Tampa Bay Buccaneers weekly report

The last thing the Buccaneers (1-9) needed on Sunday was to play a 9-0 team that was eager to win No. 10, but that's the way the schedule crumbles.

The still-undefeated New Orleans Saints (10-0) on Sunday came to Tampa to show the Bucs how football is played at the NFL level, and when the clock ran out in the fourth quarter, the final score was 38-7 in favor of the Saints.

For a brief time, it looked like the Bucs were on their way to their second win of the season, as they put together an opening 95-yard drive that ended in a touchdown for a 7-0 Bucs lead. But that was it for Tampa Bay's offense on Sunday. Quarterback Josh Freeman threw an 18-yard scoring pass, but after that, there was little success for the rookie.

The Saints evened the score, then went ahead on a field goal for a 10-7 lead.

The hits just kept coming, with poor clock management by the Buccaneers causing another Saints touchdown for a 17-7 lead at the half.

Freeman was 17 of 33 with three interceptions. He was sacked three times and also fumbled, which led to a touchdown in the third quarter.

The Saints racked up 14 points in the third quarter and seven in the fourth to put the Bucs away for good.

The Bucs only gained 124 yards after that opening drive, and Freeman characterized it as an ”off day,“ though the folks who paid big bucks to see the Bucs might have had other words to describe it.