By the Numbers: Saints vs. Buccaneers in Week 1

The New Orleans Saints (1-0) defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-1) 34-23 Sunday afternoon in the 2020 season opener. The Saints won behind 17 points off of Bucs turnovers and two Alvin Kamara touchdowns. New Orleans Saints begin the year 1-0 and head into a Week 2 Monday Night Football matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders (1-0). SNN takes a look at the Saints' victory over the Bucs in Tom Brady's debut by the numbers.
3: LB Demario Davis agrees to a three-year extension
⚜️ @demario__davis on his love for being with the #Saints pic.twitter.com/4nj1jEgykK
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) September 14, 2020
Fox's Erin Andrews reported on the game's broadcast Sunday that the Saints and LB Demario Davis agreed to an extension late Saturday night. The contract is for 3-years, $27M, with $18.35M guaranteed. Davis was a first-team All-Pro selection a season ago and recorded six tackles and one sack against the Buccaneers on Sunday.
8: DB Janoris Jenkins scores eighth career defensive TD
Janoris Jenkins jumps in front for the pick-6! #Saints
— NFL (@NFL) September 13, 2020
📺: #TBvsNO on FOX
📱: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app: https://t.co/5o8cWoN1yf pic.twitter.com/59dxseKWNC
On Tampa Bay's opening drive of the second half, "Jack Rabbit" jumped in front of a Tom Brady pass, returning it 36-yards for a TD. The pick-six was Jenkins' eighth career defensive TD and his first since 2017. Janoris Jenkins joined the Saints late last season, making his team debut in Week 16 against Tennessee. In 3 games, including one postseason game, Jenkins recorded half a sack, an INT, and forced a fumble. His immediate impact continued into 2020.
3, 5, 22: WR Michael Thomas had less than 5 targets for the first time in 22 games
The 2019 Offensive Player of the Year and the Saints offense struggled for most of Sunday's game at home. Thomas caught 3 passes against the Buccaneers. Drew Brees targeted the NFL single-season receptions record holder only 5 times, the fewest in 22 games (since Week 11 against the Eagles in 2018). Thomas suffered an ankle injury in the fourth quarter of the game, and the injury's extent is unknown at this time.
40: RB Alvin Kamara passes WR Lance Moore for his 40th Saints Touchdown
Alvin Kamara accelerates for the 12-yard TD! #Saints @A_Kamara6
— NFL (@NFL) September 13, 2020
📺: #TBvsNO on FOX
📱: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app: https://t.co/5o8cWoN1yf pic.twitter.com/sloPKY0H7P
A day after signing a 5-year, $77M contract extension, Saints RB Alvin Kamara scored two first-half TDs to power the Saints to a 34-23 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Kamara, who has already matched his receiving TD total from 2019, passed Saints legend and Super Bowl XLIV champion WR Lance Moore for 9th in team history with 40 career TDs.
70: WR Emmanuel Sanders becomes 70th Player to Catch a TD from QB Drew Brees
Drew Brees just found Emmanuel Sanders for the touchdown that should put this game away. New Orleans (-4) now has a 14-point lead. #Saints #GoBucs pic.twitter.com/pDqq53CiUk
— FOX Bet Sportsbook (@FOXBet) September 13, 2020
Emmanuel Sanders became the 70th different player to catch a TD pass from Drew Brees. With a touchdown pass to WR Emmanuel Sanders in the 4th quarter, Brees added another teammate to the growing list.
10,170: QB Drew Brees set the record for All-Time Pass Attempts
"In the meantime, we just gotta take care of business and create our own energy." ⚜️🔋@drewbrees spoke with @ErinAndrews on the @Saints approach to the season after securing the W ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/msCPIO1KDW
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) September 14, 2020
Drew Brees entered Week 1 just nine pass attempts away from passing Brett Favre for first all-time in career pass attempts with 10,170. The NFL's all-time passing yards leader began the game 8 of 8 before throwing an incomplete pass, the one that broke the record. The 20-year vet, Brees, owns nearly every career passing record, a Super Bowl MVP, and most 5,000 yard passing seasons. Against the division-rival Buccaneers, Brees completed 18 of 30 passes for 160 yards and 2 TDs.
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Brendan Boylan is a Sports Commentator, Writer, Fantasy Football Analyst, and Award-Winning Filmmaker. During his sports media career, Boylan has covered the NFL, NBA, and NCAA. He currently serves as a Contributing Writer and Fantasy Football analyst for Saints News Network and a Play-by-Play Commentator on the ESPN family of networks. He can be followed on Twitter and Instagram @btboylan.
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