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The ย travel to take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at noon on Sunday in an NFC South battle between the divisionโ€™s first- and last-place teams. You can follow here for the score and live updates.

The Bucs roll in with a record of 7-5, needing a win to stay atop the standings, while the Saints are 2-10. Tyler Shough will make his fifth NFL start at quarterback for the Saints, looking for his second win.ย 

Running back Alvin Kamara is unavailable for the Saints because of an injury he suffered two weeks ago against the Atlanta Falcons, as are fellow starters Justin Reid at safety and Taliese Fuaga at right tackle. will fill in at safety, with Asim Richards likely playing tackle.

Follow below for the latest from Tampa.

Live game updates

UPDATED, 3:08 p.m.: Final score: Saints 24, Buccaneers 20. They review the Otton catch, but heโ€™s clearly short of the 30-yard line. Two kneel-downs later, and the Saints have their best victory under Kellen Moore.

Weโ€™ll talk about it on the postgame show in about 30 minutes.

UPDATED, 3:06 p.m.: Mayfield throws incomplete under pressure, and then heโ€™s very nearly picked off by Sanker on second down, but the rookie canโ€™t come up with it.

The Saints have to hope they donโ€™t regret that.

Still, itโ€™s now third-and-10. Mayfield scrambles for about 6 and gets out of bounds, but now itโ€™s fourth down. Cam Jordan was over there chasing him.

Ballgame on the line here. Complete to Cade Otton, but I think heโ€™s short of the line. He is! Turnover on downs, and the Saints are going to win. What a victory for a young team.

UPDATED, 3:03 p.m.: Oh my goodness. A double drop on that play, first with Vele unable to corral Shoughโ€™s pass and then a drop of an interception. So thatโ€™s a break for the Saints, who can punt it away, but the clock also stops.

Tampa Bay is going to have one more shot here.

Kroegerโ€™s punt isnโ€™t good โ€” straight into the end zone โ€” so the Bucs need to go 80 yards in 1:48 with no timeouts. Can the Saints defense stand tall?

UPDATED, 2:59 p.m.: A crucial third-and-5 for the Saints. If they can convert here, Tampa Bay will have to use its final timeout with just over two minutes left. It could be the game.

And Shough has it!. Caught by Vele again, a nice diving grab on an out route. But thereโ€™s a flag down โ€ฆ offside on the Bucs. Saints are on the doorstep of a victory now.

Neal hit in the backfield on the next play, and that will lead to TBโ€™s final timeout with 2:24 left. That penalty actually really helped the Bucs, even though it was declined.

Neal stopped again, and that will bring us to the 2-minute warning. Itโ€™ll be third-and-10. A first down means a Saints win.

UPDATED, 2:54 p.m.: Tyler Shough is having a game that is going to open a lot of eyes around the NFL. Thatโ€™s going to be especially true if the Saints can finish the job here.

The running game has been effective, and thatโ€™s what New Orleans needs, although the Saints are down to their third-string tackle with Asim Richards out with injury after Fuaga started the game unavailable.

Third down, Shough to Vele, first down. Ice water in the veins there for Shough under pressure. And the clock continues to melt.

UPDATED, 2:49 p.m.: Oh my word. Emeka Egbuka with a great route and then a horrible drop in the end zone. He was wiiiiide open, and then let the Saints off the hook.

It leads to a third-down stop and the Saints have forced the field goal (thanks coverage from Michael Davis, who very well might have gotten away with pass interference on third down)

McLaughlinโ€™s attempt from 37 yards is good, and the Bucs cut it to 24-20.

But there are less than 5 minutes left. The Saints will try to run out the clock โ€” or score โ€” for a big upset.

UPDATED, 2:46 p.m.: Hold the phone on the upset: Bucky Irving just busted loose for a 32-yard run, and the Bucs are quickly inside the Saintsโ€™ 30-yard line. Thereโ€™s still a lot of time in this game, more than half the fourth quarter.

