WillSaints81

First Drive
(15:00 - 1st) K.Brindza kicks 65 yards from TB 35 to end zone, Touchback.
1st and 10 at NO 20

(15:00 - 1st) D.Brees pass short left to B.Cooks to NO 28 for 8 yards (C.Conte). Pass 2, YAC
2nd and 2 at NO 28

(14:28 - 1st) B.Cooks right end pushed ob at NO 24 for -4 yards (D.Lansanah)
3rd and 6 at NO 24

(13:57 - 1st) (Shotgun) PENALTY on NO-K.Robinson, False Start, 5 yards, enforced at NO 24 - No Play
3rd and 11 at NO 19

(13:37 - 1st) (Shotgun) D.Brees pass deep middle to B.Coleman to NO 41 for 22 yards (S.Moore). Pass 20, YAC
1st and 10 at NO 41

(13:01 - 1st) M.Ingram left end to NO 41 for no gain (J.Banks; G.Johnson)
2nd and 10 at NO 41

(12:22 - 1st) (Shotgun) D.Brees pass short left to C.Spiller pushed ob at TB 40 for 19 yards (J.Banks). Pass 4, YAC 1
1st and 10 at TB 40

(11:51 - 1st) PENALTY on TB-C.McDonald, Encroachment, 5 yards, enforced at TB 40 - No Play
1st and 5 at TB 35

(11:31 - 1st) D.Brees pass incomplete short left to A.Johnson
2nd and 5 at TB 35

(11:25 - 1st) (Shotgun) C.Spiller left end to TB 35 for no gain (G.Johnson; C.McDonald)
3rd and 5 at TB 35p

(10:49 - 1st) (Shotgun) D.Brees pass incomplete deep left to W.Snead
4th and 5 at TB 35

(10:45 - 1st) T.Morstead punts 31 yards to TB 4, Center-J.Drescher, downed by NO-J.Morgan

So this drive stalled with the following. Relying on Austin Johnson in the other team's territory, then a screen or failed run attempt by Spiller. And then Snead does not step up for the first down.

This was the drive Brees got hurt
1st and 10 at NO 7

(6:55 - 1st) M.Ingram right guard to NO 12 for 5 yards (B.McDougald)
2nd and 5 at NO 12

(6:24 - 1st) D.Brees pass incomplete short left to B.Cooks [G.Johnson]. PENALTY on TB-T.Jennings, Defensive Holding, 5 yards, enforced at NO 12 - No Play
1st and 10 at NO 17

(6:17 - 1st) C.Spiller right guard to NO 17 for no gain (W.Gholston)
2nd and 10 at NO 17

(5:42 - 1st) (Shotgun) D.Brees pass short left to B.Cooks to NO 23 for 6 yards (L.David). Pass 4, YAC
3rd and 4 at NO 23

(4:58 - 1st) (Shotgun) D.Brees sacked at NO 15 for -8 yards (J.Smith). FUMBLES (J.Smith), touched at NO 23, and recovers at NO 2. D.Brees to NO 2 for no gain (C.Conte). Brees was hit as his arm was coming forward, and the ball was eventually recovered by Brees
4th and 25 at NO 2

(4:05 - 1st) T.Morstead punts 46 yards to NO 48, Center-J.Drescher. B.Rainey pushed ob at NO 40 for 8 yards (R.Humber)

Maybe the penalty should not have happened and Brees doesn't get hurt. Anyway, a bail out on first leads to the following:a run attempt with Spiller, then a short pass to Cooks.

So Brees was obviously not the same after that but he was playing through the injury. Now on defense. The bucs scored a FG the next drive and were held to 10 points in the first half and did not score a TD until their fifth possession, their last possession before the half.

The bucs scored a TD on the opening half and the next six points were off of turnovers by the offense. Where the bucs were at their 40 and our 48 when they got possession. The bucs did not score another TD the rest of the way and just one more FG. Had Brees been healthy we probably win this game but had there been smarter playcalling we also win this game.

And on the drive we finally scored ftr, there were two big plays by Colston. The injury to Brees forced him to likely throw up the middle more(TB defense would catch on). Ingram scored a 11 yd TD run.

Clearly the shoulder was a issue here when the saints were down 23-7.

