TAMPA, Fla. – Drew Brees vs. Tom Bradyand the fight for NFC South supremacy was a one-sided affair.
Brees threw for 222 yards and four touchdowns, regaining the TD pass lead of the NFL career, and putting the New Orleans Saints in first place with a 38-3 win over Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday night.
The three-time defending champions won their fifth game in a row by intercepting Brady three times and making a season sweep of the Bucs (6-3), who also suffered a double-digit loss in Week 1 in New Orleans.
“Any time you can win and find different ways to win, I think it just builds confidence and momentum,” said Brees.
“Obviously tonight was a great night,” he added. “All in all, it was pretty extraordinary in all three phases.”
The Saints (6-2) were not perfect – they flipped the ball twice themselves – but the offense was extremely efficient on receivers Michael Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders back on the line-up, and the defense played their best game of the season.
Brees was over 26 of 32, including TD throws in the first half from 14 yards at Tre’Quan Smith, 8 yards on Adam Trautman and 12 yards to Sanders, who missed the last two games on the COVID-19 list. The 41 year old added a 3 yarder Josh Hill with just over nine minutes still 38: 0.
“We knew this was a big game, one division opponent, Tampa is playing very well,” said Brees, who lost a fumble on Tampa Bay’s only sack but didn’t throw an interception.
“Obviously we’ve been a little understaffed over the past few weeks … Tonight it was good to get everyone back and put them back in the mix,” added Brees. “We wanted to distribute the ball, we wanted to play complementary football. I can’t say enough about our defense, they played phenomenally. “
Brees regained the TD lead in league career at 564, three more than 43-year-old Brady, who had 17 touchdowns and just one interception in his last six games. The Saints intercepted Brady twice in a 34-23 season opening win Janoris Jenkins Return one for a TD.
Defensive tackle David Onyemata and collateral Marcus Williams and Malcolm Jenkins This time he picked up Brady – the last throw that the six-time Super Bowl threw wildly into the middle of the field to avoid an inexorable pass rush.
“We didn’t play well in any phase of the game,” said Brady.
“Everyone has to do a lot better,” added the Bucs quarterback, “and it starts with me.”
Brady was fired three times, finishing 22 of 38 for 209 yards, including three closings for 31 yards up Antonio Brownwho made his debut for Tampa Bay on his return from an eight game suspension for violating the NFL’s Code of Conduct.
The Bucs only ran the ball five times, including Blaine Gabbertkneel down at the last moment of the night.
The Saints scored a 31-0 lead at halftime on five of their first six possessions, and the Bucs were fortunate that the biggest deficit in the first half of Brady’s career was no greater.
Jared Cook fiddled with the Bucs 2 with the Saints who wanted to build on an early 7-0 lead. But with Tampa Bay’s offensive sputtering and one of the league’s stingiest defenses that couldn’t stop Brees, New Orleans carried on.
“This is the most complete game we’ve ever played … It’s poetry in motion if we keep going like this,” the Saints run back Alvin Kamara said.
Brady’s first interception, which ended a Bucs franchise record streak of 200 consecutive unselected passes, resulted in Kamara’s 1-yard TD run that ended 28-0 in the middle of the second quarter.
The Saints outpaced the Bucs to this point 241 yards by 36 yards. They added Will Lutz’s 36 yard field goal and a second interception Marcus Williams make a deep throw for Brown in the final minutes of the first half.
Tampa Bay avoided a shutout with Ryan Succop48 yard field goal with 5:52 remaining.
Arians was asked why he kept Brady in the game, 38 points behind, despite a strong pass rush.
“To get points on the board,” said Arians. “He’s the quarterback.”
Gabbert ended up replacing Brady after the Saints spun the ball on Downs with the former Bucs quarterback Jameis Winston Fill in at the last minute for Brees.
BRADY / BREES
Brees and Brady, who also rank first and second on the list of career passing yards, only met for the seventh time. Brees has a 5-2 lead in matchups.
The two talked briefly on the field after the game.
“We’ve been playing against each other for 22 years? So obviously there is a lot of respect, “said Brees.
“I think throughout our careers we both say how grateful we are to have this opportunity to play this great game,” added Brees, “to play while we could play it, to play with so many great ones . ” Teams, great coaches, great players. So, just grateful for that. “
RUN IN PLACE
Tampa Bay set an NFL record with just five rush attempts in a 38-3 loss to New Orleans, and that includes the backup quarterback Blaine Gabbertkneel down at the last moment of the night. Ronald Jones ran three times for 9 yards, Leonard Fournette Gabbert had a no-win carry and lost a yard to give Tampa Bay 8 yards for the game. The previous record for the fewest runs was six, four times before and most recently from Minnesota against Buffalo in 2018.
INJURIES
Saints: WR Michael Thomas played for the first time since a severe ankle sprain in the Saints’ season opener win against the Bucs. He finished with five receptions for 51 yards.
Buccaneers: WR Chris Godwin (three catches, 41 yards) returned after missing a game with a broken right index finger. … LG Ali marpet (Concussion) was inactive. It was replaced by on the starting grid Joe Haeg.
NEXT
Saints: 49ers at home on Sunday.
Buccaneers: on Sunday in Carolina.
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