Final2021 Week 8

Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, LA

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs New Orleans Saints, Week 8 2021

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Away

27

New Orleans Saints

HomeWon

36

Scoring by quarter
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4Final
Buccaneers7014627
Saints7971336

TB 27NO 36 Final

  • Passing leader

    Tom Brady

    TB · QB

    27.2PPR pts

    28/40, 375 YDS, 4 TD, 2 INT

  • Top fantasy scorer

    Chris Godwin Jr.

    TB · WR

    28.0PPR pts

    8 REC, 140 YDS, 1 TD

  • Buccaneers leader

    Mike Evans

    TB · WR

    12.8PPR pts

    2 REC, 48 YDS, 1 TD

  • Defensive playmaker

    P.J. Williams

    NO

    1 INT, 1 TD

Saints 36, Buccaneers 27: New Orleans beats Tampa Bay

New Orleans led 16–7 at halftime to win 36–27. Tampa Bay outgained the Saints 421–361.

The Buccaneers went 8-for-13 on third down and committed three turnovers, while the Saints kept the ball for 33:16 and finished without a giveaway.

The two teams meet again in Week 15 of 2026. If you roster anyone from either side, run the start/sit call in Redraft Command and it will weigh your lineup, your opponent and your league scoring, not only the player rankings.

Key advantages

  • +3 turnover margin NO 0 turnovers
  • +6:32 time of possession NO 33:16 · TB 26:44

Game Highlights

Official NFL highlights · Opens from YouTube

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Why the Saints Won

New Orleans won the turnover and time of possession battles.

Team stats comparison, Buccaneers vs Saints
BuccaneersStatSaints
3Turnovers0
26:44Time of possession33:16
Other team stats
421Total yards361
7.3Yards per play5.0
58Plays72
62%Third-down conversion36%

Scoring Summary

The Saints scored four touchdowns and three field goals; the Buccaneers scored four touchdowns.

Scoring plays, Buccaneers vs Saints
TimeTeamPlayTBNO
1st quarter
8:28TBTom Brady → Chris Godwin, 12-yard TD Takes leadRyan Succop XP70
2:39NOJameis Winston → Tre'Quan Smith, 16-yard TD Ties gameBrian Johnson XP77
2nd quarter
2:20NOBrian Johnson 23-yard FG Takes lead710
0:27NOTrevor Siemian → Alex Armah, 1-yard TD Extends leadXP missed716
3rd quarter
9:01NOAlvin Kamara 1-yard TD run Extends leadBrian Johnson XP723
5:33TBTom Brady → Giovani Bernard, 7-yard TDRyan Succop XP1423
1:15TBTom Brady → Mike Evans, 41-yard TDRyan Succop XP2123
4th quarter
8:31NOBrian Johnson 35-yard FG Extends lead2126
5:44TBTom Brady → Cyril Grayson, 50-yard TD Takes lead2-pt try failed2726
1:41NOBrian Johnson 23-yard FG Game winner2729
1:24NOP.J. Williams 40-yard interception return TD Extends leadBrian Johnson XP2736

Fantasy Points: Buccaneers vs Saints, Week 8 2021

Fantasy leaders

  1. Chris GodwinTBWR28.0 PTSWR3
  2. Tom BradyTBQB26.2 PTSQB4
  3. Alvin KamaraNORB16.6 PTSRB17
  4. Mike EvansTBWR12.8 PTSWR29

Player Stats

Quarterbacks

Quarterback statistics
PlayerFPTSFINCMP/ATTPass YDSTDINTRush ATTRush YDSRush TDRateStart/Sit
Tom BradyTBQB26.2QB428/4037542120112.0
Trevor SiemianNOQB9.6QB2816/291591022082.4
Jameis WinstonNOQB10.2QB266/1056104400108.8Start/Sit →

WRs, RBs, & TEs

Receiver, running back and tight end statistics
PlayerFPTSFINPOSRush ATTRush YDSRush TDTGTRECRec YDSRec TDStart/Sit
Chris GodwinTBWR28.0WR3WR———1281401
Alvin KamaraNORB16.6RB17RB1961143150Start/Sit →
Mike EvansTBWR12.8WR29WR———42481Start/Sit →
Tre'Quan SmithNOWR12.3WR31WR———33331
Cyril GraysonTBWR12.0WR32WR———11501
Tyler JohnsonTBWR11.5WR34WR———65650
Giovani BernardTBRB10.7RB29RB23001171
Deonte HartyNOWR8.7WR52WR122073350
Leonard FournetteTBRB7.3RB42RB826053170
Mark IngramNORB7.2RB43RB627022250
Marquez CallawayNOWR6.0WR64WR———53300
Garrett GriffinNOTE6.0TE22TE———33300
Kevin WhiteNOWR4.8WR71WR———11380
Jaelon DardenTBWR4.1WR76WR———33110
O.J. HowardTBTE3.6TE35TE———32160
Cameron BrateTBTE3.5TE36TE———42150
Ronald JonesTBRB2.9RB60RB31301160
Adam TrautmanNOTE2.4TE43TE———6240Start/Sit →
Ty MontgomeryNORB1.4RB69RB———2140
Rob GronkowskiTBTE0.0—TE———1000
Juwan JohnsonNOTE0.0—TE———1000Start/Sit →

