Tampa Bay
Buccaneers

On Sunday, Freeman hopes he's not schooled by Brees.

The Saints are marching toward an undefeated season with a 9-0 record. Certainly the Bucs would love to spoil the party Sunday at Raymond James Stadium.

"That's always fun. That's the easy part," Bucs coach Raheem Morris said. "That's the part that makes everybody motivated, to play spoiler. Go in there and get a chance to beat this team. There's no secret -- I'm sure (Sean) Payton is telling those guys, 'Hey, this team has beaten us three out of the last four times we've met.' I'm sure he's telling them that. I'm sure he's getting those guys motivated in the same way. It's a division game -- that's one. It's guys that don't like us and we don't like them.

"There's no secret there. It's going to be a lot of fun to go play this game. It always is. It's always high scoring; it's always at least high-yardage. And there's always a bunch of turnovers, or not, and that's always the determining factor in who wins the football game."

Freeman doesn't have many pieces around him. His main targets have been Maurice Stovall and rookie Sammie Stroughter.

But Freeman has engineered fourth-quarter drives in each of the past two games.

Does Freeman have that knack for performing under pressure?

"I don't know really," Morris said. "That's a weird question because they're all different. Brett (Favre) was high motored, energy, high fives, slaps, talking smack to Warren Sapp and now talking smack to whomever he's playing against. He's a different type of guy. That's how Brett is. Josh (Freeman) is more of a laid back guy. He's cool, calm demeanor, very rarely raises his voice, very rarely gets upset, kind of tells everyone what to do, knows exactly what to do, really smart. Maybe he's like a Troy Aikman or somebody like that, I don't know. I just wasn't around those types of quarterbacks.

"He's more of an even-keeled guy, so I don't know which one works more. The only things you can base him on and judge him on are obviously their stats, what happened in the fourth quarter. He's been up there with those elite type of names right now and it's only two games. We have to see, let him keep growing. Let's be patient and see what he can be. But if he continues down this road, then maybe he turns those fourth quarters into three more in front of that and who knows what you got. We'll all be excited and we'll all be ready to jump on board."

The Saints know that with a perfect record, they're going to get the Bucs' best shot.

"Any team that plays against the best, you look at the No. 1 team in college football. They are going to get the best shot of who they are playing week in and week out. I think New Orleans, ever since they got passed that five win mark, has been getting their best from every team they played. We are going to give them our best shot just like we do week in and week out. They are an undefeated team and we want to give them our best shot."

SERIES HISTORY: 35th regular-season meeting. Saints lead the series, 20-14. The teams have split 14 games since they became NFC South rivals in 2002.

Perhaps that's why Jackson said he's looking forward to playing the Saints and Brees, the league's fourth-rank quarterback in passing yards.

"I told Ronde (Barber) earlier this week I love playing this team," Jackson said. "As good as they are this year, they're on a roll, an unbeaten team and we're having a down year, but I love playing this team. You get to make plays on some balls. You know they're going to throw 45, 50 times a game. We just have to do our job. It's a challenge for us -- definitely. But I think we're up for it."

Jackson was suspended for the first four games of the season under the league's substance abuse policy. He said being away from football helped change his preparation habits.

"Things have been going my way as far as that. I've been able to make some good reads on the ball as far as the quarterback's eyes," Jackson said. "The fumble recovery (in Miami), that's everybody out there making a play and me having an opportunity to be around the ball. Like I said before, I think my approach is a little different. I'd been away those four weeks, and being able to get back to what I love to do, being back with my teammates, I would say my approach to the game and my preparation is a little different now."

Jackson also said the new defensive system under Jim Bates allows him more freedom to make plays on the football.

"No question, we're free a lot of times in the back end of this matchup defense, which allows us to make plays on the ball, it allows us to read the quarterback's eyes," Jackson said. "We've been getting some pressure up front and that helps a little bit, too, when you've got some guys in the quarterback's face, forcing him to make some bad throws and some bad decisions. So it works hand-in-hand. We need both to make those plays."

--Bucs coach Raheem Morris was fined $20,000 by the NFL for verbally abusing an official in Sunday's loss at Miami.

Morris was flagged for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty during the second quarter against the Dolphins. Back judge Greg Wilson assessed the penalty. Morris declined to criticize officials in his comments to the media, but he admitted to using foul language against the officials.

The dispute stemmed from a would-be reception by Michael Clayton that was ruled an interception by Jason Taylor after a replay review. After Morris' penalty, the Dolphins took possession at the Tampa Bay 8-yard line and went on to score a pivotal touchdown.

