Game story
In Week 1 of the 2008 NFL season on 2008-09-07, the New Orleans Saints took care of business against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, pulling away with a 24–20 final that stayed a one-score game deep into the second half.
The highest-scoring period was Q1 with 14 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.
J. Garcia (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) paced the passing game, with -7.46 total EPA, and -1.0% completion percentage over expected.
On the individual side, D. Brees (New Orleans Saints) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +8.74 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.
The momentum swing (-30.9% win probability) landed in the fourth quarter when Tampa Bay Buccaneers changed the game: (:44) (Shotgun) 7-J.Garcia pass short right intended for 89-A.Bryant INTERCEPTED by 55-S.Fujita at NO 19. 55-S.Fujita to NO 21 for 2 yards (19-I.Hilliard).
Line score
Final score and points by quarter.
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | — | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 7 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 20 |
| New Orleans Saints | 7 | 0 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 24 |
Stars of the game
Top performers by total expected points added (EPA) across passing, rushing, and receiving.
- 1 D. Brees · New Orleans Saints · Passing · +8.74 total EPA · 33 snaps · +0.26 EPA/play
- 2 R. Bush · New Orleans Saints · Receiving · +7.69 total EPA · 8 snaps · +0.96 EPA/play
- 3 D. Henderson · New Orleans Saints · Receiving · +5.87 total EPA · 1 snaps · +5.87 EPA/play
- 4 I. Hilliard · Tampa Bay Buccaneers · Receiving · +5.02 total EPA · 6 snaps · +0.84 EPA/play
- 5 D. Patten · New Orleans Saints · Receiving · +4.30 total EPA · 1 snaps · +4.30 EPA/play
- 6 J. Shockey · New Orleans Saints · Receiving · +4.23 total EPA · 6 snaps · +0.70 EPA/play
- 7 A. Bryant · Tampa Bay Buccaneers · Receiving · +2.03 total EPA · 3 snaps · +0.68 EPA/play
- 8 L. Moore · New Orleans Saints · Receiving · +1.81 total EPA · 2 snaps · +0.91 EPA/play
Player of the game
FantasyHQ analytics player-of-the-game pick based on total EPA and signature plays.
D. Brees — NO · Passing
D. Brees posted the highest total EPA (+8.74) in the game, making the biggest overall impact on New Orleans Saints's efficiency. Across 33 counted snaps, they averaged +0.26 EPA per play.
The signature play (-6.77 EPA) came from New Orleans Saints: (8:24) 9-D.Brees pass short right intended for 16-L.Moore INTERCEPTED by 31-P.Buchanon [51-B.Ruud] at NO 26. 31-P.Buchanon for 26 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals
Every touchdown and field goal with the player named in official play-by-play.
Touchdowns
- New Orleans Saints — D. Patten (D. Brees pass)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers — P. Buchanon
- New Orleans Saints — D. Henderson (D. Brees pass)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers — I. Hilliard (J. Garcia pass)
- New Orleans Saints — R. Bush (D. Brees pass)
Field goals
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers — M. Bryant
- New Orleans Saints — M. Gramatica
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers — M. Bryant
How it unfolded, quarter by quarter
A quarter-by-quarter recap built from live scoring plays and play descriptions.
The opening quarter: The quarter finished even at 7–7. New Orleans Saints found the end zone from the TB 39 (Q1 56:34) — (11:34) (Shotgun) 9-D.Brees pass deep left to 81-D.Patten for 39 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; New Orleans Saints added 1 points from the TB 2 (Q1 56:27) — 1-M.Gramatica extra point is GOOD, Center-47-K.Houser, Holder-7-S.Weatherford.; Tampa Bay Buccaneers found the end zone from the TB 85 (Q1 53:24); Tampa Bay Buccaneers added 1 points from the NO 2 (Q1 53:13) — 3-M.Bryant extra point is GOOD, Center-48-A.Economos, Holder-9-J.Bidwell..
The second quarter: Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the period 3–0. Tampa Bay Buccaneers connected on a field goal from the NO 19 (Q2 30:08) — (:08) 3-M.Bryant 37 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-48-A.Economos, Holder-9-J.Bidwell..
The third quarter: New Orleans Saints won the period 10–3. New Orleans Saints connected on a field goal from the TB 16 (Q3 17:54) — (2:54) 1-M.Gramatica 34 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-47-K.Houser, Holder-7-S.Weatherford.; Tampa Bay Buccaneers connected on a field goal from the NO 15 (Q3 15:38) — (:38) 3-M.Bryant 33 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-48-A.Economos, Holder-9-J.Bidwell.; New Orleans Saints found the end zone from the TB 84 (Q3 15:25) — (:25) 9-D.Brees pass deep left to 19-D.Henderson for 84 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Penalty on TB-90-G.Adams, Defensive Offside, declined.; New Orleans Saints added 1 points from the TB 2 (Q3 15:13) — 1-M.Gramatica extra point is GOOD, Center-47-K.Houser, Holder-7-S.Weatherford..
