Saints Give Buccaneers the Boot

Doug Brien is the New Orleans Saints’ “Mr. Automatic.”

Brien kicked three field goals, including a 50-yarder, to help the Saints end their losing streak at three games with a 9-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.

“In my position you need to contribute every chance you get,” said Brien, 10 for 10 this season. “That’s my goal--make them all.”

While Brien was making the most of his chances, the offenses for both teams struggled. Tampa Bay got only 11 first downs to New Orleans’ 12 and each team converted only four of 16 third downs.

“We came out and played hard with the line coming off the ball and everybody looking to do something,” Saint safety Sammy Knight said. “We needed to stop them every time, not just sometimes. We needed to stop losing before it got any worse.”

The Saints (4-3), ranked 23rd in the NFL in offense, managed 266 yards. The Buccaneers (3-4), who have not scored a first-half offensive touchdown this season, got their only points on Michael Husted’s 52-yard field goal in the third quarter.

Tampa Bay was coming off home victories over the New York Giants and Carolina Panthers, but has played poorly on the road, averaging only 9.3 points in losing all three previous away games.

“When you look at it you can’t believe it,” Buccaneer defensive lineman Warren Sapp said. “But we went out there and laid an egg in a very important game. I’m as baffled as anyone outside looking in, and I’m inside looking out.”

Quarterback Kerry Collins, acquired by the Saints off waivers after his falling out with the Panthers, was suited up but stayed on the sideline.