By Tom Krasniqi

It was billed as a shootout and that’s exactly what took place Sunday at Raymond James Stadium.  But in a game that included a wild ending, the Bucs came up short as they lose to the Saints 35-28.  Bucs drop to 2-4 while the Saints improve to 2-4.

The Bucs got off to a great start.  Drew Brees was picked off by Ronde Barber on the game’s opening possession.  The pass was deflected by Gerald McCoy.  Barber returned it to the Saints 13 yard line.  It took just one play for the Bucs to cash in the Saints turnover.  Josh Freeman hit Tiquan Underwood on a crossing route for a 13-yard TD pass to put the Bucs up 7-0.  The Bucs scored on their second possession on a Doug Martin 36-yd TD run to make it 14-0.  That capped a 10-play 76-yard drive.  The Saints came back on a Brees 17-yard TD pass to Marques Colston to make it 14-7 Bucs and that’s how the first quarter ended.

The Bucs continue their offensive barrage in the 2^nd quarter.  Freeman hit Vincent Jackson on a 17-yard TD pass to make it 21-7 Tampa Bay.  But that’s when Brees caught on fire.  The Saints responded with another 80-yard drive of their own.  Brees finished it off with a 9-yard TD pass to Darren Sproles to cut it to a 21-14 Bucs lead.  The Saints came back later in the quarter on a Brees TD pass of 48-yards to Joseph Morgan, who raced passed Eric Wright and E.J. Biggers to tie the game at 21-21.  Brees led the Saints down the field again before the half and hit David Thomas over the middle on a 20-yard TD pass to give the Saints a 28-21 halftime lead.  Brees was 20 for 25 for 313 yards with 4 TDs and 1 INT…..in the first half alone!

The Bucs got the ball first to begin the second half and drove it down the Saints 24 but the drive came up empty when Connor Barth missed a 42-yd FG.  The Bucs forced a 3 and out and get the ball back at their own 4.  Freeman hit Jackson on a 95-yard catch and run that saw VJax get tackled at the 1-yd line by Malcom Jenkins.  This was the turning point of the game.  LeGarrette Blount gets stuffed three times at the 1-yard line and the Bucs went for it on 4^th and goal.  But Freeman was run out of bounds at the 4-yard line by Cameron Jordan on a bootleg and the Bucs came away with nothing again.  There was no scoring in the 3^rd quarter.

The Saints added to their lead in the 4^th quarter when they marched on a 95-yard drive.  It culminated with a 5-yard TD run by Pierre Thomas to make it 35-21 Saints.  Late in the game, the Bucs drew closer after an 81-yard scoring drive.  Freeman found Dallas Clark in the back of the end zone for a 3-yd scoring strike to make it 35-28 Saints with 4:10 left.  The Bucs made a last ditch effort on the final drive.  But with 5-seconds left, Freeman’s potential game tying TD pass to Mike Williams was waived off on an illegal touching penalty on Williams.  And that’s how it ended.

News & Notes:

• Josh Freeman and Drew Brees put up video game-like numbers in this one.  Freeman threw for 420 yards and 3 TDs and Brees tossed for 377 yards, 4 TDs and one INT.
• Vincent Jackson is earning his keep as a #1 receiver.  VJax had another monster game on Sunday with 7 catches for 216 yards and a TD.  He hauled in a 95-yard catch and run but was tackled at the 1-yard line by Malcom Jenkins.  The 95-yarder was the longest play in team history.
• Doug Martin turned in a nice game with 16 carrier for 85 yards, including a 36-yard TD run.  He also caught 3 passes for 37 yards.  LeGarrette Blount had a tough day with 5 carries for -2 yards.  Blount was stuffed three times from the Saints 1-yard line in the 3^rd quarter which was a key moment in the game. 
• Carl Nicks hated to lose to his former team.  “I wish we can put a whuppin’ on them by 20”.
• Ronde Barber continues to set milestones.  Barber recorded his 3^rd interception of the year in the first quarter.  The pick was the 46^th of his career and he started in his 205^th consecutive game.
• It’s a short week for the Bucs.  They visit the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday night.  Our coverage begins at 3pm on 620 WDAE, your home of the Bucs.