Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20 New Orleans Saints 24
Sunday 7 September 2008 at the Superdome
FOX COMMENTARY CREW Thom Brennaman and Brian Billick
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.
GAME 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
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
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.
