Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20 New Orleans Saints 24 Sunday 7 September 2008 at the Louisiana Superdome
SCORING NO 11:27-1Q Patten 39 pass from Brees (Gramatica kick) TB 8:13-1Q Buchanon 26 interception return (Bryant kick) TB 0:03-2Q Bryant FG37 NO 2:49-3Q Gramatica FG34 TB 0:33-3Q Bryant FG33 NO 0:13-3Q Henderson 84 pass from Brees (Gramatica kick) TB 10:38-4Q Hilliard 2 pass from Garcia (Bryant kick) NO 7:38-4Q Bush 42 pass from Brees (Gramatica kick)
GAME REPORTS Roy Cummings reports on the season opener in New Orleans Award-winning Martin Fennelly adds his take on the game Joe Henderson has some suggestions for Jon Gruden Rick Stroud offers his opinions on events How Gary Shelton saw it all unfold Tom Jones made some interesting in-game comments The stories behind the plays on and off the field What Jon Gruden had to say afterwards Scott Smith's game report from the Super Dome Click here for the official gamebook
The 2008 season started on a losing note in the Bayou as the Buccaneer defense saw RB Reggie Bush run all over them on short passes out of the backfield. Only Philip Buchanon’s interception return score brought some respite to Monte Kiffin’s unit and Derrick Brooks also limped off with a hamstring injury. The passing game never got in synch with several deep balls going untouched.
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING BUCS: Graham 10-91, Dunn 9-54, Garcia 1-1. SAINTS: Thomas 10-52, Bush 14-51, Brees 3-(-2). PASSING BUCS: Garcia 41-24-221-1-1. SAINTS: Brees 32-23-343-1-3. RECEIVING BUCS: Galloway 6-56, Hilliard 6-45, Bryant 3-43, Graham 3-27, Askew 3-20, Smith 2-19, Dunn 1-11. SAINTS: Bush 8-112, Shockey 6-54, Colston 3-26, Moore 2-17, Thomas 2-11, Henderson 1-84, Patten 1-39. INTERCEPTIONS BUCS: Buchanon 1-26. SAINTS: Fujita 1-2. KICK RETURNS BUCS: D.Jackson 3-84, Smith 1-0. SAINTS: Thomas 4-67, Campbell 1-0. PUNT RETURNS BUCS: D.Jackson 5-29, Hilliard 1-11. SAINTS: Moore 1-10, Bush 1-0. SACKS BUCS: White 1-6. SAINTS: Grant 1-8, McCray 1-7.
STARTERS OFFENSE DEFENSE LT 70 Penn DE 93 Carter LG 78 Sears DT 98 Sims C 52 Faine DT 95 Hovan RG 76 Zuttah DE 90 Adams RT 65 Trueblood WLB 55 Brooks TE 81 Smith MLB 51 Ruud WR 89 Bryant SLB 59 June WR 84 Galloway LCB 31 Buchanon FB 35 Askew RCB 20 Barber RB 34 Graham SS 23 Phillips QB 7 Garcia FS 36 Jackson PLAYED 3 Bryant, 9 Bidwell, 10 Jackson, 19 Hilliard, 21 Piscitelli, 25 Talib, 26 Allen, 28 Dunn, 43 Mack, 44 Storer, 48 Economos, 50 McCoy, 57 Hayward, 58 Black, 71 Haye, 79 Mahan, 83 Troupe, 85 Stovall, 88 Gilmore, 91 White, 97 Wilkerson, 98 Sims DID NOT PLAY 8 Griese INACTIVES 11 Johnson, 12 McCown, 29 Bennett, 54 Hayes, 75 Joseph, 77 Lee, 80 Clayton, 96 Peterson
COMMENTARY CREW Thom Brennanman and Brian Billick