Saints 23, Buccaneers 20
Drew Brees and Marques Colston connected for a go-ahead 36-yard touchdown pass with 1:57 left as visiting New Orleans rallied past Tampa Bay.
Brees finished 24-of-38 for 281 yards and threw three interceptions, but led two touchdown drives in the fourth quarter and threw a TD pass for the 36th consecutive game. Mark Ingram rushed for 57 yards and a touchdown and Khiry Robinson added a TD run for the Saints (7-9), who shut out the Buccaneers in the second half and erased a 13-point halftime deficit.
Doug Martin rushed for 108 yards on 19 carries and rookie Mike Evans set a franchise record with his 12th touchdown reception for the Buccaneers (2-14), who finished 0-8 at home and clinched the No. 1 draft pick. Josh McCown went 14-of-23 for 115 yards with a touchdown and an interception and was sacked for a safety three plays after the Saints took the lead.
The Buccaneers took a 20-7 halftime lead behind McCown's 6-yard TD pass to Evans, Charles Sims' 8-yard touchdown run and a pair of Patrick Murray field goals. Ingram's 1-yard plunge pulled the Saints within 20-14 with 14:02 left and after the teams traded punts, Keenan Lewis snagged a McCown pass tipped by Tavarres King for an interception with 5:20 remaining.
The Saints went 50 yards in seven plays with Colston streaking down the left sideline for the touchdown, and the New Orleans defense continued its second-half dominance on the ensuing series. After a holding penalty backed up the Buccaneers, McCown was sacked on consecutive plays as Junior Galette brought him down in the end zone to seal it.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Evans (1,051) and WR Vincent Jackson (1,002) became the first Tampa Bay duo to record 1,000 receiving yards in the same season before Jackson left with a groin strain in the first quarter. … New Orleans did not score a first-quarter touchdown in any of its eight road games this season. … The Saints improved to 12-28 in games in which Brees throws multiple interceptions.