The fourth quarter: The quarter finished even at 7–7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers found the end zone from the NO 2 (Q4 10:43) — (10:43) 7-J.Garcia pass short right to 19-I.Hilliard for 2 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Tampa Bay Buccaneers added 1 points from the NO 2 (Q4 10:38) — 3-M.Bryant extra point is GOOD, Center-48-A.Economos, Holder-9-J.Bidwell.; New Orleans Saints found the end zone from the TB 42 (Q4 7:53) — (7:53) 9-D.Brees pass short right to 25-R.Bush for 42 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; New Orleans Saints added 1 points from the TB 2 (Q4 7:38) — 1-M.Gramatica extra point is GOOD, Center-47-K.Houser, Holder-7-S.Weatherford..
Turning points
Plays that moved win probability the most — the swings that decided the game.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Q4 0:44) — (:44) (Shotgun) 7-J.Garcia pass short right intended for 89-A.Bryant INTERCEPTED by 55-S.Fujita at NO 19. 55-S.Fujita to NO 21 for 2 yards (19-I.Hilliard).
- New Orleans Saints (Q3 15:25) — (:25) 9-D.Brees pass deep left to 19-D.Henderson for 84 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Penalty on TB-90-G.Adams, Defensive Offside, declined.
- New Orleans Saints (Q4 7:53) — (7:53) 9-D.Brees pass short right to 25-R.Bush for 42 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- New Orleans Saints (Q1 53:24) — (8:24) 9-D.Brees pass short right intended for 16-L.Moore INTERCEPTED by 31-P.Buchanon [51-B.Ruud] at NO 26. 31-P.Buchanon for 26 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- New Orleans Saints (Q3 25:43) — (10:43) (Shotgun) 9-D.Brees FUMBLES (Aborted) at NO 46, recovered by NO-23-P.Thomas at NO 46. 23-P.Thomas to NO 46 for no gain (91-G.White).
Impact plays
Highest expected-points added snaps that flipped field position and scoring chances.
- New Orleans Saints (Q1 53:24) — (8:24) 9-D.Brees pass short right intended for 16-L.Moore INTERCEPTED by 31-P.Buchanon [51-B.Ruud] at NO 26. 31-P.Buchanon for 26 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- New Orleans Saints (Q3 15:25) — (:25) 9-D.Brees pass deep left to 19-D.Henderson for 84 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Penalty on TB-90-G.Adams, Defensive Offside, declined.
- New Orleans Saints (Q4 7:53) — (7:53) 9-D.Brees pass short right to 25-R.Bush for 42 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- New Orleans Saints (Q1 56:34) — (11:34) (Shotgun) 9-D.Brees pass deep left to 81-D.Patten for 39 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Quarterback report card
J.Garcia led all passers in efficiency for Tampa Bay Buccaneers, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.
- J.Garcia (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) · 46 dropbacks · 52.2% completion · -1.0% CPOE · -0.16 EPA/play · -7.46 total EPA
- D.Brees (New Orleans Saints) · 33 dropbacks · 69.7% completion · +7.6% CPOE · +0.26 EPA/play · +8.74 total EPA
Team stats comparison
Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency from FantasyHQ analytics.
| Stat | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | New Orleans Saints |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive EPA/play | -0.067 | -0.053 |
| Offensive success rate | 43.7% | 38.8% |
| Pass EPA/play | -0.162 | +0.265 |
| Rush EPA/play | -0.004 | -0.252 |
| Defensive EPA/play | +0.053 | +0.067 |
| Defensive success rate | 61.3% | 56.3% |
By the numbers
Both offenses finished within striking distance on EPA per play (Tampa Bay Buccaneers -0.07, New Orleans Saints -0.05) — a true toss-up on the analytics sheet.
- New Orleans Saints: 14 drives, -4.23 total EPA, 5 scoring drives
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 13 drives, -5.87 total EPA, 3 scoring drives
Key takeaways
What to remember for fantasy research, film review, and follow-up box score digging.
- New Orleans Saints leaves with the win and the better postgame narrative for Week-to-week momentum.
- One-score margin — fantasy managers should double-check garbage-time stats before drawing conclusions.
- D. Brees (New Orleans Saints) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.
- D. Brees (NO) beat expectation through the air — positive CPOE game for stack builds.
Every scoring play
Chronological scoring with field position and full play-by-play context.
