Tampa Bay 23, New Orleans 13 (Jan. 2, 2011) NEW ORLEANS – The Tampa Bay Buccaneers closed out their 2010 campaign with a road victory over the defending Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints, improving their record to 10-6, which, preceded by a 3-13 season in 2009, marked the best single-season turnaround in team history.
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The Buccaneers struck first, as K Connor Barth hit a 43-yard field goal on the game’s opening drive, but the Saints respond- ed immediately, taking a 7-3 lead after a four-yard touchdown pass from QB Drew Brees to TE Jimmy Graham. Tampa Bay was then forced to punt deep in its own territory on the next drive, and New Orleans took advantage of the field position, driving 54 yards to the Tampa Bay three-yard line. LB Barrett Ruud came through with a big play for the Buccaneers, forcing a RB Julius Jones fumble that was recovered by DT Frank Okam. Having ended the Saints scor- ing threat, the Buccaneers turned the momentum in their favor. QB Josh Freeman led the team from the Buccaneers’ own four-yard line to the New Orleans 19, where Barth kicked a 37-yard field goal, but a defensive offsides penalty on the Saints extended the Tampa Bay drive. Two plays later, Freeman’s two-yard pass was snatched by rookie WR Dezmon Briscoe for Briscoe’s first career touchdown reception and the 10-7 Tampa Bay lead. Later in the second quarter, the Buccaneers were once again in Saints territory, but Freeman was sacked and fumbled, which was recovered by New Orleans. With 0:52 left in the first half, Brees attempted to put the Saints in position to score, but rookie S Larry Asante made his first career interception, nabbing the ball at the Tam- pa Bay four-yard line and allowing the Buccaneers to go into halftime with the lead. New Orleans tied the game at 10-10 early in the third quarter, ending their opening drive with a K Garrett Hartley 45-yard field goal. Tampa Bay was not to be outdone, how- ever, and WR Micheal Spurlock returned the ensuing kickoff 69 yards for the 10th-longest kickoff return in team history, setting up a second successful field goal by Barth. Now with the 13-10 advantage, the Buccaneers defense stepped in on the next drive. DE Alex Magee sacked Brees on third-and-eight, forcing a fumble that DE Tim Crowder recovered. Freeman took over and made the score 20-10 with an 18-yard touchdown pass to WR Mike Williams on fourth-and- one. It was Williams’ 11th receiving touchdown of the season, breaking the franchise record for most receiving touchdowns in team history previously held by WR Joey Galloway (10 in 2005). New Orleans took the ball deep into Tampa Bay territory on its next drive, but was held to a field goal. Later in the fourth quarter, the Buccaneers made the score 23-13 with a 48-yard Barth field goal, and the Saints, held to a punt on their following, and final, possession of the game, gave the ball back to Tampa Bay, who ran out the final two minutes of play to preserve the win.
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