The Bucs performed three actually good quarters of soccer on Sunday afternoon, with one absurdly comical second quarter sandwiched in between. Exterior of that quarter, the Bucs outscored the Saints 51-0, however formally gained the sport 51-27, so that you do the maths. With a 51-point exhibiting and three quarters of shut-out ball, there have been loads of most spectacular performances to spotlight.
WR Chris Godwin
Bucs WR Chris Godwin – Picture by: USA In the present day
Godwin discovered holes in zone protection early and sometimes on the primary drive beneath the Saints’ zone protection for catches of eight, seven and 4 yards with a landing.
Regardless of a wildly dumb resolution to run a cross-field lateral within the first half’s closing moments, Godwin was one of many lone brilliant spots among the many Bucs’ receiving corps. Within the first half, he caught 9 of his 11 targets for 62 yards and a landing as he operated because the engine for the offense.
Godwin was additionally instrumental as a blocker on Sean Tucker’s 36-yard landing catch and run, shoving Kool-Assist McKinstry up subject and out of the play to stop him from even making an attempt to deal with Tucker.
Within the third quarter, Godwin threw Paulson Adebo to the bottom to keep away from a deal with for a loss and gained seven yards. On the following drive, Godwin would catch a brief go on the best aspect of the sector and bounce his approach by means of a number of would-be tacklers for a 55-yard landing to place the Bucs again on prime 31-27.
CHRIS GODWIN OFF TO THE RACES
: #TBvsNO on FOX
: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/EQOnPtCcfO
— NFL (@NFL) October 13, 2024
Godwin completed the sport with 11 catches for 125 yards and two touchdowns.
DB Tykee Smith
Smith had an outstanding play on the Bucs’ first defensive drive, punching the ball out of Chris Olave’s fingers after a brief catch. Antoine Winfield Jr. was capable of seize the fumble and run it in for a Bucs landing. Smith was energetic all through the sport, making performs within the backfield on blitzes and serving to comprise the surface on pitches and large zone.
Smith continued his excessive stage of play within the second half with one other play the place it seemed like he punched the ball out of Bub Means’ fingers. The play could be overturned, however the cease helped drive a fourth all the way down to get the Bucs the ball again.
Undeterred, Smith would create one more turnover within the fourth quarter, intercepting Spencer Rattler to lastly put the sport away. The rookie out of Georgia completed the sport with 5 mixed tackles, an interception and a compelled fumble.
Bucs Run Sport
Bucs RB Bucky Irving – Picture by: USA In the present day
With an harm to Rachaad White stopping him from enjoying, Sean Tucker was elevated to the Bucs’ backup operating again. He seemed improbable on the day. Tucker turned three first-half touches into 62 yards and a landing. On his 36-yard landing catch, Tucker was capable of leak out to the flat and instantly flip up subject. Tucker flashed his acceleration and wheels as he weaved by means of a number of would-be tackles en path to the top zone.
Tucker would proceed to impress within the second half, and he completed the day with 136 yards and a landing on 14 carries whereas including three catches for 56 yards and a landing.
In White’s absence, Bucky Irving was electrical as properly. His 31-yard run weaving out and in of the Saints protection to get the Bucs into Saints territory was a factor of magnificence. He completed the sport with 14 carries for 81 yards and a landing of his personal.
All of this was doable as a result of the Bucs offensive line asserted their dominance on the Saints line of defense, serving to spring each operating backs for a number of beneficial properties of five-plus yards and a number of other explosive runs. The addition of Luke Goedeke made an enormous distinction, as the road created vertical displacement and holes for Irving and White to make the most of. Tristan Wirfs, Ben Bredeson, Robert Hainsey, Cody Mauch and Goedeke bodily manhandled the Saints protection, blowing up run matches play-in and play-out.
The event of the run sport couldn’t have come at a greater time because the Bucs’ go sport was in shambles main into the second half with a number of receivers dropping the ball and Baker Mayfield wildly inaccurate by means of the second quarter. Tampa Bay mixed for 277 speeding yards and averaged just below 8.0 yards per keep on the day.
Bucs Star Defensive Gamers
Bucs FS Antoine Winfield Jr. – Picture by: USA In the present day
In his first motion of the season, Calijah Kancey confirmed what the Bucs protection has been lacking. He was disruptive and, at instances, dominant. The second-year defensive lineman had a number of performs the place he was capable of knife into the Saints backfield. This led to a deal with for a loss, a number of pressures and a vital second-half sack of Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler.
Vita Vea and Yaya Diaby additionally made their presence recognized with two pressures every and Vea contributing a sack whereas continuously creating disruption within the pocket straight into Rattler’s face. Each have been huge components in serving to to bottle up the Saints run sport, holding operating again Alvin Kamara to 13 carries for simply 40 yards.
Antoine Winfield Jr. made his return to motion in an enormous approach, selecting up the Tykee Smith compelled fumble and returning it 58 yards for a landing to place the Bucs up 14-0 early. Winfield had 4 tackles on prime of the landing.
For anybody who hasn’t been paying consideration, Zyon McCollum is formally a star defensive participant on this Bucs protection. And should you wanted proof, he supplied it with an unbelievable stretched-out play to seize an interception within the fourth quarter. McCollum has been the most effective participant on the Bucs protection by means of the primary six video games of the season, with no unhealthy video games so far.
QB Baker Mayfield
Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Picture by: USA In the present day
Mayfield’s stat line and general efficiency makes for a little bit of a tough analysis. He completed the day 24-of-36 for 325 yards and 4 touchdowns to 3 interceptions. He was phenomenal to begin the sport, going 6-of-6 for 62 yards and a landing because the Bucs scored an opening-drive landing for the third time in three weeks. However issues took a flip from there.
Circumstances performed a job, to make certain, however Mayfield unraveled a bit after his scorching begin. He threw three interceptions the remainder of the best way within the first half, although two have been admittedly not on him. Even nonetheless, he was wildly inaccurate within the second quarter and a number of the joyful ft that plagued him within the Week 3 loss to the Broncos reemerged at instances.
However Mayfield recovered and went 5-of-7 for 93 yards and two touchdowns within the second half. Loads of these yards might be attributed to yards after catch and the Bucs’ signal-caller was helped tremendously by the explosion of the workforce’s run sport, however with a 300-yard, four-touchdown day (and taking it into consideration that two of his three interceptions weren’t his fault), Mayfield lands on this week’s Most Spectacular record.
