TAMPA, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had the New Orleans Saints where they wanted them. They held a 14-3 halftime lead, stonewalled arguably the league's best rushing duo in Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram and kept Drew Brees out of the end zone.
But a blocked punt by Taysom Hill in the third quarter, two missed field goal attempts by Cairo Santos, penalties from the offensive line and missed connections in the passing game sent the Bucs spiraling downward. New Orleans then scored 25 unanswered points to win 28-14, spoiling what looked to be a breakthrough game and the Bucs' chance to make a statement in a season that had looked to be long gone several weeks ago.