The Bucs lost their fourth game in a row when Morten Andersen connected from 50 yards out midway through the fourth quarter. Tampa Bay had been held to just 15 yards total offense in the first half, but were within three points thanks to Broderick Thomas' interception return. The Bucs got ahead in the second half for a time but two late drives for a potential winning fieldgoal stalled around the New Orleans' 45-yard line.

GAME SCORING NO 2:29-1Q Hilliard 8 pass from Hebert (Andersen kick) TB 13:31-2Q Thomas 56 interception return (Willis kick) NO 0:06-2Q Andersen FG31 NO 13:03-3Q Hilliard 17 run (Andersen kick) NO 7:52-3Q Andersen FG45 TB 1:33-3Q Drewrey 4 pass from DeBerg (Willis kick) TB 13:03-4Q Cobb 4 run (Willis kick) NO 9:14-4Q Andersen FG50

GAME REPORTS Click here for the gamebook and play-by-play Click here for the Rick Stroud column Click here for Gary Shelton's opinions on the game Broderick Thomas has one of his biggest days

STARTERS OFFENSE DEFENSE LT 74 Gruber DE 98 Seals LG 66 Reimers DT 71 Dotson C 61 Mayberry DT 77 Wheeler RG 70 McRae DE 52 McCants RT 72 Taylor LLB 54 Williams TE 82 Hall RLB 51 Thomas WR 87 Drewrey DB 22 Lewis WR 85 Hawkins LCB 29 Reynolds FB 37 McDowell RCB 21 Mack RB 34 Cobb SS 23 Carter QB 17 DeBerg FS 27 Fullington PLAYED 1 Willis, 4 Stryzinski, 24 Jones, 28 Jennings, 31 Pollard, 40 Anderson, 41 King, 46 Ryan, 50 Junior, 53 Brady, 55 Brownlow, 56 Burnette, 57 Chamblee, 62 Beckles, 78 Mayfield, 81 Culpepper, 86 Armstrong DID NOT PLAY 14 Testaverde, 67 Sullivan, 73 McHale, 80 Dawsey, 83 Parker, 88 Carrier INACTIVE 7 Erickson, 58 Tiggle

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING BUCS: Cobb 19-72, McDowell 1-5, DeBerg 2-4, Anderson 2-3. SAINTS: Hilliard 14-55, Heyward 7-33, Dunbar 8-25, Hebert 4-20, Barnhardt 1-12. PASSING BUCS: DeBerg 25-13-94-1-1. SAINTS: Hebert 27-14-173-3-1. RECEIVING BUCS: Hall 4-32, Drewrey 3-22, Anderson 2-16, Hawkins 2-11, McDowell 1-9, Cobb 1-4. SAINTS: Hilliard 5-60, Martin 3-20, Small 2-55, Heyward 1-15, Early 1-11, Dunbar 1-7, Carroll 1-5. INTERCEPTIONS BUCS: Thomas 2-81, Carter 1-1. SAINTS: Buck 1-17. KICK RETURNS BUCS: Hawkins 1-15, Chamblee 1-9. SAINTS: McAfee 3-49, Heyward 1-14. PUNT RETURNS BUCS: Drewrey 2-12. SAINTS: Dowdell 3-9. SACKS BUCS: Wheeler 1-9. SAINTS: Cook 1-10, Martin 1-8, Wilks 1-6.