Buccaneers bounce back to beat Saints for NFC South crown
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving scores a touchdown between New Orleans Saints defensive end Carl Granderson and cornerback Will Harris, January 5, 2025, in Tampa, Florida
THE Tampa Bay Buccaneers came from behind to beat the New Orleans Saints 27-19 and win the NFC South for a fourth straight season on Sunday.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield threw for 221 yards and two touchdowns as he rallied his team from a 16-6 half-time deficit, with rookie running back Bucky Irving extending the lead to eight points just after the two-minute warning.
Four straight incompletions from Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler on the ensuing drive effectively ended the contest, but Mayfield still had time for a nine-yard completion to wide receiver Mike Evans to secure his 11th straight season with 1,000 receiving yards, equalling Jerry Rice’s NFL record.
