Rookie quarterback Tyler Shough had two of New Orleans’ three rushing touchdowns and the visiting Saints defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24-20 on Sunday afternoon.
Shough passed for just 144 yards, but he rushed for 55 and fellow rookie Devin Neal contributed the third touchdown and 70 rushing yards on a rain-soaked field.
Baker Mayfield passed for 122 yards with a touchdown and an interception for the Buccaneers (7-6), who dropped into a tie with idle Carolina for first place in the NFC South.
The first possession of the second half ended when Mayfield was intercepted by Alontae Taylor and the Saints (3-10) took over the Bucs’ 47. Three plays later, Shough ran 34 yards for a touchdown that gave New Orleans a 14-10 lead.
Tampa Bay regained the lead on the ensuing possession when Sean Tucker ran 1 yard for a touchdown.
Saints kicker Charlie Smyth, who missed a 48-yard field goal in the second quarter, made a 30-yard field goal that tied the score at 17 at the end of the third quarter.
The Bucs turned the ball over on downs on the fourth play of the fourth quarter when Mayfield threw an incompletion on fourth and 2 at the New Orleans 46.
Shough threw completions of 12 and 10 yards to Chris Olave and 14 yards to Neal before scrambling 13 yards for the tiebreaking touchdown with 8:26 remaining.
Chase McLaughlin’s 37-yard field goal trimmed the lead to 24-20 with 4:54 remaining. Tampa Bay got the ball back at its 20 with 1:48 left after a punt, but turned the ball over on downs when Mayfield’s completion to Cade Otton came up short of the line to gain.
The Saints’ Mason Tipton returned the opening kickoff 54 yards to the Tampa Bay 45, and six players later Neal ran 3 yards for a touchdown.
The Bucs answered on the ensuing possession as Mayfield threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Bucky Irving, and the score remained tied at the end of the first quarter.
McLaughlin’s 41-yard field goal in the second quarter gave the Bucs a 10-7 halftime lead.
–Field Level Media