Fantasy Usage

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Snap Share

  1. Chris GodwinWR59 snaps97%
  2. Mike EvansWR58 snaps95%
  3. Tyler JohnsonWR39 snaps64%
  4. Cameron BrateTE37 snaps61%
  5. Leonard FournetteRB37 snaps61%

Target Share41 targets

  1. Chris Godwin29%, 12 targets
  2. Tyler Johnson15%, 6 targets
  3. Leonard Fournette12%, 5 targets
  4. Cameron Brate10%, 4 targets
  5. Mike Evans10%, 4 targets
  6. Other24%, 10 targets

Carry Share14 carries

  1. Leonard Fournette57%, 8 carries
  2. Ronald Jones21%, 3 carries
  3. Giovani Bernard14%, 2 carries
  4. Tom Brady7%, 1 carries

New Orleans Saints

Snap Share

  1. Adam TrautmanTE66 snaps87%
  2. Marquez CallawayWR59 snaps78%
  3. Alvin KamaraRB51 snaps67%
  4. Tre'Quan SmithWR48 snaps63%
  5. Ty MontgomeryRB33 snaps43%

Target Share34 targets

  1. Deonte Harty21%, 7 targets
  2. Adam Trautman18%, 6 targets
  3. Marquez Callaway15%, 5 targets
  4. Alvin Kamara12%, 4 targets
  5. Garrett Griffin9%, 3 targets
  6. Other26%, 9 targets

Carry Share32 carries

  1. Alvin Kamara59%, 19 carries
  2. Mark Ingram19%, 6 carries
  3. Jameis Winston13%, 4 carries
  4. Trevor Siemian6%, 2 carries
  5. Deonte Harty3%, 1 carries
View full usage tableHide full usage table
Offensive snaps and share for the skill positions
PlayerSNAPSSNAP %TGTTGT %CAR
Chris GodwinTBWR5997%1229%0
Mike EvansTBWR5895%410%0
Adam TrautmanNOTE6687%618%0
Marquez CallawayNOWR5978%515%0
Alvin KamaraNORB5167%412%19
Tyler JohnsonTBWR3964%615%0
Tre'Quan SmithNOWR4863%39%0
Cameron BrateTBTE3761%410%0
Leonard FournetteTBRB3761%512%8
O.J. HowardTBTE2846%37%0
Ty MontgomeryNORB3343%26%0
Garrett GriffinNOTE2736%39%0
Deonte HartyNOWR2432%721%1
Mark IngramNORB2229%26%6
Juwan JohnsonNOTE1722%13%0
Giovani BernardTBRB1321%12%2
Ronald JonesTBRB915%12%3
Jaelon DardenTBWR915%37%0
Cyril GraysonTBWR813%12%0
Kevin WhiteNOWR912%13%0
Rob GronkowskiTBTE610%12%0
Kenny StillsNOWR11%00%0

Fantasy Points vs Expected

Expected points (xFP) are what a player's pass attempts, carries and targets are worth at the league's average rates; the difference is what the player made of them.

