NFL Playoffs: Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints

The NFL's divisional round will conclude on Sunday evening with the Buccaneers at Saints. The winner is headed to Lambeau Field to face the Packers.

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (12-5)
at NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (13-4)

By NFL Communications

Kickoff: Sunday, FOX, 5:40 p.m.

Line at PointsBet: Saints by 3.

Against Green Bay: The Packers won at New Orleans 37-30 in Week 3 but lost at Tampa Bay 38-10 in Week 6.

In New Orleans’ 21-9 Wild Card victory over Chicago, the Saints allowed nine points and 239 total yards, both the lowest postseason totals in franchise history.

The Buccaneers last week secured the franchise’s first postseason victory since winning Super Bowl XXXVII on Jan. 26, 2003, in San Diego.

Tampa Bay quarterback TOM BRADY has the most postseason games played (42), wins (31), passing yards (11,769) and passing touchdowns (75) of any player in NFL history.

In the Buccaneers’ Wild Card victory at Washington, Brady passed for a postseason franchise record 381 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions for a 104.3 passer rating. He joined Pro Football Hall of Famers BRETT FAVRE and JOE MONTANA as the only quarterbacks to win a postseason game with one club after winning at least 10 postseason games for another franchise in NFL history.

At 43 years and 159 days old, Brady became the oldest player to throw a touchdown pass in a postseason game in history, eclipsing Pro Football Hall of Famer GEORGE BLANDA (43 years, 108 days).

Buccaneers wide receiver MIKE EVANS had six catches for 119 yards in the Wild Card win. Evans had 1,006 receiving yards in 2020 to become the first player in NFL history with at least 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first seven seasons.

Saints quarterback DREW BREES completed 28 of 39 attempts (71.8 percent) for 265 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions for a 107.3 rating in New Orleans’ Wild Card victory last week.

With his first-quarter touchdown pass to MICHAEL THOMAS, Brees has now thrown a touchdown pass in each of his 17 career postseason games. Only Pro Football Hall of Famer BRETT FAVRE (20 games) and TOM BRADY (18 games) have had longer such streaks at any time in their postseason careers in NFL history.

Brees has the most passing yards per game (307.8) of any player in NFL postseason history (minimum five games). He also ranks third in career postseason completion percentage (67.2, minimum 150 attempts), fifth in postseason passer rating (100.0, minimum 150 attempts) and sixth with 36 postseason touchdown passes.

Thomas averages 94.3 receiving yards per game in his postseason career, fourth in NFL history (minimum five games). He also averages 7.2 receptions per game during the postseason, second in NFL history (minimum five games) behind JULIO JONES (7.6).

Saints running back ALVIN KAMARA had 116 scrimmage yards (99 rushing, 17 receiving) and ran for a touchdown in his team’s Wild Card win.

Kamara led the NFL with 21 scrimmage touchdowns (16 rushing, five receiving), the most in a single season in franchise history, including six rushing touchdowns in Week 16, tying the NFL’s single-game record.

Kamara became the first player with at least 500 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards in each of his first four seasons in NFL history. His 2,824 career receiving yards are the most ever by a running back in his first four seasons.

Quoteworthy: “I envisioned this game happening because I knew our aspirations as a team, to be in the playoffs and beyond,” Brees said. “And I certainly knew what he was bringing to the Bucs and that talented roster. And so I think this is probably where we all envisioned being at this point in season.”