It was one thing for the Saints to lose at home on a Saturday night against a Dallas team desperate to prove it can win in December. It was quite another for the Saints to blow a 17-point lead against a two-win Tampa team.
But that’s what happened on Sunday in the Superdome, as Tampa kicker Connor Barth nailed a 47-yard field goal try on the first drive of overtime. And so the previously high-flying Saints now have serious cause for concern as the postseason approaches, with a 13-0 record suddenly becoming 13-2.
The loss also keeps the Vikings alive for the first overall seed in the NFC playoff field. If Minnesota can win at Chicago on Monday and against the Giants on Sunday, and if the Saints can’t knock off a suddenly dangerous Panthers team in Charlotte, Minnesota will steal the top seed.
The Saints scored their only points on their first three drives of the game. After that, it was punt, punt, punt, fumble, punt, and missed field goal for the neo-Greatest Show-offs on Turf.
Despite the loss, quarterback Drew Brees completed 32 of 37 passes for 258 yards.
For the Bucs, rookie Josh Freeman completed 21 of 31 for 271 yards. He was picked off twice. Running back Cadillac Williams contributed to the effort with 129 yards rushing and a touchdown.
So maybe the Bucs aren’t interested in Bill Cowher, after all. On Sunday, their current coach, Raheem Morris, pulled off the biggest win of his young career.