Buccaneers at Saints: Highlights, score and recap

The New Orleans Saints hung on to beat the division rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-24 on Christmas Eve in Week 16. New Orleans improved to 7-8 on the season, while the Buccaneers stumbled to 8-7.

The New Orleans Saints handed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a loss they could not afford by beating them 31-24 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Christmas Eve. New Orleans gets within a game of .500 at 7-8. This loss for the Buccaneers drops them to 8-7.

New Orleans was eliminated from playoff contention in the NFC thanks to the Atlanta Falcons’ win over the Carolina Panthers in the 1:00 p.m. ET game. Tampa Bay losing in New Orleans makes the Falcons the champions of the NFC South. The Buccaneers can only get in to the NFC Playoffs now as a Wild Card team at 9-7.

The Saints played a strong game in all four quarters. They didn’t skip a beat despite knowing that they would be missing the NFC Playoffs for the third straight season. New Orleans went right after Mike Smith’s Tampa defense both on the ground and through the air.

Tampa Bay would generate some great offensive drives, but again quarterback James Winston would have some costly interceptions. Those picks by Winston would ultimately decide this game for the Buccaneers.

The Saints have had their issues at times in 2016. Some weeks, they looked like a playoff team. In other weeks, they looked like a team bound to be picking in the top 10 of the 2017 NFL Draft. New Orleans has to feel great about this win over the Buccaneers. Tampa Bay is in full-blown panic mode with this crushing road defeat.

Three Stars

1. Mark Ingram: Ingram was the big star in the Big Easy on Christmas Eve. He had 18 carries for 90 yards and two touchdowns. Ingram would have two catches for three receiving yards.
2. Jairus Byrd: Byrd came up big in the Saints secondary. He had six tackles, three solo, one for a loss of yardage, and two interceptions for 35 return yards.
3. Drew Brees: Brees played a cool, calm, and collected game. He completed 23 of 34 passes for 299 yards and a touchdown.

Highlights

Next Game

The Buccaneers will have a crucial game in Week 17 at home versus the Carolina Panthers. Kickoff from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa on Sunday, Jan. 1 will be at 1:00 p.m. ET. FOX will have the telecast.

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The Saints have a tough road game in Week 17 against the arch rival Atlanta Falcons. Kick from the Georgia Dome in Atlanta on Sunday, Jan. 1 will be at 1:00 p.m. ET. FOX will have the telecast.