NEW ORLEANS -- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers could not keep pace with Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints' offense Saturday, falling 31-24. At 8-7, their chances of making the postseason have taken a severe hit. After the Atlanta Falcons' 33-16 win over the Carolina Panthers, the NFC South title is no longer within reach. A shot at a wild card is also now very slim.
"I'm not going to worry too much about that right now because we just got beat by the Saints," head coach Dirk Koetter said. "I'm not going to be worried too much about that until after we get back to work on Monday. However that works out, it works out. We knew all week what our job was, to win today, and we didn't. Whatever happens after that, that's for the math professors to figure out."
The Bucs knew that Saturday's game was must-win because of playoff implications. They also knew they likely wouldn't see the same Saints offense that they held to 11 points two weeks ago. New Orleans exploded for 48 points last week against the Arizona Cardinals. That meant the Bucs' offense, which had quietly raised questions the past couple of weeks about its production despite a five-game win streak, would have to do more. The Bucs have now averaged 20 points of offense the past five weeks.
Quarterback Jameis Winston was pressured heavily up front, while the Saints' secondary, at times, locked down his targets downfield. It didn't help that tight end Cameron Brate left the game with a back injury and did not return. It meant Winston had to target Brandon Myers twice while trying to mount a fourth-quarter comeback that stalled at New Orleans' 17-yard line and ended in a field goal followed by an unsuccessful onside kick.
Winston completed 23 of 35 passes for 277 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Both interceptions were to safety Jairus Byrd, including one that set up a 14-yard touchdown run by Saints running back Mark Ingram. On the first pick, he was backed up into his own end zone after a botched punt return by Josh Huff.
"That was a crazy play on my part," Winston said. "No one was open. I tried to give my guy [wide receiver Mike Evans] a chance. [I should have] thrown it out of bounds, take the next play, flip the field. It was just very indecisive by me and very uncharacteristic. That should not have happened."
Koetter added, "We played hard enough, we just didn't play good enough today."
Just before the game, the Bucs made a stunning decision to scratch running back Doug Martin. A Pro Bowler last season who had the second-most rushing yards in the league, Martin was declared a healthy scratch, with Koetter calling it a "coaches' decision."
"We have four backs and can't give them all touches," Koetter said. "We sat Jacquizz Rodgers a week ago. Charles Sims and Peyton Barber are a lot more involved in special teams, so we really only have room for one primary ball carrier right now. I felt like it was better for us in this game to go with Jacquizz."
Rodgers was a healthy scratch last week against the Cowboys and rushed for 63 yards and a touchdown plus two catches for 15 yards. His touchdown, a 3-yard run, was the first of two straight touchdowns in the third quarter, with a 34-yard grab by Evans to follow.
The Bucs were aided by two Vonn Bell penalties, and each set up a touchdown. In the second quarter, Bell had a defensive pass interference call, advancing the Bucs from the New Orleans 26 to the 12 to set up a 12-yard touchdown strike from Winston to Brate. In the third quarter, an illegal-use-of-hands penalty on Bell, working against Sims, set up Rodgers' touchdown.
The Bucs face the Panthers at home next week for their season finale. A victory would give them their first winning season since 2010. That was pointed out to Winston after the game, but it wasn't much consolation for the second-year signal-caller.
"Not at all. I want to make the playoffs," Winston said, emphasizing that the Bucs need to treat next week like it's their Super Bowl. "That is my ultimate goal, to win the Super Bowl. I am trying to get away from that standard of just being OK. We want to be great. I did not play great tonight, but I am going to keep working my tail off to help my team get better."
