The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the New Orleans, 23-3, on the road to start 6-2 for just the fifth time in franchise history. Defense and special teams spearheaded the effort at Caesars Superdome, including Todd Bowles' menacing squad that tallied four turnovers and five sacks on the day. Kicker Chase McLaughlin drilled three 50-plus-yard kicks in the second half to punctuate the win over the divisional foe in Week Eight. The Bucs enter the bye week with a tie for the most wins in the NFC and a two-game lead over the Carolina Panthers in the NFC South hunt.
Offenisve Outlook
The injury-plagued Buccaneers' offense got off to a slow start inside the dome but Baker Mayfield led the team on four straight scoring drives to begin second half, with the first possession culminating in a Sean Tucker one-yard touchdown rush from fourth-and-goal. The next three attempts were capped off by long field goals from McLaughlin, who drilled kicks from 55, 54 and 52 yards. McLaughlin is the first kicker this season to drill three 50-plus yard field goals in a single game, and he is eight for eight from that range in 2025. After Mayfield threw 50 times against the Lions, Tampa Bay was able to achieve balance with a dual-backfield of Rachaad White and Sean Tucker, with only nine pass attempts in the first half.
Overall, Mayfield completed 15-of-24 passes for 152 yards, earning a 80.6 passer rating and his 25th regular season win as starting quarterback of the Bucs, which broke a tie with Josh Freeman and Vinny Testaverde for the sixth most in team lore. Tucker rushed 12 times for 42 yards, tallying his second rushing touchdown of the season and the fourth of his career.
Defensive Surge
On Sunday, the three points allowed by Tampa Bay were its fewest surrendered in a matchup since Week 18 of the 2023 season at Carolina (zero). Overall, the defensive unit recorded five sacks and four takeaways – the first time they have reached both of those milestones in the same game since 9/18/22 at New Orleans. The Bucs limited New Orleans to just 48 yards rushing – the fewest they have surrendered in a game since Week 17 of the 2024 campaign (39).
In his 2025 starting debut, outside linebacker Anthony Nelson recorded 2.0 sacks, a forced fumble and an interception returned for a touchdown, becoming the first player since 2007 to reach each of those marks in a single game and just one-of-three players since at least 2000 to accomplish this feat. He is the first player since Khalil Mack (CHI, 9/9/18 at GB) to record each a forced fumble, a sack and an interception return touchdown in a single half. Nelson scored the Bucs' lone points in the first half off a highlight-reel play. He tipped Rattler's pass to himself for the jaw-dropping interception play and returned it three yards for a score, lowering his shoulder in the process versus Rattler to cross the goal line. After a goal-line stand by the Saints' defense, Nelson shifted the momentum back to Tampa Bay, sucking the life out of the dome. He consistently brought pressure to speed up the opposing quarterback's process in the pocket and commanded double teams.
Lavonte David picked up his first fumble recovery of the season and the 20th of his NFL career. Since 2000, only three NFL players have recorded 30-plus forced fumbles and 20-plus defensive fumble recoveries: David and Pro Football Hall of Famers Jason Taylor and Julius Peppers. David led the team with 10 tackles and cornerback Jamel Dean knocked the ball free from Saints' receiver Rashid Shaheed, recording his second forced fumble of the season and the third of his career.
Antoine Winfield Jr. scooped up the Dean forced fumble, marking the 10th of his NFL career. Since TruMedia data is available dating back to 2000, Winfield Jr. is just the 12th defensive back with 10-plus career forced fumbles and 10-plus career fumble recoveries. Winfield Jr. nabbed six tackles and appeared to have scored on the Dean fumble but the touchdown was nullified by an unintentional whistle, which meant the defense could not advance the ball after the play was blown dead. Additionally, Winfield intercepted a pass in the third frame and ran it back to the opposing end zone but while the takeaway stood for Tampa Bay, the score was negated after he was ruled down by contact. Winfield's two takeaways in Week Eight are tied for the most by any NFL player in a single game this season and are the most by a Bucs player since he had two takeaways vs. Jacksonville on 12/24/23.