  • Biggest overperformer+10.3Cyril Grayson Jr.12.0 PTS vs 1.7 xFP
  • Biggest underperformer−7.7Adam Trautman2.4 PTS vs 10.1 xFP
  • Highest expected volume20.2 xFPChris Godwin Jr.28.0 PTS scored
Usage and expected fantasy points
PlayerPTSxFPvs xFPSnap%UsageRte%Pass attCarCar%TgtTgt%
Chris Godwin Jr.TB · WR28.020.2+7.897%29% tgt—000%1229%
Alvin KamaraNO · RB16.618.9−2.367%59% car—01959%411%
Tom BradyTB · QB27.218.2+9.0100%40 att—4017%00%
Leonard FournetteTB · RB7.314.0−6.761%57% car—1857%512%
Trevor SiemianNO · QB10.614.0−3.474%29 att—2926%00%
Deonte HartyNO · WR8.712.4−3.732%20% tgt—013%720%
Adam TrautmanNO · TE2.410.1−7.787%17% tgt—000%617%
Tyler JohnsonTB · WR11.510.1+1.464%15% tgt—000%615%
Marquez CallawayNO · WR6.08.4−2.478%14% tgt—000%514%
Mark Ingram IINO · RB7.27.20.029%19% car—0619%26%
Jameis WinstonNO · QB10.27.0+3.226%10 att—10413%00%
Cameron BrateTB · TE3.56.7−3.261%10% tgt—000%410%
Mike EvansTB · WR12.86.7+6.195%10% tgt—000%410%
Garrett GriffinNO · TE6.05.1+0.936%9% tgt—000%39%
Jaelon DardenTB · WR4.15.1−1.015%7% tgt—000%37%
O.J. HowardTB · TE3.65.1−1.546%7% tgt—000%37%
Tre'Quan SmithNO · WR12.35.1+7.263%9% tgt—000%39%
Ronald JonesTB · —2.93.6−0.715%21% car—0321%12%
Ty Montgomery IINO · RB1.43.4−2.043%6% tgt—000%26%
Giovani BernardTB · RB10.73.0+7.721%14% car—0214%12%
Alex ArmahNO · RB7.11.7+5.4—3% tgt—000%13%
Cyril Grayson Jr.TB · WR12.01.7+10.313%2% tgt—000%12%
Juwan JohnsonNO · TE0.01.7−1.722%3% tgt—000%13%
Kevin WhiteNO · WR4.81.7+3.112%3% tgt—000%13%
Rob GronkowskiTB · TE0.01.7−1.710%2% tgt—000%12%

Team totals: Buccaneers 41 targets and 14 carries; Saints 35 targets and 32 carries. Shares are from the box score. Snap counts are from the weekly player logs (Sleeper), and include plays wiped out by penalties. Route counts, air yards and red-zone touches appear when the tracking feed is connected. League-average rates from the 2021 season: 1.68 PPR points per target (67% catch rate), 0.64 per carry and 0.44 per pass attempt. They don't adjust for field position or target depth.

Fantasy Verdicts

Tom Brady Ran hot

TB · QB · 27.2 pts on 18.2 expected

28 of 40 passing for 375 yards, 4 touchdowns, 2 interceptions; 1 carry for 2 yards.

Verdict: The opportunities were worth 18.2 points; the touchdowns supplied the rest, and they are the part least likely to repeat.

Trevor Siemian

NO · QB · 10.6 pts on 14.0 expected

16 of 29 passing for 159 yards, 1 touchdown; 2 carries for 2 yards.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 14.0 expected.

Chris Godwin Jr. Ran hot

TB · WR · 28.0 pts on 20.2 expected

12 targets (29% of the team's), 8 catches for 140 yards and 1 touchdown.

Verdict: The opportunities were worth 20.2 points; the touchdowns supplied the rest, and they are the part least likely to repeat.

Leonard Fournette Unlucky

TB · RB · 7.3 pts on 14.0 expected

0 of 1 passing for 0 yards; 5 targets (12% of the team's), 3 catches for 17 yards; 8 carries (57% of the team's) for 26 yards.

Verdict: The role was there, worth 14.0 points at league-average rates; the production wasn't.

Alvin Kamara

NO · RB · 16.6 pts on 18.9 expected

4 targets (11% of the team's), 3 catches for 15 yards; 19 carries (59% of the team's) for 61 yards and 1 touchdown.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 18.9 expected.

Start/Sit: Alvin Kamara →

Deonte Harty

NO · WR · 8.7 pts on 12.4 expected

7 targets (20% of the team's), 3 catches for 35 yards; 1 carry (3% of the team's) for 22 yards.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 12.4 expected.

Adam Trautman Unlucky

NO · TE · 2.4 pts on 10.1 expected

6 targets (17% of the team's), 2 catches for 4 yards.

Verdict: The role was there, worth 10.1 points at league-average rates; the production wasn't.

Start/Sit: Adam Trautman →

Mike Evans Ran hot

TB · WR · 12.8 pts on 6.7 expected

4 targets (10% of the team's), 2 catches for 48 yards and 1 touchdown.

Verdict: The opportunities were worth 6.7 points; the touchdowns supplied the rest, and they are the part least likely to repeat.

Start/Sit: Mike Evans →

Stock Up, Stock Down

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  • Stock up: Tyler Johnson played 64% of the snaps, up from a 33% season average.
  • Stock down: Rob Gronkowski played 10% of the snaps, down from a 77% season average.