But the Saints defense does a good job from there, forcing the Bucs into a fourth-and-1 from the 19. Can they stop them in short-yardage again?

Not quite this time. White rolls forward just enough for the first down. Saints need a red-zone stop to keep the lead.

UPDATED, 2:39 p.m.: Touchdown, Saints! Tyler Shough with another rushing touchdown, a 13-yard run that he finished by lowering his shoulder into a defender at the goal line.

Itโ€™s 24-17 New Orleans with 8:26 left, and they can taste the upset now.

Earlier in the drive, another big play from Neal, who took a dump-off from Shough and turned it into a first down on third-and-long. Later, the Bucs had to burn a timeout because of a substitution problem. That could loom large, too.

This Saints offense with Shough and Neal, and Moore calling a good game, looks as good as it has all season.

UPDATED, 2:35 p.m.: Big-time play from Shough to Olave for 13 yards on third-and-10. They were certainly on the same page that time, and New Orleans is into Tampa Bay territory.

The rain has stopped, so that could help the Saints offense here, too. Shough to Olave for another first down. Olave has been quiet today, but in a tie game in the fourth quarter, heโ€™s going to his No. 1 guy.

Thatโ€™s inside the 30 and in range to take the lead.

UPDATED, 2:30 p.m.: For the fourth time today, the Saints defense holds on fourth down. What a huge play (and a questionable decision from Todd Bowles, Iโ€™d have to say). Chris Godwin had his hands on the Mayfield pass, but a big hit from Kool-Aid McKinstry jarred it loose as he went out of bounds.

Just like that, the Saints have yet another short field, this time with a chance to take a fourth-quarter lead.

UPDATED, 2:23 p.m.: End of the third quarter: Saints 17, Buccaneers 17. First down Bucs when we resume.

Saints nearly got a defensive stop, but Mayfield again moves the chains with his legs, stepping up past pressure into open grass to convert third-and-8. The play before was almost what would have been another late-career highlight for Cam Jordan, who tipped up a ball at the line of scrimmage and almost caught it himself. Alas, itโ€™s only an incompletion and a conversion a play later for Tampa Bay.

UPDATED, 2:18 p.m.: Field goal for the Saints, and weโ€™re tied. Itโ€™s a 30-yarder for Smyth, and itโ€™s 17-17 inside of two minutes left in the third quarter.

The Saints actually converted on a fourth-and-inches from inside the 10 on a short pass to Olave, but Cesar Ruiz was penalized for illegal man downfield. After the penalty, Kellen Moore opted for the tying field goal. (Canโ€™t really blame Ruiz there; he thought it was going to be a running play and was finishing his block.)

Earlier in the drive, Devin Neal had a career long 21-yard run here to get the Saints in the red zone. Just nobody home around right tackle, and against this Bucs run defense, itโ€™s an amazingly good day for the New Orleans rushing attack.

UPDATED, 2;13 p.m.: Impressive stuff from Shough on third-and-5, changing the play at the line of scrimmage, getting the snap off in time and then hitting Johnson on a slant for the first down.

This Saints offense certainly has improved from the teamsโ€™ first meeting. Can they come up with enough big plays in the final 20 minutes to spring the upset?

Now itโ€™s Audric Estimรฉ with a big run for another first down. Saints in range to at least tie the game here.

UPDATED, 2:06 p.m.: Sean Tucker had a career day against the Saints in the Superdome during last yearโ€™s game, and heโ€™s having an impact today, too. Two straight runs from him in the red zone โ€” one to get it close, one to get it into the end zone โ€” and the Bucs have the lead back.

The pass interference was huge on that drive, but after that, it was big-boy football from Tampa Bay. All runs, and White and Tucker drive it all the way in.

PAT makes it 17-14 Buccaneers with 7:37 left in the third.

UPDATED, 2:03 p.m.: A holding call is going to help out the Saints, and instead of third-and-1, itโ€™s going to be third-and-11. Huge swing, and rookie linebacker Danny Stutsman is the one who drew the call right up the gut.

