The New Orleans Saints played spoiler as they made things very interesting at the top of the NFC South, securing their third victory of the season with a 24-20 road win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Their win tightens the division race between the Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers, while also adding pressure on Tampa Bay moving forward.
Despite winning the game, it wasn’t the prettiest, as the Saints were constantly shooting themselves in the foot through the first three quarters with costly penalties. They committed 10 penalties for 82 yards. In most games, that's a recipe for disaster. That's even more true in a game where you're theoretically outmatched. Saints caught a lucky break this time.
The Saints hadn’t committed double digit penalties since their week theee matchup against the Seattle Seahawks, a game where those mistakes contributed to them being blown out 44-13. That performance exposed how quickly things can unravel when they’re indiscipline.
New Orleans Saints overcome barrage of penalties to secure victory
Despite coming away with the win, it it was far from a clean performance. The Saints repeatedly shot themselves in the foot through the first three quarters with costly penalties. They were flagged 10 times for 82 yards, with four of those infractions giving the Buccaneers automatic first downs. The lack of discipline stalled their momentum and threatened to swing the game in Tampa Bay’s favor.
However, the Saints managed to overcome those mistakes with timely plays on both sides of the ball, ultimately doing just enough to secure a victory. The reason the Saints were able to overcome their earlier mistakes was they tightened up in the 4th quarter. When the game was at it's most crucial, the Saints did not commit a single penalty. More than just not making mistakes, they also made highlight plays.
The defense delivered key stops when it mattered most, and the offense executed cleanly, making big plays that shifted the momentum back in their favor. Their resilience along with strong situational play, allowed them to rise above the previous self inflicted setbacks and secure the win despite an undisciplined three quarters.