Nelson, Bucs defense lead Tampa Bay to 23-3 win in New Orleans
Tampa Bay defeats their division rival and heads into a much needed bye week
NEW ORLEANS — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-2) handled the New Orleans Saints (1-7) 23-3 on Sunday afternoon, using a suffocating defensive effort to take firm control of the NFC South heading into their bye week.
The Bucs’ 6-2 start is their best since 2021 and only the fourth time in franchise history they’ve opened a season with that record.
“Credit those guys for fighting week in and week out and people stepping up and moving to different positions to help us win,” head coach Todd Bowles said. “Which you have to do in order to be a good team, and we’ve done that in the first half.”
Tampa Bay’s defense led the way, holding the Saints to three points — the fewest allowed by the Bucs since the season-ending shutout of Carolina in January 2024. It marked the 32nd time in franchise history Tampa Bay has held an opponent to three points or fewer.
The Bucs defense was dominant with four takeaways, five sacks and five tackles for loss. It was their first four-turnover game since December 2023 against Jacksonville.
Linebacker Anthony Nelson was the game’s standout, tipping and intercepting a pass from Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler in the second quarter before rumbling through Rattler and in for the opening touchdown. It was Nelson’s first career interception and score. He added two sacks, two tackles for loss and a forced fumble — becoming the first NFL player since 2018 to record a sack, a forced fumble and a pick-six in one half. Nelson started in place of injured linebacker Haason Reddick.
Safety Antoine Winfield Jr. stuffed the stat sheet with six tackles, a pass breakup, a fumble recovery and an interception. Cornerback Jamel Dean forced his fourth turnover of the season, the most on the team. Tampa Bay has multiple takeaways in five games this year — most in the NFL.
The Saints shuffled quarterbacks, starting Spencer Rattler, who went 15-of-21 for 136 yards but committed two turnovers. Rattler is responsible for six turnovers in the last two weeks. Rookie Tyler Shough replaced him in the third quarter, completing 17-of-30 passes for 128 yards and an interception.
Veteran linebacker Lavonte David led the Bucs with ten tackles and recovered a fumble in the first quarter. David became one of just three players since 2000 — joining Hall of Famers Jason Taylor and Julius Peppers — with at least 30 forced fumbles and 20 recoveries in a career.
The Bucs limited New Orleans to 48 rushing yards, marking the fourth straight game the Saints have failed to reach 100. Linebackers SirVocea Dennis and Markees Watts, rookie corner Jacob Parrish, and defensive lineman Logan Hall each recorded a sack.
Tampa Bay’s offense never truly got going, producing a season-low 212 yards. The Bucs rushed for 88 yards, their third sub-100-yard effort in four games.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield completed 15-of-24 passes for 152 yards — both season lows — and went without a touchdown pass for the first time this year.
“On offense it wasn’t good enough or close to what we want it to look like,” Mayfield said.
Running back Sean Tucker led the ground game with 42 yards and a touchdown. Rookie receiver Tez Johnson caught five passes for 43 yards.
The Bucs’ had short yardage woes deep in New Orleans territory. They were stopped five times inside the 1-yard line in the second quarter and turned the ball over on downs. In the third, they were denied three more times before Tucker finally broke through on fourth down.
Kicker Chase McLaughlin was perfect, drilling field goals from 55, 52 and 54 yards. McLaughlin has hit all eight of his 50-plus-yard attempts this season and 85.1% of such kicks in his career.
The Bucs have now won six of their last seven meetings with the Saints, including four straight double-digit victories in New Orleans.
Tampa Bay enters its bye week with a two-game NFC South lead and the conference’s second-best record — impressive given the injuries they’ve endured. The Bucs were without five offensive starters Sunday, and several others have missed time throughout the first half of the season.
“We need it more than anyone,” Bowles said of the bye week.
The status of receivers Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan, running back Bucky Irving, and right tackle Luke Goedeke will be monitored during the break.
“Resilient group,” Mayfield said. “To be 6-2 with all the guys we’ve had down and all the guys who’ve stepped up into the fire — that’s awesome to see.”