New Orleans stumbles and falls against Bucs

By By Richard Dark / EMG staff writer
Dec. 8, 2003
NEW ORLEANS Leave it to these Saints to spoil an historic weekend for the city in which they reside.
On the same day, it was announced that the LSU Tigers did in fact, catapult themselves into the national title Sugar Bowl here in the Louisiana Superdome, the Saints did some catapulting of their own.
Right out of the playoff hunt.
Yes, the old December collapse began again for the New Orleans Saints (6-7), albeit two quarters late, as the hosts dominated the listless Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the first 28 minutes, but somehow found a way to lose to them 14-7 in front of an angry crowd of 68,442.
This was perhaps the most cut and dry defeat the Saints have experienced during the Jim Haslett era, with a tiny sliver of game clock just before the half, defining the entire contest.
They were, forging a 7-0 lead and defensively harassing the Bucs (6-7). But with a little more that two minutes to go in the first half, that all changed.
Receiver Joe Horn dropped a touchdown pass despite being wide open. The result would have given the Saints a commanding 14-0 against a team seemingly ready and willing to simply pack it in.
But on the very next play, quarterback Aaron Brooks committed the first of his four fumbles. Bucs safety Jermaine Phillips recovered and two plays later quarterback Brad Johnson hit Ken Dilger on a 14-yard touchdown pass to knot the score at 7.
But the wheels were only beginning to come off. The third play of the ensuing series, Brooks was sacked by Simeon Rice and coughed the ball up again.
That one the Saints managed to keep, but when the offense didn't convert on third down, the Saints were forced to punt the football and had it blocked. Ronde Barber recovered for Tampa and rumbled 20 yards down to the 1.
From there, Tampa coach Jon Gruden slapped the Saints with perhaps the ultimate insult, lining up DT Warren Sapp at receiver. He nabbed the 1-yard TD pass from Johnson that provided the final margin.
That trend continued in the second half, as Brooks' fumbles killed drives, even after the Saints got turnovers of their own. After LB Orlando Ruff picked off Johnson in the fourth quarter, New Orleans managed first and goal from the six.
But Brooks was sacked by Greg Spires and again lost the football.
Tampa responded by grinding the ball all the way down the field before the defense held up. Kicker Martin Gramatica, who missed two field goals, could not connect from 35 yards, keeping the Saints' faint pulse alive.
But it was not to be, as Brooks absorbed yet another sack, this time losing 11 yards, as the Saints failed to convert and turned the ball over on downs.
In all, he was dropped seven times for a total loss of 36 yards.
Deuce McAllister was held to 69 yards on 22 carries. Brooks went 20-of-30 for 238 yards. His lone touchdown was a 31-yard strike to TE Boo Williams.
Despite the big drop, Horn pulled in nine balls for 118 yards.