NEW ORLEANS – Baker Mayfield overcame three turnovers for 325 yards and four touchdowns and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the New Orleans Saints 51-27 on Sunday in what they hoped would be a morale boost for their many fans who endured Hurricane Milton At the beginning of the week.

The result wiped out rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler's first NFL start for New Orleans, which suffered four straight losses after opening the season with two lopsided wins.

After a wild, high-scoring first half in which Tampa Bay (4-2) blew an early 17-0 lead, the Bucs trailed by three and pulled ahead on Godwin's second touchdown of the game, a 55-yarder on a short. finally in the lead Catch and long run in which three Saints missed tackle attempts.

Safety Zyon McCollum's flying interception of Rattler's underthrown pass started a fourth-quarter drive that ended with Mayfield's 8-yard scoring pass to tight end Cade Otton on third-and-goal as Tampa Bay continued to pull away.

The Buccaneers, who avoided Milton on Tuesday and practiced all week in New Orleans, racked up all sorts of colorful stats and highlights in the Superdome, which was all but empty before the game ended. Only a few lucky fans in Bucs colors remained as Sean Tucker scored the winning margin for the second time.

The Bucs passed for 277 yards as a team, led by Tucker with 136 yards and a touchdown. Bucky Irving added 81 yards and a short touchdown. And Tucker also turned a short catch into a 36-yard touchdown.

Rattler, who had two interceptions, finished 22 of 40 for 243 yards and a TD pass to fellow rookie Bub Means. Alvin Kamara scored his seventh touchdown of the season on a 4-yard run and Rashid Shaheed returned a punt 54 yards for a touchdown.

Already missing starting QB Derek Carr due to an oblique injury last week in Kansas City, the Saints quickly fell behind when Mayfield capped the game's first possession with his first scoring pass – a 4-yarder to Godwin.

Rattler's first series ended when receiver Chris Olave was stripped by Tykee Smith shortly after making a catch and absorbing an unchecked helmet-to-helmet hit from McCollum. Safety Antoine Winfield Jr. picked up the loose ball and returned it 58 yards to make it 14-0.

Chase McLaughlin's 26-yard field goal made the score 17-0 late in the first quarter before the Saints scored their first points of the second quarter on Blake Grupe's 42-yard field goal. New Orleans scored 20 straight points on Shaheed's punt return, another field goal and Means' 10-yard catch in 5:06.

Paulson Adebo's interception in Bucs territory set up Grupe's second field goal. An interception by Saints safety Johnathan Abram set up Rattler's TD pass.

After Tucker and Kamara traded points, Tampa Bay threatened to regain the lead when Mayfield was intercepted for the third time in the quarter. His batted pass was recovered by defensive end Cameron Jordan and helped maintain the Saints' 27-24 halftime lead.

Injuries

Buccaneers: Cornerback Jamel Dean left in the first quarter with a hamstring injury.

Saints: Olave's injury has further weakened an offense already without Carr, tight end Taysom Hill (ribs), center Erik McCoy (groin), Cesar Ruiz (knee) and guard Lucas Patrick (chest). … Starting safety Tyrann Mathieu left in the first half with a forearm injury.

Next

Buccaneers: Host Baltimore in a Monday night game on October 21st.

Saints: Host Denver on Thursday in Broncos coach Sean Payton's first game at the Superdome since his brief retirement from the Saints following the 2021 season.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl