Cameron Jordan and the Unusual Orleans protection gave Tom Brady matches again, shutting down Tampa Bay’s excessive-powered offense Sunday night because the Saints build the Buccaneers’ division-title occasion plans on withhold with a 9-0 victory over the reigning Tremendous Bowl champions.
Despite taking half in without coach Sean Payton on the sideline, the Saints (7-7) beat the Bucs (10-4) for the seventh straight time at some level of the current season — fourth since Brady left Unusual England for Tampa Bay in 2020.
The victory gave Unusual Orleans a sweep of the season series between the NFC South competitors and boosted the Saints into playoff area with a withhold on the convention’s closing wild card. It also forced Tampa Bay to again as a minimum one other week to clinch its first division crown since 2007.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (12) fumbles the soccer after getting hit by Unusual Orleans Saints defensive cease Cameron Jordan (94) at some level of the second half of of an NFL soccer sport Sunday, Dec. 19, 2021, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
The Bucs, who did purchase a playoff sport at Unusual Orleans last January en path to profitable the Tremendous Bowl, lead the division by three video games with three weeks remaining within the present season.
With defensive coordinator Dennis Allen standing in for Payton, who overlooked the sport after making an try out positive for COVID-19, the Saints stymied the NFL’s No. 1 passing and scoring offense and ended Brady’s trot of 255 consecutive starts without being shut out.
Jordan had two sacks, surpassing 100 for his occupation, and compelled a key fumble within the lowest-scoring sport of the NFL season. It modified into once the first time in his well-known occupation that Brady misplaced to an opponent that did no longer arrange a touchdown.
“Seek for, if we vital to purchase, we had to connect it on the D-line,” Jordan acknowledged. “We installed a four-man recede front and we got after him. We hit him early, we hit him steadily and we style of rushed him about a more instances than he steadily has been. I mean, to procure Tom Brady — he’s got some of the quickest releases within the sport. So I am perfect overly impressed with my D-line.”
Brady leads the NFL in completions, attempts, yards passing and TD passes, nonetheless modified into once perfect 26 of 48 for 213 yards and one interception — the eighth he’s thrown in four current-season video games towards the Saints, who didn’t own any turnovers Sunday night.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (12) fumbles the soccer after getting hit by Unusual Orleans Saints defensive cease Cameron Jordan (94) and cornerback P.J. Williams (26) at some level of the second half of of an NFL soccer sport Sunday, Dec. 19, 2021, in Tampa, Fla. The Saints recovered the fumble. (AP Photo/Mark LoMoglio)
Taysom Hill, within the intervening time, modified into once 13 of 27 for 154 yards and no interceptions for Unusual Orleans, which also got discipline needs of 39, 35 and 42 yards from Brett Maher.
The Saints own won the NFC South yearly since 2017, and despite losing well-known person quarterback Drew Brees to retirement and his successor, Jameis Winston, to a season-ending knee misfortune, they’re no longer relinquishing the crown and not using a fight.
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Trevor Siemian got here off the bench to interchange Winston and lead Unusual Orleans to a 36-27 victory within the first assembly between the fierce competitors on Oct. 31. Brady threw for 375 yards and two TDs in that one, nonetheless also misplaced a fumble and had one of his two interceptions returned for a touchdown within the loss.
This time, the Saints’ protection sacked Brady four instances, forced a fumble by the 44-year-extinct quarterback that ruined Tampa Bay’s easiest scoring different within the second half of, and also intercepted the seven-time Tremendous Bowl winner once.
Unusual Orleans Saints defensive relief Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, correct, name callings Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady after Brady fumbled the soccer at some level of the second half of of an NFL soccer sport Sunday, Dec. 19, 2021, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
“I think or no longer it is perfect a testomony to what our protection is in a position to realize,” Jordan acknowledged. “The style we had been in a position to assault the offense, I worship it.”
INJURIES
Saints: Played without LT Terron Armstead and RT Ryan Ramszyk, both out with knee accidents.
Buccaneers: WRs Chris Godwin (knee) and Mike Evans (hamstring) left within the second quarter, Godwin after taking a laborious hit from Saints CB P.J. Williams. Neither receiver returned to the sport. … RB Leonard Fournette (hamstring) departed within the third quarter. … S Jordan Whitehead returned to the lineup after missing two video games, nonetheless S Antoine Winfield Jr. (foot), CB Jamel Dean (sickness) and CB Richard Sherman (Achilles) had been slothful.
UP NEXT
Saints: Host the Miami Dolphins subsequent Monday night.
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Buccaneers: Trail to Carolina for the first of two video games the defending champs will play towards the Panthers within the closing three weeks of the present season.