But just like that, theyโ€™re going to get a flag going the other way. Another rookie, Jonas Sanker, held Johnson on a deep ball. Thatโ€™s a costly 29-yard penalty. Bucs into Saints territory inside the 40.

UPDATED, 1:56 p.m.: For the third time today, the Saints start a drive on the plus side of the 50. The first two resulted in a touchdown and a missed field goal.

This one starts with a couple of good runs from Neal for a first down. Saints already into field goal range looking to at least tie this game.

And theyโ€™ll do better than that! A 34-yard touchdown run from Tyler Shough on a designed play around the left side, and there was nobody home to stop it. Big blocks on the play by Taysom Hill and Devaughn Vele.

PAT good from Smyth, and itโ€™s 14-10 Saints. Look out, weโ€™ve got an upset watch.

UPDATED, 1:52 p.m.: Interception, Alontae Taylor. Mayfield misfires on a second-and-1 try that seemed to be thrown right to Taylor. Huge play for the Saints D, and a chance for them to tie or take the lead with good field position.

Mayfield appears to be upset with rookie receiver Kameron Johnson there; looks like miscommunication on routes has cost each QB an interception today.

UPDATED, 1:49 p.m.: With the Bucs using a makeshift left side of their offensive line and the rain continuing to pour down, the Saints can probably sit on stopping the run on defense.

Sure enough, Chris Rumph stuffs White on the first play of the second half, but Mayfield does hit Godwin for a first down on the next snap, and weโ€™re under way in the third quarter.

UPDATED, 1:40 p.m.: Halftime stats show a defensive struggle thatโ€™s been mostly controlled by the Bucs, although the Saints are in it in large part due to a big opening kickoff return and three fourth-down stops.

TOTAL YARDS: New Orleans 74 (53 passing, 21 rushing); Tampa Bay 153 (89 passing, 64 rushing)

PASSING: Tyler Shough 7/11, 76 yards, INT, 3 sacks; Baker Mayfield 9/17, 89 yards, TD

RUSHING: Shough 1-11, Devin Neal 4-7, TD; Evan Hull 1-4; Rachaad White 7-28, Bucky Irving 11-18, Mayfield 3-18

RECEIVING: Juwan Johnson 3-30, Foster Moreau 1-16, Devaughn Vele 1-16, Chris Olave 1-8; Chris Godwin 3-36, Irving 2-26, TD; Emeka Egbuka 2-15.

UPDATED, 1:33 p.m.: Halftime: Bucs 10, Saints 7. The New Orleans defense is able to hold again at the end of the half, thanks to an offensive pass interference call against Egbuka. Saints might have caught a break on that call. From there, Tampa Bay was out of field goal range without time to get back into it. A Hail Mary falls incomplete as the half ends.

Certainly could be worse for the Saints, but theyโ€™re down at halftime despite getting off to a good start for once. And theyโ€™ll be on defense again to start the second half.

UPDATED, 1:28 p.m.: Bucs are in position to have two straight possessions, since they get the ball to start the second half.

But between the wet conditions and the Saints defense winning the battle at the line of scrimmage, Tampa Bayโ€™s offense is having a really difficult time, too. Theyโ€™re going to have yet another fourth-and-1. This time, Mayfield will fake the ball to backup running back Sean Tucker and keep it himself, and this time, somebody finally converts fourth-and-short.

Short time for Tampa Bay now. Pete Werner with a big deflection to force an incompletion, and now thereโ€™s only 16 seconds left. In this weather, youโ€™d think the Bucs need at least one more first down to try for a field goal.

UPDATED, 1:25 p.m.: Saints canโ€™t cash in on the turnover on downs. Devin Neal gets nowhere close on fourth-and-1, with all sorts of Buccaneer penetration into the backfield. Neal ran into his own blocker initially, but he wasnโ€™t going to get there anyway.

An old nemesis was a big part of the problem earlier in the series: Penalties. A false start against Dillon Radunz, then an illegal shift against Chris Olave, which negates a 10-yard completion.

