Buccaneers Fall to Saints 23-13 in Week 17

Lavonte David led the Bucs’ defense with 11 tackles and rookie OLB Yaya Diaby added two more tackles for loss to give him 11 on the season. Rooke OLB Markees Watts registered the Bucs’ only sack of the game. The Bucs had difficulty slowing down the Saints’ tight ends, as Juwan Johnson set season highs with eight catches and 90 yards, plus the game’s first touchdown on the opening drive, and Taysom Hill caught a 22-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter.

“It was very disappointing,” said David. “We knew what was at stake. We came out very flat on both sides of the ball. We’ve definitely got to learn from it, get better and do better next week. Luckily we’ve got another opportunity next week.”

The Saints thoroughly dominated the first half, taking a 17-0 lead into the intermission, with a yardage advantage of 202-44. Tampa Bay’s defense couldn’t get off the field, as the Saints converted six of nine third down tries, and the Bucs’ offense couldn’t get into the type of groove it had enjoyed during a four-game winning streak, converting just one of four third-down tries. The Bucs had three first downs at halftime, two of them courtesy of third-down penalties against the Saints. It marked the first time this season that the Buccaneers have been shut out in the first half.

The Saints got the ball first, starting at their own 27, with Carr completing a four-yard pass to Johnson after being flushed out to the right. A designed screen right to Johnson followed, picking up 11 yards and a first down. After a pass breakup by CB Zyon McCollum, RB Alvin Kamara made it around right end for 13 yards to the Bucs’ 45. White shot a gap to drop RB Jamaal Williams for a loss of two, Carr got four back with a short out to WR Rashid Shaheed. On third-and-seven, the Bucs blitzed from the left but the protection held and Carr threw right to Olave for a first down at the Bucs’ 31. Two Williams runs moved the chains again and a rollout pass to Hill put the ball at the 12. Kamara went over right tackle to earn a first-and-goal at the nine, and he got it again on the next play to blast down to the three. He lost a yard on second down but a quick slant to Johnson got the ball into the end zone for the game’s first score.

The Bucs’ first possession came after a touchback and started with White’s five-yard run over right guard. A pass over the middle to Otton made it third-and-one but White’s attempt to get the last yard failed as he was dropped for a…