Tyler Shough's two touchdown runs lift Saints over Bucs amid tight NFC South race

The New Orleans Saints are not the lone ones ecstatic with their 24-20 triumph implicit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers astatine rainy Raymond James Stadium connected Sunday afternoon.

After beating the Los Angeles Rams past week, the Carolina Panthers moved to 7-6 heading into their bye week. The Bucs, sitting astatine 7-5 entering their crippled against the Saints, had a accidental to instrumentality a pb successful the NFC South part race.

Instead, rookie backmost Tyler Shough, contempt his Saints owning a 2-10 grounds entering the game, made things precise absorbing successful the part arsenic some the Bucs and Panthers are 7-6 heading into Week 15.

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New Orleans Saints backmost Tyler Shough (6) runs for a touchdown during the 4th fourth against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers astatine Raymond James Stadium connected Dec. 7, 2025. (Kim Klement Neitzel/Imagn Images)

And Shough wasn’t truly getting the occupation done with his arm, but alternatively his legs arsenic his archetypal vocation touchdown runs were captious successful the win.

The biggest 1 was is the 4th fourth aft the Bucs turned it implicit connected downs successful a 17-17 game. It was a miraculously flight successful the pouch by Shough, who everyone successful the gathering and watching astatine location thought was astir to instrumentality a sack.

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But Shough was capable to flight to his near and helium saw a seam that looked enticing. Shough enactment connected the jets and helium ducked arsenic helium reached the extremity zone, crossing the extremity enactment for a 13-yard touchdown tally that was the eventual crippled winner.

The Saints’ defence came up clutch successful the end, forcing a tract extremity connected a promising thrust for Tampa Bay. Then, aft sidesplitting immoderate clock, New Orleans punted distant with Baker Mayfield and the Bucs’ discourtesy having the accidental astatine a much-needed comeback for their part hopes.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers backmost Baker Mayfield (6) throws downfield during a dense downpour during the 3rd 4th against the New Orleans Saints astatine Raymond James Stadium connected Dec. 7, 2025. (Nathan Ray Seebeck/Imagn Images)

But conscionable 4 plays later, the Saints turned the Bucs implicit connected downs again, arsenic choky extremity Cade Otton was abbreviated of the enactment to summation connected 4th-and-4.

New Orleans besides got a batch of assistance successful the crushed crippled from rookie Devin Neal, who continues to play good successful the lack of an injured Alvin Kamara. He scored the game’s archetypal touchdown portion rushing for 70 yards connected 19 carries. Shough finished with 55 yards connected the ground, portion passing for 144 yards with nary touchdowns and 1 interception.

On the different broadside of the container score, Mayfield was conscionable 14-of-30 for 122 yards with 1 touchdown and 1 interception, arsenic the upwind was intelligibly affecting his assurance successful hitting his guys. Bucky Irving, who had a 24-yard touchdown catch, had 55 yards rushing, though it was Sean Tucker busting 1 into the extremity portion connected the crushed successful this game.

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This crippled whitethorn person been different, though, if Mayfield was capable to link with his rookie receiver Emeka Egbuka connected the fourth-quarter thrust that ended up successful a tract extremity for Chase McLaughlin. The shot was perfectly placed and it’s 1 he’s made galore times successful his large play frankincense far.

However, it slipped retired of his hands connected what would’ve been a monolithic game-tying people for Tampa Bay. Egbuka had conscionable 2 catches for 26 yards, portion Chris Godwin led the Bucs with 55 yards receiving connected 5 grabs.

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