From second-and-16, Shough hit Johnson for 12 yards and Neal gained 3, but then the fourth-down failure sets the Bucs up for a potential score before halftime. They have 53 seconds and one timeout.

UPDATED, 1:16 p.m.: Vintage Baker Mayfield, scrambling on third down against a blitz and picking up a first down, then letting the Saints defense know about it.

But the Saints defense continues to show a strong backbone, stopping a third-and-1 run and then doing it again on fourth-and-1. The Bucs are beating their head against a wall here, and the New Orleans defensive line is just making them pay. Todd Bowles needs to try something else there, obviously.

Demario Davis had the big fourth-down stop this time.

Saints first down near midfield, still all three timeouts plus the two-minute warning to work with.

UPDATED, 1:07 p.m.: Another bad series for the Saints offense, with a false start against Asim Richards setting them behind and then a sack of Shough on third down ending the drive.

Good punt from Kroeger through the rain, 53 yards with basically no return, and itโ€™ll at least put the Bucs back to their own 28. The Saints defense has been pretty good since that opening drive (sound familiar?) and the team will need that D to keep them in this game.

UPDATED, 1:00 p.m.: Bucs settle for a field goal try. Mayfield wanted a pass interference call on Taylor on the third-down play, but that looked like pretty good coverage to me.

Itโ€™s a 41-yarder for Chase McLaughlin. Itโ€™s good, and TB has a 10-7 lead. Still 9:11 left in the first half.

UPDATED, 12:57 p.m.: Huh. An absurdly strange interception thrown by Tyler Shough. He threw a deep ball, and there was absolutely nobody there except Bucs safety Zyon McCollum.

Upon replay, Chris Olave cut off his route and came back toward Shough, and the QB obviously thought Olave was going to keep going. But thatโ€™s a costly turnover for the Saints, with Tampa Bay getting a return to the Saintsโ€™ 40.

Bucky Irving back in there for Tampa Bay, and he rumbles for 12 yards on the first play. Just like that, Bucs in scoring position.

UPDATED, 12:52 p.m.: Carl Granderson came to play. Another big run stuff drops Irving for a 5-yard loss on first down, eventually forcing the Bucs to punt. (Irving hobbled off after the play as well.) Granderson has just burst through into the backfield on running plays to essentially end each of the Bucsโ€™ past two drives. Mayfieldโ€™s third-down pass to Egbuka was just a bit too far to the outside, and the rookie couldnโ€™t come up with it.

The punt is short but forces a fair catch at the 16. So thatโ€™s where the Saints will take over in a 7-7 game.

UPDATED, 12:45 p.m.: A completion to Olave comes up 5 yards short of the sticks after a sack on second down, and the Saints will go for the field goal.

Smyth from 48 yards. Itโ€™s no good. Just missed wide left. Tough conditions to kick in right now, but the Saints really missed an opportunity there.

UPDATED, 12:40 p.m.: End of the first quarter: Saints 7, Bucs 7 and a first down for New Orleans inside the Tampa Bay 40.

As theyโ€™re showing on the broadcast, quite a bit of rain now falling over Raymond James Stadium, and thatโ€™s not likely going to get better throughout the afternoon.

But Shough fires a strike to Foster Moreau to convert a first down after Taysom Hill fumbled the snap and had to fall on it on first down.

UPDATED, 12:37 p.m.: Carl Granderson with a tremendous play on fourth-and-1 from the New Orleans 45, dropping Irving for a 5-yard loss on a pitch. A huge stop.

And for the second time today, the Saints have tremendous field position. Weโ€™ll see if they can take advantage for the second time.

UPDATED, 12:35 p.m.: Bucs call a timeout facing a third-and-3 from just across midfield with 1:42 left on the first-quarter clock. Another opportunity for the Saints defense to get off the field in a 7-7 game.

UPDATED, 12:30 p.m.: Saints defense nearly answers with a stop of its own, with Jonas Sanker picking off a Mayfield pass off of a 10-yard ricochet, but that only happened because Quincy Riley collided with receiver Sterling Shepard and knocked him off the ball.