New Orleans Saints

  • Stock down: Alvin Kamara played 67% of the snaps, down from a 83% season average.

Fantasy Matchups

Fantasy points allowed per game by position, 2021 through Week 18.

Fantasy points allowed per game by position, Buccaneers defense and Saints defense
Points allowed toBuccaneers DSaints D
QBs17.516.3
RBs21.717.7
WRs34.834.8
TEs13.39.4

Regular season, summed from each game's box score and scored with this page's rules.

How the Game Swung

New Orleans opened at 38% win probability, fell as low as 20%, then rallied to win.

Saints win probability

Saints win probability by game minuteSaints started at 38%, stood at 77% at halftime and finished at 100%, across 11 scoring plays.Q1Q2Q3Q4100%50%0%

Key Swings

  1. +20Winston → Smith, 16-yd TD20% → 40%Q1 2:39
  2. +23Siemian → Armah, 1-yd TD54% → 77%Q2 0:27
  3. −32Brady → Evans, 41-yd TD87% → 55%Q3 1:15
  4. −50Brady → Grayson, 50-yd TD87% → 37%Q4 5:44
  5. +49Johnson 23-yd FG31% → 80%Q4 1:41

Swing in Saints win probability, in points

Play Calling and Possessions

Play calling, Buccaneers vs Saints
Tampa Bay BuccaneersMeasureNew Orleans Saints
58Plays72
76%Pass rate56%
8.0Yds / dropback5.2
5.1Yds / carry4.8
8/13Third downs5/14

Efficiency edge New Orleans ran 14 more plays than Tampa Bay.

  • Top targets
  • TB Godwin 29% · Johnson 15% · Fournette 12%
  • NO Harty 20% · Trautman 17% · Callaway 14%

Possession Results

How each possession ended, Buccaneers vs Saints
ResultTBNO
Touchdowns43
Field goals03
Punts33
Turnovers30
Turnovers on downs11

NO turnover edge: +3

  • The Buccaneers opened the scoring on their second possession, a 6-play, 44-yard drive that ended in a touchdown.
  • The Saints drained the clock with two second-half drives of four to six minutes.
All 23 possessions, drive by drive
Drive chart
TeamStartPlaysYardsTimeResult
TBQ1 15:00371:24Punt
NOQ1 13:367302:42Downs
TBQ1 10:546442:26Touchdown
NOQ1 8:2811755:49Touchdown
TBQ1 2:398354:17Punt
NOQ2 13:225241:55Punt
TBQ2 11:278503:51Fumble
NOQ2 7:3610585:16Field goal
TBQ2 2:202240:32Interception
NOQ2 1:485351:21Touchdown
TBQ2 0:27160:27End of half
NOQ3 15:0010765:59Touchdown
TBQ3 9:018753:28Touchdown
NOQ3 5:333-61:07Punt
TBQ3 4:265693:11Touchdown
NOQ3 1:15340:59Punt
TBQ3 0:166193:08Punt
NOQ4 12:088503:37Field goal
TBQ4 8:315752:47Touchdown
NOQ4 5:4412704:03Field goal
TBQ4 1:41200:17Interception
TBQ4 1:244-80:56Downs
NOQ4 0:281-10:28End of game
About these numbers

The Saints' interception touchdown is counted as a Buccaneers interception, not as a Saints possession. Possessions that ended with the clock running out at the half or the end of the game aren't counted.

Personnel groupings, average depth of target and pass rate over expected appear when the tracking feed is connected.

Buccaneers vs Saints Head-to-Head

The Buccaneers and Saints first met in 1977 and have played 69 times since. They have been NFC South rivals since 2002.

All-time series
41–28Saints lead, 69 meetings since 1977
Postseason
1–0Buccaneers won in 2020
Largest Buccaneers win
48–212001
Largest Saints win
41–02012

Since 2021

6–4 Buccaneers lead

10 meetings since the 2021 season, regular season and playoffs.

Oldest to newest. B = Buccaneers win, S = Saints win, outlined = this game.

2026 Meetings

  • Week 15 Saints at Buccaneers Upcoming
  • Week 18 Buccaneers at Saints Upcoming

Recent Meetings

Season to Date (Through Week 18)

The 2021 regular season, from each game's box score.

Season to date, Buccaneers vs Saints
BuccaneersStatSaints
13-4Record9-8
30.1Points per game21.4
405.9Yards per game304.5
6.1Yards per play4.9
20.8Points allowed per game19.7
331.5Yards allowed per game318.2

Buccaneers vs Saints Odds and Results

How this game finished against the betting lines.

