New Orleans Saints vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers Match Player Stats On Dec 13, 2015

The Sports Xchange
Dec 13, 2015

TAMPA, Fla., - Drew Brees threw for two touchdowns and converted third downs all day, leading the New Orleans Saints to a 24-17 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium.

The Bucs (6-7) saw their wild-card hopes take a hit as they weren't able to score at length on the NFL's worst defense. Tampa Bay had a chance to tie the game late, but punted rather than face a fourth-and-10 with 4:21 left.

The Saints (5-8) converted 12 third downs, including two key conversions on their final drive to eat up clock with the lead. Brees threw for 312 yards and Tim Hightower, filling in for the injured Mark Ingram, rushed for 81 yards and a touchdown.

The Bucs' offense came alive on a fourth-quarter drive, including a conversion on fourth-and-four to tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins. Winston went 7-for-8 for 84 yards on the drive, capped with a 6-yard scoring throw to rookie Adam Humphries to cut the lead to 24-17 with 8:56 left in the game.

The Saints had jumped out to a 14-0 lead, with Brees completing his first nine passes - early in the second, he had two touchdown passes to receiver Marques Colston, while completing 12 of 13 passes for 128 yards.

The Bucs had only one first down in their first three drives - they got a spark from three Saints' penalties for 35 yards on one drive, with Doug Martin scoring from 14 yards out to cut the lead to 14-7.

The teams would trade field goals in the final two minutes of the half for a 17-10 Saints halftime lead.

The Bucs got the ball with a chance to tie in the third quarter, but Connor Barth missed a 47-yard field goal, and the Saints went 63 yards for a touchdown and a 24-10 lead. Hightower, who went nearly four years between NFL games, started in place of the injured Mark Ingram and scored on the touchdown.

NOTES: Saints RB Tim Hightower, who didn't play a down in 2012-14 and had just 48 yards all season, stepped in for the injured Mark Ingram (shoulder) and had 85 yards on 28 carries and the game-winning touchdown late in the third quarter. ... The Saints held Bucs WR Mike Evans without a catch in the first half, finishing with three catches for 39 yards. "We took him away in this game," coach Sean Payton said. ... Bucs WR Vincent Jackson left the game with a knee injury and did not return. He was limited to one catch for 5 yards. ... Willie Snead had a huge game for the Saints, catching seven passes on eight targets for 122 yards, including a 41-yard catch to convert a third-and-21 situation.