WATCH: Deonte Harris opens Saints-Bucs with career-long punt return

New Orleans Saints WR Deonte Harris returned a Tampa Bay Buccaneers punt 54 yards to get QB Drew Brees and the offense in scoring position.

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How’s that for setting the tone? After his teammates on defense forced Tom Brady’s offense to punt on their opening possession, New Orleans Saints returns specialist Deonte Harris bounced off of initial contact and returned that punt 54 yards, deep into Tampa Bay Buccaneers territory. It was a new personal-best for the second-year pro, whose previous longest punt return went for 53 yards.

And he nearly followed up that act with something even better: a 67-yard touchdown return. Harris followed his blockers into the open field on the following punt and put Buccaneers punter Bradley Pinion into a difficult pursuit angle, knifing into the Tampa Bay end zone for six points. But a penalty on Saints backup Carl Granderson for a block in the back (wrongly attributed, at first, to cornerback Justin Hardee) wiped out the score.

Unfortunately, Harris later exited the game with a neck injury and was announced as questionable to return. He missed six weeks recovering from a previous neck injury, so it’s possible he aggravated it, but we just don’t know. Hopefully it isn’t anything serious.

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