The New Orleans Saints have rarely entered a game as underdogs in recent years. But many expected the Saints to lose on the road Sunday night. Coming into Week 9 Drew Brees, in particular, faced more critics than he ever has since he joined the Saints in 2006. However, Brees dominated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a 38-3 mauling on Sunday night.
Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints Dominated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Setting the Scene
Almost everywhere NFL fans could find news and opinions this week, the New Orleans Saints were disrespected. Despite beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 1, the consensus was that Tom Brady and the Bucs offense had found their rhythm, and Tampa Bay’s defensive unit had learned from that opening week loss.
The defense has been solid in Tampa Bay throughout the season. Drew Brees’ limitations in his age 41 season have been criticized all year. It is easy to see why the narrative heading into Sunday Night Football was that Brees is done, the Bucs were going to make the Super Bowl XLIV MVP look washed up and take control of the division.
Whatever was Brees’ motivation, he and the Saints showed that pregame narratives doesn’t matter. Playing the game is what matters. Brees was surgical on Sunday night, and it was the Saints defense that looked like the best unit in the NFC.
A Narrative Debunked
The talk this season and before Sunday night’s game was that the New Orleans Saints don’t have a downfield passing attack so they can’t be a real contender. Narratives often sweep across NFL media groups like wildfire. It has happened with other players and positions before. A few years ago the talk was that the running back position has become devalued, but apparently Derrick Henry, Alvin Kamara and Christian McCaffrey didn’t receive that memo.
Brees does not have the same arm strength he once had. No one does at 41. Regardless, the future Hall of Fame quarterback is running the most efficient offense in the league. Most quarterbacks who fail at the pro-level struggle with passing accuracy, but Brees continues to be incredibly accurate with the football.
The defense set the table for a Saints victory against the Buccaneers. Forcing four straight three-and-outs from Brady and his offense to start the game, and picking off Brady three times total. However, too often on bad teams, offenses don’t capitalize on good field position, or they let teams back into a game by going quiet for a few series. That didn’t happen Sunday night. Brees led the Saints offense to a 38-3 blowout win in primetime.
He showcased his historic accuracy as the offense ripped apart the Tampa Bay defense with short to intermediate routes and a balanced running game. Sean Payton was once again great at creating schemes to get his playmakers open. And Brees continued to find the open man, as he has done time and time again.
Drew Brees at His Efficient Best
Drew Brees is the most accurate quarterback in NFL history. That’s not even a bold statement anymore. He has led the league in pass completion percentage for a season six times during his career. And he holds the record for the highest completion percentage in a single season. A record he set in 2018 with a completion percentage of 74.4%.
Accurate passing on short to intermediate plays is what the Saints offense has become. Perhaps its machine-like efficiency has led to the negative criticism that the offense lacks a downfield element. Regardless, when everything is clicking with Brees the offense is almost impossible to contain. Tampa Bay found that out on Sunday night.
Brees completed 26 of 32 pass attempts for 222 yards and four touchdowns in the 38-3 win over Tampa Bay. Showcasing pinpoint accuracy, Brees hit a total of 12 different receivers in the blowout. On the year, he’s completing 74% of his passes once again.
The heavily publicized improved Buccaneers defense had no answers for Brees’ accuracy and Payton’s elite level play calling.
Will the Criticism Become Reality?
New Orleans Saints fans can revel in this victory. Brees, Payton and the improved the defense reminded the Bucs they have to earn the crown in the NFC South. The Saints are rolling through the season at 6-2, and are currently on a five-game winning streak.
However, if these two teams were to meet for a third time this season, will Tampa Bay be this bad again? By playoff time, teams will have a full 16 games worth of tape on this Saints offense. Will that help the Bucs or another NFC team stop Brees and the Saints from reaching the Super Bowl? Sunday night showed how difficult this offense is to stop.
But New Orleans has been great in the regular season before and then come up short in the playoffs. In 2018 and 2019 respectively, the Los Angeles Rams and Minnesota Vikings keyed in on the Saints intermediate passing game in back-to-back playoff losses for New Orleans.
Brees also made a couple of mistakes on Sunday that could have been costly in a closer game. Bucs defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul dropped a potential pick-six on a ball thrown right to his chest, and the Brees fumble early in the second half was a case of poor pocket awareness and ball security.
On Sunday night in a blowout win, Drew brees reminded the world of his greatness and dominated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Saints fans hope it’s a sign of things to come, and not just a regular-season highlight leading to more postseason disappointment.
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