3 ups and 1 down from yesterday’s win over the Buccaneers

It’s nice to bounce back into the win column.

The Saints were able to get redemption from their Week 1 upset loss against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Still, it was a roller coaster of a game, especially in the first half, with plenty of “Ups” and “Downs” along the way. Here are a few that stood out:

Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images

Up: Back-to-Back Division Champs

Let’s go ahead and get this one out first: your New Orleans Saints are NFC Champs in back-to-back seasons for the first time in franchise history.

Like last year, the Saints were able to clinch on a day when they faced the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but unlike last year, the Saints were able to clinch with a Saints win to boot. Backing into the division is fine (and technically the Saints clinched with a Panthers loss before the Saints/Bucs game was officially over), but the Saints winning is just all the more sweet.

Not to mention, these NFC South Champ shirts are pretty sweet.

Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Up: Saints defense

The Saints defense showed up strong for the second week in a row. Cameron Jordan was a one-man wrecking crew, and the entire Saints defensive line had an incredible showing against the Bucs offensive line.

Eli Apple had a solid showing himself opposite Marshon Lattimore in the Saints secondary, and the latter was able to record a garbage-time interception to seal the game. All in all, the Saints were able to lock down in the second half and keep the Bucs off the scoreboard.

Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images

Down: Drew Brees

Drew didn’t have an absolutely terrible game against the Buccaneers, but for the second week in a row, he just looked “off.”

The victim of a couple of drops again this week from his receivers, Brees finished 24 of 31 for 201 yards, a TD and an interception. But speaking of that interception, it was an absolutely terrible decision on Brees’s part, that could have been completely avoidable had Drew just decided to take the sack instead.

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Up: Mark Ingram

The entire Saints offense wasn’t a down, as Michael Thomas had a solid game, but Mark Ingram was the player who helped will his team to victory. He put the team on his back at one point, but also put Brent Grimes on his back to score a touchdown dagger to put the Saints up 11 late.