Perhaps that's why New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees was so confused last Sunday.

The Buccaneers were in a one-deep alignment while leading 23-20 with 1:45 left in the fourth quarter and the Saints facing a second-and-7 from the New Orleans' 27.

Brees never recognized it, and his pass for WR Lance Moore easily was intercepted by CB Phillip Buchanon.

Ballgame.

The Bucs had stared down the NFL's No. 1 passing offense and No. 1 total offense in a critical NFC South showdown.

Their defense, No. 3 against the pass and No. 4 overall heading into Monday night's critical NFC South showdown at Carolina, carried the day. In the process, the Buccaneers extracted a measure of revenge for being lit up by Brees in a 24-20 Saints' victory Sept. 9 in New Orleans, the game in which Brees began his assault on Dan Marino's all-time record for passing yards in a season.

Buchanon's interception was the Buccaneers' third against Brees last Sunday.

The second had occurred on the Saints' previous possession and set up the Bucs at the New Orleans 17, which allowed them to kick a 37-yard field goal with 1:55 remaining, the eventual game-winning points.

The Bucs blitzed just 11 times on New Orleans' 47 passing attempts (23 percent of the time). But their four-man rush generated enough heat to flush Brees from the pocket on occasion and induce quick throws much more often than not.

Big plays were tough to come by for the Saints. And the Bucs managed 13 passes defensed while trying to deny the small and medium-range balls, including two by defensive linemen, in addition to their three interceptions.

In some respects, it's a veteran defense, bolstered by the savvy of 14th-year LB Derrick Brooks and 12th-year CB Ronde Barber. But there's also been an influx of youth and speed in recent seasons, thanks to the presence and development of players such as fourth-year LB Barrett Ruud (second-round pick, 2005), second-year DE Gaines Adams (first-round pick, 2007), and rookie CB Aqib Talib (first-round, 2008).

The result is a defense that plays sideline to sideline with speed, one that employs multiple fronts but somehow always manages to keep its bases covered on the back end.

The Bucs are tied for 11th in the NFL with 25 sacks (the NFL average), but they're No. 3 in takeaways with 24. Included are 17 interceptions, which also ran third in the NFL.

The Bucs have established themselves as a defense to be reckoned with. But is the Bucs' defense good enough to carry the show on the road?

After Carolina, the Bucs play at Atlanta (Dec. 14), two games that will go a long way toward deciding an NFC South in which home teams have gone 8-0 at home within the division.

To break that trend, Tampa Bay might have to do something out of character on defense. Something such as resorting to a steady diet of "Tampa Two" coverage, perhaps.

THEN AND NOW

Saints QB Drew Brees, first in the NFL with 3,870 yards and fourth with a 95.9 passer rating, has experienced dramatically different results against the Buccaneers' defense this season:

Date, Location ? Comp.-Att.-Yds. ? TDs-INT.-Passer Rating ? Result

Sept. 9, New Orleans ? 23-32-343 ? 3-1-124.9 ? W, 24-20

Nov. 30, Tampa ? 25-47-296 ? 1-3-60.2 ? L, 23-20

SUNDAY BEST

STUBHUB IF YOU MUST: Cowboys at Steelers ? Storied franchises with clashing styles renew the NFL's only rivalry that includes three Super Bowls in the weather in December at the confluence. How contrasting are the styles of Pittsburgh and Dallas, organizationally speaking? The Cowboys have The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. The Steelers have Steely McBeam. The Cowboys have stars on their helmets. Their Steelers have their logo on one side of their helmets. But what takes place today at Heinz Field ought to be epic, even though the cheerleaders aren't making the trip.

MUST-SEE TV: Redskins at Ravens ? Rock 'em, sock 'em Football that ought to feature a steady diet of Baltimore's backfield by committee and Washington's Clinton Portis. Two promising young passers will be on display (the Ravens' Joe Flacco and the Redskins' Jason Campbell), as well as two Top 10 defenses (Baltimore is No. 2 overall and Washington No. 6). This ought to get the taste of that Big XII Championship Game out of your mouth.

MUST-TIVO TV: Eagles at Giants ? The defending-champion New York Giants haven't missed a beat without WR Plaxico Burress on a couple of occasions already this season. But can they continue to roll along against the Eagles' fearsome pass rush? Can QB Eli Manning throw a second consecutive 300-yard game, which would give him two this season? This one will be worth breaking down one way or the other.

