Buccaneers rookie wide receiver Jalen McMillan went from hero to goat and back to hero in a three-play stretch of the fourth quarter on Sunday.
McMillan reeled in a 33-yard catch from quarterback Baker Mayfield to set the Bucs up inside the Saints’ 10-yard-line, but he made guns with his fingers to celebrate the play to earn a 15-yard penalty. There was a lengthy delay after the play because the on-field officials incorrectly spotted the ball as a first-and-goal from the 24-yard-line and it took far too long to correctly make it a first-and-10 after the dead ball foul.
The Bucs moved back 10 more yards on a holding call on the next play, but McMillan earned some redemption one snap later by keeping both feet in the end zone to catch a touchdown from Mayfield.
Chase McLaughlin’s extra point made it 20-19 Bucs with 10:09 left to play.
It’s the first lead of the day for Tampa and they will be NFC South champs if their lead holds up.
