Tampa Bay Buccaneers finally beat the Saints in the playoffs
By Rob Leeds
The Buccaneers finally found redemption against the Saints.
The Saints were the favorites. The Buccaneers had a 43-year old quarterback under center in the biggest game in 20 years. The Saints had one of the best rosters in the NFL and swept the Bucs in the regular season. None of that matters in the playoffs.
Tom Brady and the Buccaneers have finally taken the steps to right the ship against playoff-caliber teams, and a win in this matchup couldn’t come at a better time. Tampa Bay is approaching the NFC Championship for the first time since their Super Bowl win, and the victory versus the Saints makes this feeling all the better.
While most fans probably couldn’t start breathing until the final few minutes, the Buccaneers were able to put together one of their most convincing wins of the season when it mattered the most.
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This game was always going to be the real litmus test for the Bucs this season. Making the playoffs with the current roster and beating a depleted Washington roster should have been the bare minimum. Winning a game against a team like the Saints shows the Bucs still have greater heights to reach.
The play-calling and special teams started off slow. Very slow. After giving up nearly two punt return touchdowns and failing to generate much meaningful offense in the first half, the Bucs were able to keep the game within reach with a tie at the half.
The Buccaneer defense was able to keep Drew Brees and the rest of the Saints off their rhythm. Four takeaways are almost impossible to overcome, but the Saints still kept the game close until the final minutes.
After several hours of cold sweats and nerves, Devin White and Mike Edwards stepped up at the end with interceptions to guarantee the win for the Bucs. After a few more impressive runs on offense, the Bucs reached the familiar victory formation that we have grown used to this season.
Tampa Bay still has two more opportunities to turn heads this year, but one fact remains clear; signing Tom Brady was one of the best moves the Buccaneers ever made. On to the next one. Green Bay, the Bucs are coming.
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