The New Orleans Saints travelled to Tampa, Florida and surprisingly returned victorious after a 24-20 win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It was a needed refresher for fans as this win gave the team energy and lit a fire under them.
Both sides of the ball impressed in this matchup and had bright spots. Still, despite the score, some players disappointed and didn’t have amazing games.
Here are three winners and two losers from the Saints week 14 win against the Buccaneers
Tyler Shough continues to impress in rookie season
Winner: Tyler Shough
It’s evident that Tyler Shough has earned another year after this performance. He went 13/20 for 144 yards with one interception through the air and added 55 yards and two touchdowns as a rusher. Shough stayed poised against a great Buccaneer pass rush and led this offense to a victory.
The Saints are out of contention to draft a quarterback in the first round of the NFL Draft in April. Shough’s breakout allows them to fill greater positional needs and build a roster. Despite national opinion, it appears the Saints may have found their future at quarterback.
Loser: Taysom Hill
It becomes clearer every week, Tasyom Hill isn’t effective anymore. He fumbled his only snap at quarterback and didn’t record a reception, instead tallying a drop. It’s tough to see as Hill was a fan favorite and an offensive weapon, however, he hasn’t rebounded from his torn ACL last season. His usage has fallen off a cliff, and there are questions surrounding his future role on the team.
Winner: Devin Neal
A highlight of this week was Devin Neal’s first career touchdown, but he was impressive beyond that. Neal reached 70 yards on his 19 attempts and reached the endzone. The rookie continues to improve each week as his opportunity grows. It’s never positive when a star such as Alvin Kamara gets injured, but Neal’s breakout has been amazing for the Saints. With Kamara’s timeline in question, be prepared for Neal to continue consistently carrying the rock.
Loser: Kai Kroger
The Saints made the wrong decision this offseason at punter. Lou Hedley wasn’t outstanding by any means, but Kroger ranks near the bottom of the NFL in most punting stats. The Saints had multiple opportunities to pin the Buccaneers deep in their territory that were squandered because Kroger’s punt went sailing into the endzone. The undrafted free agent still has plenty of time to improve, but there will be a major battle at punter this offseason.
Winner: Carl Granderson
Granderson started out the season on fire, but seemed to cool off and hasn’t been talked about recently. Regardless, he made a statement on Sunday that he’s still a beast at edge rusher, especially in the run game. He tallied two tackles for loss, one being a pivotal fourth down stop that gave the Saints momentum. Granderson won’t be in headlines after this game, or really any one, but his presence for this Saints defense is evident.