(2:20 - 3rd) K.Brindza kicks 65 yards from TB 35 to end zone, Touchback.
1st and 10 at NO 20

(2:20 - 3rd) D.Brees pass incomplete deep right to W.Snead. Play was a flea-flicker, Brees handed off and had the ball tossed back to him for the deep ball attempt
2nd and 10 at NO 20

(2:12 - 3rd) (Shotgun) D.Brees pass short middle to B.Coleman to NO 27 for 7 yards (L.David). Pass 5, YAC
3rd and 3 at NO 27

(1:30 - 3rd) (Shotgun) D.Brees pass short right to M.Colston to NO 41 for 14 yards (D.Swearinger). TB-D.Swearinger was injured during the play. His return is Probable. Pass 8, YAC
1st and 10 at NO 41

(1:06 - 3rd) D.Brees pass short left to K.Robinson to TB 38 for 21 yards (W.Gholston). Tampa Bay challenged the runner was down by contact ruling, and the play was REVERSED. D.Brees pass short left to K.Robinson to 50 for 9 yards (A.Verner). Pass -2, YAC 1
2nd and 1 at 50

(0:17 - 3rd) K.Robinson left end to TB 37 for 13 yards (C.McDonald)

END QUARTER 3
1st and 10 at TB 37

(15:00 - 4th) K.Robinson left tackle to TB 32 for 5 yards (C.McDonald)
2nd and 5 at TB 32

(14:25 - 4th) (Shotgun) D.Brees pass incomplete short middle to J.Hill (K.Alexander)
3rd and 5 at TB 32

(14:21 - 4th) (Shotgun) D.Brees pass short middle to B.Coleman to TB 28 for 4 yards (L.David). Pass 2, YAC
4th and 1 at TB 28

(13:43 - 4th) M.Ingram left guard to TB 22 for 6 yards (C.McDonald)
1st and 10 at TB 22

(13:04 - 4th) (Shotgun) M.Ingram right guard to TB 17 for 5 yards (C.McDonald)
2nd and 5 at TB 17

(12:31 - 4th) (Shotgun) C.Spiller right end pushed ob at TB 10 for 7 yards (W.Gholston; L.David)
1st and Goal at TB 10

(11:57 - 4th) M.Ingram right guard to TB 3 for 7 yards (K.Tandy; W.Gholston)
2nd and Goal at TB 3

(11:21 - 4th) M.Ingram right guard to TB 1 for 2 yards (W.Gholston; L.David)

(10:19 - 4th) Timeout #1 by NO at 10:19.
3rd and Goal at TB 1

(10:17 - 4th) Austin Johnson 1 Yard Rush, TWO-POINT CONVERSION ATTEMPT. D.Brees pass to W.Snead is complete. ATTEMPT FAILS.

Once we got in redzone, it was all Ingram and Spiller(mostly Ingram). However, the TD could have gone either way considering it was Austin Johnson that scored. But here's something to take note, Snead fumbled in one of those crucial turnovers. And he fails to do something with the 2pt conversion on this scoring drive. He whiffed on two crucial plays. Of course SP was a idiot for even going for two there.

Turnover at TB 25 puts the saints in scoring position again.
1st and 10 at TB 25

(8:50 - 4th) M.Ingram left end to TB 24 for 1 yard (A.Verner)
2nd and 9 at TB 24

(8:18 - 4th) D.Brees pass incomplete deep left to J.Hill. Penalty on NO-J.Morgan, Illegal Motion, declined
3rd and 9 at TB 24

(8:13 - 4th) (Shotgun) D.Brees pass incomplete short left to B.Watson (G.McCoy). McCoy hit Brees as he was throwing, disrupting the pass
4th and 9 at TB 24

(8:08 - 4th) Z.Hocker 42 yard field goal is No Good, Wide Left, Center-J.Drescher, Holder-L.McCown

A botched run attempt, a Hill target, and a Watson target ended this drive.

The saints get another turnover in bucs territory and this time get things done right.
1st and 10 at TB 30

(7:58 - 4th) K.Robinson left guard to TB 16 for 14 yards (C.Conte)
1st and 10 at TB 16

(7:15 - 4th) Willie Snead Pass From Drew Brees for 16 Yrds Z.Hocker extra point is Blocked

However, the xp block showed that saints missed the chance for a xp earlier. Snead makes a play finally, but what should be noted for him here is volume. He needs targets to suceed.

Here's what led to TB scoring one last FG.
1st and 10 at NO 39

(3:05 - 4th) (Shotgun) D.Brees pass short left to M.Ingram to NO 36 for -3 yards (C.Conte). FUMBLES (C.Conte), RECOVERED by TB-H.Melton at NO 33. H.Melton ran ob at NO 33 for no gain. Pass -5, YAC 2 The Replay Official reviewed the loose ball recovery ruling, and the play was Upheld. The ruling on the field was confirmed

And the rest was history for this game.

Brees got hurt in second q but still the team had a chance to win. The saints played decent defense in this game and it was only when the offense turned the ball over the bucs would end up scoring except on only two occasions. The turnovers led to stops but the turnovers happened near or in our territory. This goes on the offense. This was the game Colston should have gotten more involved in(it was one of the easier matchups). Snead had mistakes, Spiller was rusted some but he also got very little attention, and Cooks...what was wrong with him? He was afraid of Conte?

The bucs scored 17 points before the turnovers mounted yes, but 14 of those were at the last and first possessions of the respective halfs.

Since Drew did not play vs Carolina and was banged up vs Dallas I will next assess Philadelphia, which this was the first game the defense was exposed in a major way.