The Saints offense sputtered for much of the first half on Sunday as they faced Tom Brady and the Buccaneers.
New Orleans tallied just six points through its first three drives, and quarterback Drew Brees tossed a costly interception in his own territory midway through the second quarter. As the Saints’ offense struggled, head coach Sean Payton turned to a secret weapon: Jameis Winston.
The former No. 1 overall pick made the most of his lone pass attempt in the first half. Winston launched a 56-yard touchdown pass to wideout Tre’Quan Smith, giving New Orleans a 13-10 lead. Winston’s previous interception totals have taken him out of starter consideration across the league, but there’s no doubting his arm strength. The Florida State product showed off his cannon of an arm in limited opportunity on Sunday.
Winston was New Orleans’s most effective quarterback in the first half on Sunday. Brees threw for just 63 yards on 17 attempts, failing to find the end zone. Tom Brady didn’t exactly light up the scoreboard either, though he did throw a touchdown pass to Mike Evans in the second quarter.
Brady and Brees enter their respective locker rooms at halftime in a 13-13 tie. The winner of Sunday’s NFC South battle will face Aaron Rodgers and the Packers in the NFC Championship. Kickoff from Lambeau Field in Green Bay next Sunday is slated for 3:05 p.m. ET.
