It came down to the wire, however Tampa Bay Buccaneers New Orleans defeated the Saints in a thrilling game, 27-19, to win the NFC South.
Going into this contest, the Bucs knew they had a win-win attitude, as the Atlanta Falcons needed to beat the Atlanta Falcons. Carolina Panthers Hopefully, a loss will sneak Tampa Bay into the playoffs as the division winner.
But Tampa Bay heads into the playoffs as the No. 4 seed in the NFC, and they'll wait to see who they host in the wild-card round with the loser of Sunday night's Detroit Lions-Minnesota Vikings game finishing up the seed in the conference.
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans receives a pass against the New Orleans Saints at Raymond James Stadium. (Photos by Nathan Ray Sibick-Imagine)
It may have been jubilation in Raymond James Stadium at the final whistle, but there were plenty of nervous Bucs fans when halftime came and Spencer Rattler's Saints took a 16-6 lead.
Saints They were playing in their first game since the senseless violence in New Orleans' French Quarter in the early hours of New Year's Day, a terrorist attack that left 14 people dead and many others injured.
A moment of silence was held for all members of the New Orleans community before kickoff, as a true display of patriotism was captured on Fox Sports.
BUCS Jordan Whitehead was involved in a car accident while driving to the training facility
And it was New Orleans that started this game, as they scored on each of their first four shots – three field goals and a touchdown pass from Rattler to Dante Pettis.
Meanwhile, Baker Mayfield and the Bucs were trying to find something, and they got exactly what they needed to start the second half. Mayfield orchestrated a 10-play, 72-yard drive that ended in a Peyton Durham touchdown for the Bucs' final touchdown of the day. The 16-13 deficit was more than manageable.
However, the Saints' defense didn't help matters, as they were disruptive and forced an interception by Mayfield despite the Bucs' defense getting a three-pointer after a touchdown.
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Dante Pettis celebrates with tight end Juwan Johnson after catching a landing pass against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. (Photos by Jonathan Dyer-Imagine)
After adding another field goal, the Saints owned a 19-13 lead heading into the fourth quarter as the Bucs went into desperation mode. Fortunately for them, Mayfield wasn't bothered.
Early in the fourth quarter, Mayfield stepped up in the crumbling pocket and delivered an absolute hit to Jalen McMillan, who kept a two-footer in the front right of the end zone for a 32-yard touchdown to give the Bucs a 20-19 lead afterward. The extra point.
Then, the icing on the cake was a broken play that led to Bucky Irving rushing 11 yards for a touchdown.
The Bucs eventually turned the Saints over on downs on their final drive, and with just seconds left to play, Tampa Bay and its fan base were celebrating the division title and victory.
But what made this win even more special was what the Bucs did in the last minute of the game, as veteran receiver Mike Evans needed five catches and 85 yards to reach a $3 million incentive while also becoming the first player in NFL history to reach a $3 million incentive. 1,000 yards in his first 11 seasons.
Evans, who was stuck on eight passes for 80 yards, caught a nine-yard pass from Mayfield and fired the ball into the air after it was tackled, knowing he had just made NFL history and $3 million.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield returns to pass the ball against the New Orleans Saints at Raymond James Stadium. (Photos by Nathan Ray Sibick-Imagine)
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Looking at the stat sheet, Mayfield finished 21 of 32 for 221 yards with two touchdowns and an interception, with Evans catching nine passes for 89 yards. Irving finished with 89 yards on 19 carries.
For the Saints, Rattler was 26-for-42 for 240 yards with one touchdown pass, while Juwan Johnson led the way with six catches for 80 yards.
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