TAMPA – Josh Freeman got to see first hand what an offensive juggernaut can do. With Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints in town, the rookie quarterback can only hope the Buccaneers will become that kind of team sometime in the near future. In fact, he got a taste of it early on and he did something that is commonplace for Brees.
The first time Tampa Bay touched the ball, Freeman looked like he studied his counterpart very closely because he marched his team the length of the field, 95-yards worth, and polished it off with a pinpoint pass to the left corner of the end zone where Michael Clayton reached up and gathered in an 18-yard touchdown pass. With the point-after, the Bucs held a 7-0 lead over the undefeated visitors.
That was the high point, actually the only thing Freeman could hang his hat on because the Saints took full advantage of his turnovers (an interception and fumble) and some nifty drives to lead at the half by ten and polish off a 38-7 victory taking another step closer to a perfect season at 10-0. The loss dropped the Buccaneers to 1-9.
“Coming into this game we know how potent an offense they had,” said Freeman. “Our best defense was our offense and the tough thing was it lasted just our first drive. We knew what we had to do to come out and win and I put that on myself where I have to sustain a drive. I was just a little off; [I] couldn’t get my rhythm.”
Freeman did not believe this outing was a retarded his prigress after being lauded for his efforts over the last two games, a win over Green Bay and just missing against the Dolphins in Miami.
“I didn’t play as well as I did the previous two games,” he said. “As far as a setback, I wouldn’t call it that. I have a lot of film to fall back on for the next time we play the Saints. I felt really prepared for them; it was just a matter of missing the throws. This game is this game. Starting tomorrow I’ll watch it then it will be out of my system and move on to Atlanta.”
What may be the Saints best calling card is you cannot defend against the pass play as Brees targeted eight different receivers in the first half alone, hitting each with at least one of his 15 completions.
The New Orleans’ QB began the day with a 104.6 rating and bettered that over the first 30-minutes with 113.3 in 15-23, 154 yards, a pair of TDs and no interceptions. Before yielding to Mark Brunell he finished with just 187 passing yards and 118.0 for the game. Conversely, Freeman was just 17-33 for 126 with TD pass, three picks and a lowly 33.1.
For a passing team, the Saints sure ate up a lot of yardage on the ground with 183 led by Pierre Thomas with 92 on 11 carries and Mike Bell who handled the ball 13 times for 75.
“It was a good win to get on the road,” said New Orleans head coach Sean Payton. “We did a good job taking care of the football and eliminate some of the mistakes that have hurt us the past few weeks. I thought defensively after that first drive we did a great job of creating three-and-outs. Obviously we had balance on offense and made enough plays to win.”
For the Buccaneers it made no difference whether this was a divisional game or a game against the Raiders or Lions. It was another loss made tougher by the final score.
“It’s not enough for us right now,” said Stylez G. White. “Drew Brees is a great quarterback but I mean there are no excuses. The bottom line is we need to play better, to play more sound football.”
BUCS BANTER: Attendance was announced at 62,720 ….. Right tackle Jeremy Trueblood left the game with a knee injury and did not return ….. The 95-yard opening drive was the team’s longest of the season and longest since they marched 98 against Carolina on December 30, 2007 ….. That touchdown marked the third time this season the Pewter Pirates scored on their first drive and second week in a row ….. Kellen Winslow had five receptions and at this juncture of the season has the second most by a tight end in team history (Jackie Harris had 62 in 1995) ….. Michael Clayton;s 18-yard TD on the opening drive was his first of 2009 ….. Antonio Bryant played in his 100th career contest ….. Clifton Smith had four returns for 106-yards moving him into fourth place in the Bucs’ all time kickoff return list with 1,851 surpassing Torrie Cox (1,758 from 2003 to the present …..
THE TAKEAWAY: The University of South Florida Marching Band performed at halftime. USF plays their home football games at Raymond James Stadium …..
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