The Saints knew when they took the field Sunday they weren’t going to open the playoffs at home.
Now they have to make sure they get there, after the Buccaneers tied the game at 7-7 in the first quarter.
The Saints went up 7-0 early in the first quarter on a 44-yard touchdown pass from Drew Brees to Lance Moore. The Saints can clinch a Wild Card berth with a win or a Cardinals loss, after the Panthers clinched the NFC South title and a bye with their earlier win over the Falcons.
The Saints know they’re a different team on the road, but that’s what they’ve got to play for at the moment, and a trip to either the NFC North winner (the Packers-Bears game happening now) or the NFC East winner (tonight’s Eagles-Cowboys game).
But before that’s an issue, they need to win, and the Bucs just matched them with a big play. Mike Glennon threw a flea-flicker 48-yard touchdown to Tiquan Underwood to tie the game.