Buccaneers playoff hopes take hit with 31-24 loss to Saints (Yahoo Sports)

Mark Ingram rushed for two-touchdowns and a game-sealing first down in the final minutes, and the New Orleans Saints put a considerable damper on Tampa Bay's playoff aspirations with a 31-24 victory Saturday. The Buccaneers (8-7) needed a win to keep pace with Green Bay (9-6) for the final NFC wild-card spot, but couldn't keep up with the Saints' explosive offense. Drew Brees was 23 of 34 for 299 yards and a touchdown for New Orleans (7-8), which gained 417 total yards and did not have a turnover against a with 26 takeaways - including three interceptions of Brees in the clubs' previous meeting two weeks earlier.