Flag hit the ground before the ball got to Sanker. Wild play, but it results in a third-down conversion for Tampa Bay.

UPDATED, 12:25 p.m.: Saints go three-and-out this time. A sack from big Vita Vea of Shough on first down wrecked this drive, and a completion to Juwan Johnson and then an incompletion under pressure on third down end the drive.

A penalty against Tampa Bay on the punt is going to help the Saints, because there was a good return close to midfield. Instead, the Bucs will start their second drive from their own 20.

UPDATED, 12:17 p.m.: The Bucs on a much more methodical drive than the the Saints had, but theyโ€™ve moved the ball into Saints territory just the same with a mix of runs and short passes. The longest play thus far has been a Baker Mayfield completion to tight end Cade Otton for 7 yards.

Until now, that is. Mayfield hits Chris Godwin on the run for a nice catch and run of 21 yards. Bucs inside the Saintsโ€™ 25.

And thereโ€™s the touchdown. A well-designed screen pass, with Mayfield flipping it over the rushing Chase Youngโ€™s head to Bucky Irving, who made Alontae Taylor miss and then weaved his way through some good blocking for the 24-yard touchdown.

Extra point good, and itโ€™s 7-7 after each team has had the ball once.

UPDATED, 12:08 p.m.: Touchdown, Saints. By far the best opening to a game for New Orleans all season. After the kickoff return, it was chunk play after chunk play, ending with a Shough run inside the 5 and then a 3-yard touchdown run for the rookie Devin Neal. Itโ€™s his first career touchdown.

Itโ€™s just the second first-quarter touchdown for the Saints all season. Charlie Smythโ€™s extra point is good, and just like that, New Orleans leads 7-0.

UPDATED, 12:05 p.m.: Great kickoff return from Mason Tipton to start the day for the Saints. He starts on the left side of the field and works his way all the way to the right sideline for a 54-yard return.

Saints with the ball at the Tampa Bay 45 right away. And Shough goes deep for Olave, who has half a step on his DB, but Shough threw that ball just barely too far and to the inside. It also looks like Olave got tugged there. Could have been DPI.

Instead, itโ€™s only second-and-10. But Shough delivers a strike to Devaughn Vele for 16 yards and a first down. Quick start โ€” finally โ€” for the Saints.

Pregame updates

UPDATED, 12:01 p.m.: Bucs win the toss and defer. Shough and company will start with the football. Weather coming in this game, both in the form of rain and wind, so weโ€™ll see how that affects things.

UPDATED, 11:06 a.m.: Week 14 of the NFL season is upon us, and for the New Orleans Saints that means a chance to play spoiler. Four weeks ago, they went to Carolina and toppled the Panthers, and thatโ€™s the only thing separating Carolina from Tampa Bay atop the NFC South standings.

Now theyโ€™ll try to return the favor to the Panthers by beating the Bucs. It wonโ€™t be easy. Tampa Bay throttled the Saints 23-3 back in Week 8 in the game that was Tyler Shoughโ€™s meaningful debut at quarterback. He replaced Spencer Rattler early in the second half and couldnโ€™t do much to rally the team already faced with a big deficit.

Heโ€™ll get another chance today in a place the Saints traditionally have played well, but theyโ€™ll have to do it today without three starters. Running back Alvin Kamara, right tackle Taliese Fuaga and safety Justin Reid were all listed as inactive today, meaning backups will be manning key positions for New Orleans.

Tampa Bay has also had its fair share of injuries, and itโ€™s hard to say whether the Bucs are healthier than they were in the teamsโ€™ first meeting. Running back Bucky Irving and wide receiver Chris Godwin are back in action, but quarterback Baker Mayfield is nursing a sore shoulder and standout left tackle Tristan Wirfs is out. Cornerback Benjamin Morrison is inactive as well, and receiver Mike Evans hasnโ€™t returned from injured reserve.

Itโ€™ll be a battle of attrition.