucs were trying to find something, and they got exactly what they needed to start the second half. Mayfield led a 10-play, 72-yard drive that ended with a Peyton Durham touchdown that ultimately gave the Bucs a touchdown. The 16-13 score difference was more than manageable.
But the Saints defense couldn't help matters, and even though the Bucs defense got a three-and-out after the touchdown, they were nasty and forced an interception of Mayfield.
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Dante Pettis celebrates with tight end Juwan Johnson after catching a touchdown pass against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. (Jonathan Dyer Image)
After adding another field goal, the Saints held a 19-13 lead heading into the fourth quarter, and the Bucs went into desperation mode. Luckily for them, Mayfield didn't budge.
Early in the fourth quarter, Mayfield rose from a crumbling pocket and delivered an absolute blow to Jalen McMillan. McMillan stayed two feet in front of the right side of the end zone for a 32-yard touchdown, giving the Bucs a 20-19 lead. Additional points.
It was capped off by a broken play that resulted in Bucky Irving's 11-yard rushing touchdown.
The Bucs finally upset the Saints on downs on their final drive, and with seconds left in the game, Tampa Bay and its fan base were celebrating the division title and victory.
But what made this win even more special was what the Bucks scored on the final snap of the game. Veteran receiver Mike Evans needed five catches and 85 yards to reach the $3 million incentive, while becoming the first player in NFL history to earn the incentive. He achieved 1,000 receiving yards in his first 11 seasons.
Evans, who had been held to just eight catches for 80 yards, caught a 9-yard pass from Mayfield and, after being tackled, realized he had just made NFL history and $3 million. I knowingly launched the ball into the air.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield drops to make a pass during the game against the New Orleans Saints at Raymond James Stadium. (Nathan Ray Seebeck Iman Images)
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Looking at the stat sheet, Mayfield completed 21 of 32 for 221 yards with two touchdowns and one interception, while Evans caught nine passes for 89 yards. Irving had 89 rushing yards on 19 carries.
For the Saints, Rattler completed 26 of 42 for 240 yards with one touchdown pass, while tight end Juwan Johnson led the way with six catches for 80 yards.
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