Saints vs. Bucs: The Good, The Bad, and The Future of New Orleans

The Saints had the Bucs in the first half, but there's four quarters of football to play.

John Hendrix | Jan 5, 2025

Jan 5, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler (18) leads a huddle against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

In this story:

New Orleans Saints

The New Orleans Saints showcased a promising performance in the first half in their regular season finale against the Buccaneers. However, they ultimately succumbed to a significant decline in the second half on both offense and defense. Ross Jackson (Locked On/Louisiana Sports) and I break down the loss and discuss some of the future in our Second And Saints post-game show.

Week 18 Saints Post-Game Show

The New Orleans Saints demonstrated strong performance during the first half against the Buccaneers but faltered in the second half, resulting in a loss and wrapping up a disappointing season. We delve into the game analysis, reflect on the season's shortcomings, and discuss future prospects.

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Saints Post-Game Show Summary

Solid Start: The Saints demonstrated skill and control in the first half of the game. Spencer Rattler and the offense looked solid.
Second Half Collapse: A complete breakdown on both offense and defense led to the Saints' undoing, and that wasn't surprising.
Post-Game Analysis: Insights into the season finale against the Buccaneers.
Looking Ahead: Future opponents, additional season reflections and what the future holds or the Saints were examined.

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Key Episode Takeaways

An exploration of the Saints' impressive first-half execution, spotlighting positive elements of their gameplay. New Orleans started strong, but a notable collapse in the second half led to loss of control on both sides of the ball.
A detailed assessment of the second half struggles, probing into the factors behind the Saints' difficulties on both offense and defense. Key plays and moments from the game against the Buccaneers are examined closely.
A comprehensive review of the overall season, pinpointing key triumphs and areas of failure.
Analysis of upcoming opponents for the 2025 season and potential strategies for team improvement.
Insights into the upcoming offseason and the challenges that lie ahead for the team. Do Cam Jordan, Tyrann Mathieu and Demario Davis all return next year?
Discussion surrounding possible roster changes and player evaluations.
Concluding reflections on the season and a preview of the forthcoming offseason plans.

Published Jan 5, 2025

JOHN HENDRIX

I officially started covering the New Orleans Saints & other NFL topics in 2011. My work has been featured on various outlets over the years. I worked closely with Skyhorse Publishing in Fall 2018 to update the book, Tales From the New Orleans Saints Sidelines, which filled in all Saints material from the 2013-2017 seasons. Prior to joining Saints News Network, I served as the Managing Editor of SB Nation's Canal Street Chronicles for 3.5 years, and before that with FanSided's Who Dat Dish as the Managing Editor for several years. I have also had experiences of being a freelance Saints reporter for The Sun Herald in Biloxi, MS and a contributing writer for WDSU, a local NBC TV station in New Orleans. I have appeared on a vast amount of TV and Radio shows, both nationally and locally. For tips, comments, or suggestions, please contact me at johnhendrix@saintsnews.net