5 Takeaways from Saints' 34-23 victory vs. Buccaneers

Five takeaways from the the New Orleans Saints Week 1 victory vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The New Orleans Saints defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 34-23, inside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Sunday afternoon. In one of the most anticipated games of the Opening Week of the 2020 NFL Season, Tom Brady presented the Saints an uphill task alongside a stellar supporting cast. After a slow start, the Saints defense sparked 17 unanswered points leading the team to victory. Below are five takeaways from the Saints' first game of 2020.

The Silent Superdome Is an Odd Change

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The NFL’s approved artificial crowd noise does not match the sound of a live Superdome crowd. NFL stadiums cannot exceed 75 decibels in artificial crowd noise this season. Saints crowds have measured over 120 decibels, which is nearly 32 times as loud as the pre-approved 75 decibels as the scale is logarithmic, rather than linear. With an absent Who Dat Nation on Sunday, the Superdome did not quite feel like home for the Saints despite the victory. New Orleans will be without fans again in Week 3 against Green Bay.

Kamara is Back

© Derick E. Hingle | 2020 Sep 13

What a roller coaster of a month for Alvin Kamara, from “unexcused absences” from camp, to trade rumors to finally reaching a contract extension a day before the first game of the 2020 season. The 5-year, $77M contract pays the three-time Pro-Bowler roughly $15M a year, and he earned every penny in the first half for the Saints. Kamara did not produce the yards we expect by his two first-half TDs gave the Saints a 17-7 lead headed into the half. It was tough sledding for the Saints on the ground, but seeing Kamara find the endzone for a fourth of his total from 2019 has Saints fans everywhere grinning ear to ear.

Special Teams were "Special"

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As the late member of the Saints News Network Rick Gaille used to say, “Special Teams has to be special” and boy, were they special on Sunday! Saints P Thomas Morstead sent five of six punts inside the Tampa Bay 20-yard line, while Wil Lutz connected on both his FGs and all four PATs. New Orleans put the cherry on top, blocking a field goal in the first half and recovering a pouch kick in the fourth quarter.

Opportunistic Defense

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Tom Brady led the Buccaneers on a 9-play scoring drive on their first drive of 2020, giving Tampa Bay a 7-0 led in the First Quarter. The Saints defense locked in following the opening drive, intercepting the six-time Super Bowl champion QB two series later setting up a 6-yard TD run by Alvin Kamara. Coming out of the half, the Saints picked off Brady again, this time running it back for a pick-six. The Saints scored 17 points off turnovers in Week 1.

Lattimore Owns Rivalry with Evans

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The rivalry began in 2017 has seen ejections, no reception games, and plenty of trash talking. Tampa Bay listed Evans as doubtful this week before working his way to questionable and ultimately playing in Week 1 against the Saints. Last season, Lattimore shut Evans out with no receptions in Week 5 and posted just 4 receptions in Week 11. The 2017 Defensive Rookie of the Year held Evans in check yet again on Sunday, holding him to 1 reception.

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