- Tampa Bay’s 48 points matches a franchise high (three times: vs. Atlanta, 9/13/87; vs. New Orleans, 12/23/01; vs. Oakland in SBXXXVII 1/26/03).
- Tampa Bay’s 529 total net yards are the second-most in a single game in team history (most: 573 at Minnesota, 11/16/80).
- Tampa Bay’s 8.5 yards per play is the second-highest mark in a single game in team history (most: 9.08 vs. Kansas City, 10/14/12).
- The Buccaneers scored on the team’s first drive of the game, with QB Ryan Fitzpatrick connecting with WR DeSean Jackson on a 58-yard touchdown pass to finish off a four-play, 68-yard drive lasting 2:00.
- Jackson now has 27 career touchdowns of 50+ yards, tied with Hall of Famers Terrell Owens and Lance Alworth for the third-most in the NFL since the 1970 NFL/AFL merger.
MOST 50+-YARD TOUCHDOWNS IN NFL HISTORY
1. WR Jerry Rice* 36
2. WR Randy Moss* 29
3. WR Lance Alworth* 27
3. WR DeSean Jackson 27
3. WR Terrell Owens* 27
*Hall of Fame
- Tampa Bay scored a touchdown on the team’s second drive of the game, with Ryan Fitzpatrick rushing for a three-yard touchdown to end a six-play, 71-yard drive lasting 2:27. Fitzpatrick now has 14 career rushing touchdowns.
- The last time the Buccaneers scored a touchdown on each of their first two drives was against the Seattle Seahawks in 2016 (11/17/16).
- K Chandler Catanzaro made his first field goal as a Buccaneer on Tampa Bay’s third drive of the game, connecting on a 33-yard attempt to cap an eight-play, 60-yard drive lasting 3:42.
- The last time the Buccaneers scored on each of their first three drives was against the Indianapolis Colts in 2015 (11/29/15).
- On the ensuing Saints drive, DE Vinny Curry recorded his first sack as a Buccaneer, dropping Saints QB Drew Brees for a seven-yard loss on third-and-four, forcing a New Orleans punt.
- The Buccaneers scored their third touchdown of the first half on the team’s fourth possession, a nine-yard touchdown pass fromRyan Fitzpatrick to WR Chris Godwin. Godwin now has two career touchdown catches – both against New Orleans, in consecutive games.
- Following Godwin’s touchdown catch, Tampa Bay’s defense stepped up, with CB Vernon Hargreaves forcing a fumble from Saints RB Mike Gillislee, which was recovered by S Justin Evans and returned 34-yards for a touchdown. It is the second forced fumble of Hargreaves’ career and the first fumble recovery and first touchdown of Evans’ career.
- On the opening possession of the second half, Tampa Bay drove 57-yards in nine plays, lasting 3:36, with Chandler Catanzaro connecting on a 36-yard field goal.
- Ryan Fitzpatrick threw his third touchdown of the day in the third quarter, connecting with WR Mike Evans on a 50-yard touchdown to end a four-play, 74-yard drive lasting 2:10.
- Evans finished the game with seven catches for 147 yards and a touchdown. It is his 14th career 100-yard receiving game, matching Kevin House for the second-most such games in team history.
- Tampa Bay has two passing touchdowns of 50+ yards in today’s game. The last time they have done so was in 1998 against Green Bay (12/7/1998; 62-yard touchdown catch Bert Emanuel & 64-yard touchdown catch Jacquez Green).
- On the ensuing possession, LB Kwon Alexander forced a fumble from Saints WR Michael Thomas, which was recovered by CB Ryan Smith.
- Over the past three seasons (2016-18), Tampa Bay’s defense has been one of the best in the NFL at taking the ball away, ranking fourth in the NFL in takeaways, third in forced fumbles and leading the league in fumble recoveries.
NFL MOST TAKEAWAYS (2016-18)
1. Baltimore Ravens 64
2. Kansas City Chiefs 59*
3. Philadelphia Eagles 58
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 57
5. Arizona Cardinals 49*
*Does not include Week 14 game
NFL MOST FORCED FUMBLES (2016-18)
1. Arizona Cardinals 38*
1. Dallas Cowboys 38*
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 36
4. Carolina Panthers 33*
4. San Francisco 49ers 33
*Does not include Week 1 game
NFL MOST FUMBLE RECOVERIES (2016-18)
1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27
2. Kansas City Chiefs 25*
3. Oakland Raiders 23*
4. Baltimore Ravens 22
5. Dallas Cowboys 21*
5. Carolina Panthers 21*
5. Philadelphia Eagles 21
5. San Francisco 49ers 21
*Does not include Week 1 game
- Tampa Bay’s sixth touchdown of the game came when Fitzpatrick threw a 36-yard score to DeSean Jackson to end a six-play, 65-yard lasting 3:07. Jackson now has 51 career touchdown catches and Ftizpatrick now has 178 touchdown passes.
- Jackson finished the game with five catches for 146 yards (29.2 avg.) and two touchdowns.
- Fitzpatrick finished the game going 21-of-28 for 417 yards (14.89 yards per attempt) with four touchdowns and no interceptions, for a passer rating of 156.2. He also added 36 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown.
- His 156.2 passer rating is the second-highest single-game mark in team history.
HIGHEST PASSER RATING (Single Game – Team History, Min. 20 Att.)
1. Craig Erickson vs. Indianapolis, 9/11/94 158.3
2. Ryan Fitzpatrick at New Orleans, 9/9/18 156.2
3. Trent Dilfer at New Orleans, 11/7/99 151.5
4. Brad Johnson vs. Minnesoata, 11/3/02 148.3
5. Shaun King vs. Minnesota, 10/29/00 148.0
- His 14.89 yards per attempt is the highest mark in a single game in franchise history.
HIGHEST YARDS PER ATTEMPT (Single Game – Team History, Min. 20 Att.)
1. Ryan Fitzpatrick at New Orleans, 9/9/18 14.89
2. Vinny Testaverde vs. Green Bay, 9/13/92 14.52
3. Jameis Winston at Carolina, 12/24/17 13.59
4. Craig Erickson vs. Indianapolis, 9/11/94 13.04
5. Josh Freeman vs. Kansas City, 10/14/12 12.62
- His 417 passing yards are the fourth-most in a game in team history and marks only the sixth time that a player has eclipsed 400 yards for Tampa Bay.
MOST PASSING YARDS (Single Game – Team History)
1. Doug Williams at Minnesota, 11/16/80 486
2. Vinny Testaverde at Indianapolis, 10/16/88 469
3. Josh Freeman vs. New Orleans, 10/21/12 420
4. Ryan Fitzpatrick at New Orleans, 9/9/18 417
5. Brian Griese a Chicago, 9/21/08 407
- Players making the Buccaneers debut: DT Beau Allen, K Chandler Catanzaro, DE Vinny Curry, C Ryan Jensen, DE Carl Nassib, DE Jason Pierre-Paul, DT Jerel Worthy
- Players making their NFL debut: LB Jack Cichy, CB Carlton Davis, CB M.J. Stewart, S Jordan Whitehead, RB Shaun Wilson