- New Orleans Saints TD (+6) — Q1 56:34 · TB 39 · Score 0-6
(11:34) (Shotgun) 9-D.Brees pass deep left to 81-D.Patten for 39 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - New Orleans Saints XP (+1) — Q1 56:27 · TB 2 · Score 0-7
1-M.Gramatica extra point is GOOD, Center-47-K.Houser, Holder-7-S.Weatherford. - Tampa Bay Buccaneers TD (+6) — Q1 53:24 · TB 85 · Score 6-7
(8:24) 9-D.Brees pass short right intended for 16-L.Moore INTERCEPTED by 31-P.Buchanon [51-B.Ruud] at NO 26. 31-P.Buchanon for 26 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Tampa Bay Buccaneers XP (+1) — Q1 53:13 · NO 2 · Score 7-7
3-M.Bryant extra point is GOOD, Center-48-A.Economos, Holder-9-J.Bidwell. - Tampa Bay Buccaneers FG (+3) — Q2 30:08 · NO 19 · Score 10-7
(:08) 3-M.Bryant 37 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-48-A.Economos, Holder-9-J.Bidwell. - New Orleans Saints FG (+3) — Q3 17:54 · TB 16 · Score 10-10
(2:54) 1-M.Gramatica 34 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-47-K.Houser, Holder-7-S.Weatherford. - Tampa Bay Buccaneers FG (+3) — Q3 15:38 · NO 15 · Score 13-10
(:38) 3-M.Bryant 33 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-48-A.Economos, Holder-9-J.Bidwell. - New Orleans Saints TD (+6) — Q3 15:25 · TB 84 · Score 13-16
(:25) 9-D.Brees pass deep left to 19-D.Henderson for 84 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Penalty on TB-90-G.Adams, Defensive Offside, declined. - New Orleans Saints XP (+1) — Q3 15:13 · TB 2 · Score 13-17
1-M.Gramatica extra point is GOOD, Center-47-K.Houser, Holder-7-S.Weatherford. - Tampa Bay Buccaneers TD (+6) — Q4 10:43 · NO 2 · Score 19-17
(10:43) 7-J.Garcia pass short right to 19-I.Hilliard for 2 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Tampa Bay Buccaneers XP (+1) — Q4 10:38 · NO 2 · Score 20-17
3-M.Bryant extra point is GOOD, Center-48-A.Economos, Holder-9-J.Bidwell. - New Orleans Saints TD (+6) — Q4 7:53 · TB 42 · Score 20-23
(7:53) 9-D.Brees pass short right to 25-R.Bush for 42 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - New Orleans Saints XP (+1) — Q4 7:38 · TB 2 · Score 20-24
1-M.Gramatica extra point is GOOD, Center-47-K.Houser, Holder-7-S.Weatherford.
Frequently asked questions
Who won Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs New Orleans Saints?
The New Orleans Saints beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24-20 in Week 1, 2008 on 2008-09-07.
What was the final score of Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs New Orleans Saints?
The final score was Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20, New Orleans Saints 24 (TB 20-24 NO) in Week 1, 2008 on 2008-09-07.
What was the score by quarter in Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs New Orleans Saints?
Q1: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 7, New Orleans Saints 7; Q2: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 3, New Orleans Saints 0; Q3: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 3, New Orleans Saints 10; Q4: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 7, New Orleans Saints 7; Final: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20, New Orleans Saints 24.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals in Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs New Orleans Saints?
New Orleans Saints touchdown — D. Patten (D. Brees pass) (Q1 56:34) Tampa Bay Buccaneers touchdown — P. Buchanon (Q1 53:24) New Orleans Saints touchdown — D. Henderson (D. Brees pass) (Q3 15:25) Tampa Bay Buccaneers touchdown — I. Hilliard (J. Garcia pass) (Q4 10:43) New Orleans Saints touchdown — R. Bush (D. Brees pass) (Q4 7:53) Tampa Bay Buccaneers field goal — M. Bryant (Q2 30:08, 3 pts) New Orleans Saints field goal — M. Gramatica (Q3 17:54, 3 pts) Tampa Bay Buccaneers field goal — M. Bryant (Q3 15:38, 3 pts) Extra points followed each touchdown unless noted in the play-by-play.
How did the quarterbacks play in Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs New Orleans Saints?
J. Garcia (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), 52.2% completion, -1.0% CPOE, -0.16 EPA per dropback, -7.46 total passing EPA. D. Brees (New Orleans Saints), 69.7% completion, +7.6% CPOE, +0.26 EPA per dropback, +8.74 total passing EPA.
Who was the most impactful player in Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs New Orleans Saints?
D. Brees (New Orleans Saints) led the game in total EPA with +8.74 on passing plays. across 33 snaps. The top single-play swing was (-6.77 EPA): (8:24) 9-D.Brees pass short right intended for 16-L.Moore INTERCEPTED by 31-P.Buchanon [51-B.Ruud] at NO 26. 31-P.Buchanon for 26 yards, TOUCHDOWN.. The biggest win-probability swing was -30.9%.
Was Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs New Orleans Saints a close game?
Yes — the margin was 4 points. New Orleans Saints won 24-20 in a game that stayed a one-score game deep into the second half.
Season records after this game
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Now 0-1 L
New Orleans Saints
Now 1-0 W
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