NEW ORLEANS -- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers overcame three second-quarter interceptions to defeat the New Orleans Saints 51-27 on Sunday, wrapping up a tough week for Florida, which had been struck by two major hurricanes in just two weeks. First, Hurricane Helene hit, followed by Hurricane Milton, which made landfall Thursday night as a Category 3 storm.
"I think today was a reflection of the team embracing everything everyone’s going through," said quarterback Baker Mayfield, who threw for 325 yards and four touchdowns. "Ups and downs, trying to handle it the best way you can, fight through it, and make it work. That’s life. A natural disaster isn’t easy to deal with—you just find a way to overcome and come together. That’s what this team did today."
By Sunday, the death toll from the storm that hit Siesta Key had reached 14. Tampa Bay experienced powerful winds, flash flooding, and a storm surge of 8-10 feet in Sarasota. Tornadoes also caused damage in other parts of the state. As of Sunday evening, 1.1 million Floridians were still without power, and fuel shortages were complicating recovery efforts.
"It's a small break from what they've been dealing with," said coach Todd Bowles, whose defense shut out the Saints in the second half. "It gave them a chance to smile for a couple of hours while everyone is going through what they’re going through. That made it worth it. We always talk about 'family' as a team—as long as your family is safe, everything else is replaceable. We're going to do everything we can to take care of ourselves, our team, and help the community."
The Buccaneers evacuated to New Orleans on Tuesday and practiced at Tulane University. The Glazer family, owners of the Buccaneers, chartered flights for 300 family members and 30 pets to New Orleans, while covering evacuation costs for staff and their families who relocated to non-evacuation zones. The team returned home as scheduled Sunday night.
Players and coaches stayed informed about the situation in Florida through news, social media, and updates from neighbors. Some hadn’t seen their homes since Hurricane Helene caused severe flooding on September 26.
Wide receiver Chris Godwin, who has a nonprofit for animal rescue, was particularly affected by a viral story of a dog abandoned and tied to a fence before being rescued by the Florida Highway Patrol. He described the situation in Florida as "really sad."
"We just tried to give some people a little relief from what they’re facing right now," Godwin said. "There are a lot of people going through tough times, and if we helped in any way, that’s a plus."
One of the standout moments of the game was Godwin's 55-yard touchdown in the third quarter, which helped calm the team after a rough second quarter. Several players acknowledged the emotional toll of the week’s events.
"We did it for everybody back home," said defensive tackle Vita Vea. "We put 50 points up for those suffering through this hurricane. This win’s for you guys. Tampa Strong."
The Buccaneers set a franchise record with 594 net yards, surpassing the previous record of 588 yards set in 2020. On defense, Tampa sacked Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler five times, with four of those coming in the second half. Zyon McCollum and rookie Tykee Smith recorded interceptions, while safety Antoine Winfield Jr. returned a fumble for a touchdown in his first game back from a foot injury. Smith forced the fumble.
The Saints used Sunday's game as a donation drive for Hurricane Milton relief efforts, displaying messages of support on the video board at the Mercedes Benz Superdome. The board featured the phrase "Us with them," along with messages thanking first responders and organizations like the Cajun Navy, Louisiana National Guard, and LA-Task Force 1, who were assisting in Florida. A QR code for donations to the American Red Cross and Feeding Tampa Bay was also displayed.
Coach Bowles called the win "extra special" and awarded one of the game balls to the city of Tampa.
"Many of our guys were playing with heavy hearts, seeing what was happening in Tampa Bay," Bowles said. "It’s a tough city, a strong city. We don’t know what we’re coming back to, but in our small way, we wanted to win one for the city. We’ll do everything we can to help when we get back."
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