Etienne rushes for 122 yards, 3 TDs as Saints edge Buccaneers 34-31

Tampa, FL - Travis Etienne Jr. gave New Orleans the production it needed on the ground, rushing for 122 yards and three touchdowns as the Saints defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 34-31 in Week 15.

Etienne carried 16 times, averaged more than seven yards per attempt and broke a game-long 28-yard run. His three scores highlighted a New Orleans rushing attack that finished with 155 yards, more than double Tampa Bay's total of 75.

The game remained competitive without developing into a statistical mismatch. New Orleans built an advantage, Tampa Bay trimmed the margin, and neither offense created much separation in total production. The Buccaneers finished with 350 offensive yards, just five more than the Saints, while the teams combined for 37 first downs.

Within that balance, Etienne supplied the clearest individual difference. He handled the most rushing attempts in the game and produced more than three times as many yards as any Tampa Bay runner.

"I wanted to be decisive every time I got the ball," Etienne said. "With 16 carries, you have to make each opportunity count. We stayed with it, and I was able to finish some of those possessions for us."

New Orleans managed 34 points despite an uneven passing performance from Tyler Shough. The Saints quarterback completed 17 of 41 attempts for 190 yards with one interception and a 45.7 passer rating. He added 21 yards on eight rushing attempts, giving New Orleans another element on the ground.

Jordyn Tyson led the Saints through the air with six receptions for 73 yards, including a team-long 24-yard catch. New Orleans converted 9 of 17 third downs and scored three touchdowns across five red-zone trips. The Saints did not record a red-zone field goal.

"There are throws I want back, and I have to be more accurate," Shough said. "But we didn't let the rough stretches change the way we competed. The run game gave us a strong presence, and we stayed aggressive enough to get the result."

Tampa Bay had the more productive passing game. Baker Mayfield went 27 of 47 for a game-high 275 yards and two touchdowns, finishing with an 88.5 passer rating. His longest completion covered 29 yards, also the longest completion of the game.

Chris Godwin Jr. was the Buccaneers' primary target throughout the afternoon. He caught 13 passes for a game-high 157 yards and a touchdown, accounting for more than half of Tampa Bay's passing yardage. His 29-yard reception was the longest catch by either team. Ted Hurst III caught Mayfield's other touchdown pass.

"The ball kept coming my way, and my job was to give the offense something positive each time," Godwin said. "We moved it and scored points, but losing by three makes every missed opportunity feel bigger afterward."

The Buccaneers also received rushing touchdowns from Kenny Gainwell and Sean Tucker. Gainwell led Tampa Bay with 54 yards on 10 attempts, including a 24-yard run, while Tucker finished with 11 yards on four carries. Tampa Bay scored touchdowns on three of its four red-zone trips and made a field goal on the other.

Both defenses recorded four sacks. Tampa Bay also intercepted Shough, but New Orleans finished on top despite the Buccaneers owning advantages in passing yards, offensive yards and first downs. The Saints' 80-yard edge in rushing offered the sharpest statistical contrast between the offenses.

Mayfield said the Buccaneers could take little comfort from their yardage advantage after another narrow defeat.

"We had enough production to give ourselves a chance, and Chris was a reliable target all game," Mayfield said. "But the score is what matters. Putting up yards doesn't change how frustrating it is to come away with another loss."

The defeat extended Tampa Bay's losing streak to five games. New Orleans, meanwhile, left Tampa with a three-point victory built around the game's leading rusher and only five fewer offensive yards than the Buccaneers.

Up Next

New Orleans will return home in Week 16 to host the Arizona Cardinals, while Tampa Bay will travel to face the Atlanta Falcons looking to end its five-game slide.