Buccaneers Find Some Swagger

NEW ORLEANS —  It really was a brief, shining moment. For less than two minutes, with Warren Sapp leading the way, they looked like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of old.

It was enough to beat New Orleans.

The Buccaneers (6-7) scored two touchdowns in the final 1:25 of the first half, including a one-yard reception by Sapp, to defeat the Saints, 14-7, on Sunday.

“I lost it in the lights,” Sapp joked as his team celebrated the victory. “But if it hits your hands, you’ve got to catch it.”

Losers of four of their last five, the defending Super Bowl champions need to win all their games just to finish above .500. They were determined to start a run by beating the Saints (6-7), who had beaten them in their last three meetings.

“This was self-evaluation time,” Sapp said. “You have to look in the mirror. We had to have this one. This team’s just owned us.”

Both teams clung to slim playoff hopes, but needed to win the final four games to have a chance.

Sapp taunted Saint running back Deuce McAllister every time he stopped him. Sapp and his teammates also jeered the New Orleans players on the sidelines. The Buccaneers drew a 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct in the first quarter for remarks made to the Saints.

Tampa Bay swarmed McAllister every time he got the ball. The Buccaneers held McAllister to 69 yards rushing, snapping his nine-game streak of gaining 100 yards or more.

The Saints took a 7-0 lead late in the first quarter. Aaron Brooks capped an 86-yard drive with a 31-yard pass to Boo Williams down the right sideline.

Brad Johnson connected with Ken Dilger on a 14-yard touchdown pass, two plays after Brooks fumbled, to tie the score, 7-7. Then Tampa Bay’s David Gibson blocked a punt with 28 seconds remaining, and Ronde Barber scooped it up and ran to the one. Johnson threw to Sapp for the touchdown, and the Buccaneers took a 14-7 lead.