The Saints extend their winning streak to six
Kamara, defense frustrate Tampa
NEW ORLEANS — Saints rookie cornerback Marshon Lattimore caused Tampa Bay’s secondranked passing game so much frustration that several Buccaneers lost their composure.
New Orleans rookie running back Alvin Kamara stirred the Superdome into a frenzy by turning a short catch into a serpentine, tackle-escaping touchdown.
These first-place Saints, winners of six straight, look nothing like the club that languished at .500 or below throughout the previous three seasons. A pair of 2017 draft choices are a big reason why.
Kamara had 152 yards total yards and two touchdowns, Lattimore helped hold Tampa Bay’s standout receiving tandem of Mike Evans and DeSean Jackson to three catches for 38 yards, and the Saints routed the reeling Buccaneers 30-10 on Sunday.
Lattimore also was in the middle of a brief scuffle along the Tampa Bay sideline and said later of the Buccaneers, “I could tell they were frustrated.”
Saints quarterback Drew Brees, who completed 81.2 percent of his passes (22 of 27) for 263 yards and two touchdowns, had strong praise for Kamara.
“Alvin’s doing a lot of good things. He’s very versatile,” Brees said. “He can be in the game in any moment.”
The Buccaneers (2-6) were trying to stem a fourgame skid, but instead were not just beaten, but beaten up. Quarterback Jameis Winston left with shoulder soreness after the first half. Starting defensive end William Gholston was carted off the field with a neck injury. And tensions boiled over when Winston, after he had left the game, appeared to instigate the scuffle along the sideline.
Bucs coach Dirk Koetter said he was “embarrassed,” and hoped Bucs players were, too.
Winston said he didn’t want leave the game and that his status for next week was unclear.
“I know I’m not doing my job, so I have to do a better job,” said Winston, who was 7 for 13 for 67 yards.
The scuffle erupted in the third quarter and was ignited when Winston vigorously pressed his finger into the back of Lattimore’s helmet during a dead-ball period between a failed third-down pass and a punt.
“I told him to go to his sideline,” Winston said.
Lattimore turned and shoved Winston, after which Evans leveled Lattimore from behind.
“I’m going to protect my quarterback no matter what, but I shouldn’t have done that. That was kind of malicious. I shouldn’t have hit him in his back like that,” said Evans, who also called his own behavior unprofessional.