Spread
TB −4Buccaneers failed to cover by 13
Total
48.5Over: 63 points scored (by 14.5)

Expected vs Actual Scoring

Implied team totals against the actual score
TeamImpliedActualDifference
Buccaneers26.327+0.8
Saints22.336+13.8

Both offenses beat the market's expectation, and the Fantasy tab shows who cashed in.

Betting Trends

Each team's 2021 season through this game. Over/under is overs first.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Against the spread
3–5
Over/under
5–3
ATS as favorite
3–5
ATS on the road
0–4

New Orleans Saints

Against the spread
4–3
Over/under
3–4
ATS as favorite
1–3
ATS as underdog
3–0
ATS at home
2–1

Lines: ESPN's consensus, captured at kickoff. Individual sportsbooks varied.

21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Betting availability depends on your state.

Buccaneers vs Saints Fantasy Outlook for 2026

Two meetings are left on the 2026 schedule: Week 15 in Tampa Bay and Week 18 in New Orleans. Here's how to decide who to play in your league.

Keep Exploring

2021 Game Logs for Players in This Game

Buccaneers vs Saints Game FAQ

Who won the 2021 Buccaneers vs Saints Week 8 game?

The New Orleans Saints beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 36–27 in Week 8 of the 2021 season. The game was played at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, LA, on October 31, 2021. See the Saints' 2021 schedule.

What was the final score of Buccaneers vs Saints?

The final score was Saints 36, Buccaneers 27. The Saints led 16–7 at halftime, and the second half went Buccaneers 20, Saints 20.

What happened in the Buccaneers vs Saints game?

New Orleans led 16–7 at halftime to win 36–27. Tampa Bay outgained the Saints 421–361. Chris Godwin led all players with 8 catches for 140 yards and a touchdown. The Buccaneers committed 3 turnovers, the Saints none.

What was the game-winning score in Buccaneers vs Saints?

Brian Johnson's 23-yard field goal with 1:41 left in the fourth quarter gave the Saints a 29–27 lead they never gave up.

Who scored the most fantasy points in Buccaneers vs Saints?

Chris Godwin led the game with 28.0 PPR fantasy points, the WR3 of Week 8, on 8 catches for 140 yards and a touchdown. Tom Brady was next with 26.2 (QB4). See Chris Godwin's 2021 game log.

Who led Buccaneers vs Saints in passing, rushing and receiving?

Tom Brady (TB) led all passers with 28 of 40 for 375 yards, 4 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Alvin Kamara (NO) led in rushing with 19 carries for 61 yards and a touchdown. Chris Godwin (TB) led in receiving with 8 catches for 140 yards and a touchdown.

How many fantasy points did Chris Godwin score against the Saints?

Chris Godwin scored 28.0 points in PPR leagues, 24.0 in half-PPR and 20.0 in standard scoring against the Saints in Week 8 of the 2021 season, on 8 catches for 140 yards and a touchdown.

Who outperformed and underperformed expected fantasy points in Buccaneers vs Saints?

Cyril Grayson Jr. outperformed his expected fantasy points the most, scoring 12.0 PPR points on 1.7 xFP (+10.3). Adam Trautman fell furthest short, with 2.4 points on 10.1 xFP (−7.7). A gap either way reflects efficiency and touchdowns in one game; it is not a forecast. For matchups ahead, see fantasy points allowed by position.

How did the Saints come back to beat the Buccaneers?

The Saints' chances of winning fell as low as 20% in the first half. Brian Johnson's 23-yard field goal then put them ahead for good.

What is the all-time Buccaneers vs Saints record?

The Saints lead the all-time series 41–28 across 69 meetings since 1977, including a 0–1 record in the postseason.

When did the Buccaneers and Saints last play before this game?

Before Week 8 of 2021, they last met in the 2020 playoffs on January 17, 2021, when the Buccaneers beat the Saints 30–20.

Have the Buccaneers and Saints met in the playoffs?

Yes, 1 time, most recently in the 2020 playoffs. The Buccaneers are 1–0 against the Saints in the postseason.

What was the closing spread for Buccaneers vs Saints?

The consensus closing spread at kickoff was Buccaneers −4, making the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 4-point favorites, with a closing total of 48.5. That implied about 26.3 points for the Buccaneers and 22.3 for the Saints.

Did Buccaneers vs Saints go over or under the total?

The game went over. The consensus closing total was 48.5, and the teams combined for 63 points, 14.5 over the number.

Who covered the spread in Buccaneers vs Saints?

The Saints covered as 4-point underdogs against the closing line of Buccaneers −4. The final margin was 9 points.