"I learned my lesson," Morris said. "It was my fault. I made a mistake. No doubt about it."

--The Bucs are encouraged that guard Arron Sears has returned to the team, but general manager Mark Dominik said it would be 'wishful thinking,' for the third year pro to contribute in 2009.

"I would say it would in my mind be wishful thinking to think he could contribute this year because he has to get in football shape, No. 1," Dominik said. "He's got to get comfortable in a playbook that he doesn't know, No. 2. And that's a lot to ask over the last seven weeks of the regular season."

Dominik said Sears will be working with strength and conditioning coach Kurtis Shultz and will not practice with the team or attend meetings, even though he is eligible to do so. The Bucs also are not making Sears available to the media this week.

The Bucs have a two-week roster exemption with Sears before they have to decide to either place him on another reserve list or activate him.

"It's been a difficult process," Dominik said. "He's spent a lot of time working through this and I would say over the last couple weeks it's kind of come to this date where we were comfortable enough."

Dominik said the Bucs put Sears through a conditioning test last week and he wasn't in shape.

--The Bucs had no sacks and just two quarterback pressures last week at Miami. A bad sign for their defensive linemen?

"No, I wouldn't say it's a step back," Morris said. "This is a max-pro team, it was a different type of team than the Green Bay Packers. They're not five-out where you can get at those guys more in one-on-one protection. These guys have more max-pro protections and things of that nature. I wouldn't say it's a step back. You'd always like to get to the quarterback. I don't know if you're going to get six sacks every week but you'd like to get there a couple times. We still should get there a couple times, still have to make some progress. We've all got to get better. There's no doubt about that. We'll get the guys out there with another opportunity this week. Here's another opportunity to go get the 9-0 Saints."

BY THE NUMBERS: 31 - The Bucs' ranking against the run. They're giving up an average of 167.3 rushing yards per game.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "Not great. I mean the guy hasn't played organized football since early April, so he needs to work on getting himself in physical condition." -- Bucs GM Mark Dominik on Arron Sears.

--TE Kellen Winslow (knee) returned to practice Thursday and had full participation. He is expected to play Sunday.

--RB Carnell Williams (knee) returned to practice Thursday and had full participation. He will start against the Saints.

--CB Aqib Talib, who was limited Wednesday with a hamstring injury, had full participation in practice Thursday and is expected to play against the Saints.

--QB Byron Leftwich (elbow) still is unable to throw and was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday. He will be the Bucs' inactive third QB against the Saints.

GAME PLAN: The Bucs feel confident with the football in the hands of rookie QB Josh Freeman, who has rallied his team from double-digit deficits in his only two starts. With WR Antonio Bryant expected back, Freeman could have a big day. But he will need some help in the running game to keep QB Drew Brees and the Saints' potent offense off the field.

"(Coach) Sean (Payton) hasn't changed," Bucs coach Raheem Morris said. "Mr. Payton, he's going to do what he does best. He has Pierre Thomas running the ball and has found some creative ways to run the ball. It is a copycat league and Sean is one of the best at stealing plays, and people steal plays from him as well. I've seen him go out there and do a bunch of different things. He has a bunch of different ways to get to the plays he likes. He has a lot of window dressings to make you think it's a bunch of different things and stuff. It's the same stuff for his guys but it just looks different for you on defense and how you have to play it and prepare it.

"You have to get your guys prepared. He is one of the best out there. There is no secret about that. He has been since he's been in this league. He is one of the most respected coaches that I've ever been associated with. I'm sure he'll smile at me at the 50-yard line and try to gut me during the game. It will be great, I can't wait to see him."

The Bucs have had success against Brees. It all starts with defense for them on Sunday. They have to tackle better and get after the quarterback.

MATCHUPS TO WATCH: Saints S Darren Sharper vs. Bucs QB Josh Freeman. The Bucs rookie is off to a terrific start but life could get worse if Sharper is able to play. Freeman will have to hold him with his eyes or Sharper will pick his pocket Sunday.

Bucs RB Cadillac Williams vs. Saints LB Jonathan Vilma. The Bucs tried to sign Vilma as a free agent because he is a tackling machine. Williams will try to avoid him at all costs.

Saints DE Charles Grant vs. Bucs RT Jeremy Trueblood. Grant is one of the NFL's elite pass rushers and Bucs QB Josh Freeman was sacked twice and fumbled four times against the Dolphins.

INJURY IMPACT: WR Antonio Bryant has missed the last two games and has had three weeks off due to a knee injury. He practiced Thursday and expected to play Sunday.