BE SOMEWHERE ELSE: Dolphins at Bills ? This one's in Toronto, which means Fourth&Goal takes a philosophical pass. We don't mind going to T-O to see the Leafs, or even the Jays, but the NFL is another matter entirely (see related story).

PLAYING FAVORITES (AND DOGS AND PARLAYS AND TEASERS)

Two teams stand atop the NFL in terms of number-busting.

The Tennessee Titans and the New York Giants are 10-2 against the spread.

But, it's the Giants who have won seven consecutive SU and ATS.

In other trends:

? New Orleans and Houston have won three consecutive ATS

? Green Bay has lost two consecutive SU and ATS, and gone "over" in its last two.

? The New York Jets have gone over in six consecutive games.

? Carolina and New England have gone "over" in three in a row.

? Miami has lost four consecutive ATS and Jacksonville three in a row.

? Oakland has been "under" in its past five games and San Diego in its past four.

? Washington has lost four consecutive ATS and been "under" for four games in a row.

HURRY-UP OFFENSE

Once again, with feeling: It's the National Football League

We've expressed previously here at Fourth & Goal our outrage over the NFL's insistence upon playing regular-season games in Europe, or outside the continental United States, for that matter.

But since the league announced last week it'll be the Buccaneers and the Patriots playing in London's Wembley Stadium on Oct. 25, 2009, and since the Dolphins and Bills are teeing it up today in a Buffalo home game that will be played in Canada, now's a good time for a little further review.

After further review, such nonsense is un-American.

But don't take our word for it.

Listen instead to the words of Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who broached the subject last week during a regularly-scheduled weekly radio appearance in Dallas, an interview that was posted on the Cowboys' web site:

"I've always been a little cool about playing a regular-season game (in Europe) because we play few games to begin with. And that great thing about pro Football, and really, I guess, Football in general, is it's my town against your town, my team against your team, in front of either your fans or our fans.

"That rivalry aspect of it seems watered down to some degree when you take it and move it not only to another city but another country. It seems like there's a little diminishing of the spirit of who won this year, who's the best team this year, my city or your city?

"The bottom line is I've been cool on that and wouldn't want the Cowboys and wouldn't be for and wouldn't agree to the Cowboys taking a regular-season game that would have been played here in Dallas and playing it over there."

Well said.

God Bless America.

SOMEBODY HAS TO FINISH FIRST: The NFL hasn't seen a team give up more points than it scored in a season and still win a division since the Seattle Seahawks scored 335 and allowed 341 on the way to the NFC West crown in 2006.

The Denver Broncos are on the verge of wrapping up the AFC West this season despite a minus 27 differential in points scored-allowed through 12 games (292-319).

The Seahawks, at 9-7, were the only NFC West team with a winning record in 2006.

The Broncos, at 7-5, are the only team in the AFC West with a winning record in 2008.

MOVIN' THE CHAINS: The Colts converted better than 50 percent of their third downs just twice in their first six games and emerged with a 3-3 record.

Indy has converted at a 50-percent-or-better-clip on third downs six times over its last six games and has gone 5-1 over that stretch.

BALL-SECURITY: Miami is the only team in the NFL not to have turned the ball over more than once in a game this season. The Dolphins, 7-5 after a one-win season in 2007, have turned it over once but only once in nine consecutive games and have a league-low 10 giveaways on the season.

Miami is tied for second in the NFL in turnover margin at plus 10, behind Tennessee's plus 13.

POWER POLL

Fourth&Goal's Top 32:

1. New York Giants (11-1) ? Burress could be this year's Shockey

2. Tennessee Titans (11-1) ? No WRs? Justin Gage averaging 18.9 per catch

3. Dallas Cowboys (8-4) ? 34-plus points, 400-plus yards in last two games

4. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-3) ? Still have to do it against a team that sacks passers

5. New York Jets (8-4) ? Loss to Denver at home shows they remain unreliable

6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-3) ? QB Garcia has won five consecutive starts

7. Carolina Panthers (9-3) ? Need payback vs. TB in first-place showdown

8. Washington Redskins (7-5) ? Have lost 3 of 4 after promising 6-2 start

9. Philadelphia Eagles (6-5-1) ? It's now or never time starting with NY visit

10. Indianapolis Colts (8-4) ? QB Manning 5-0 with 109.2 rating all-time vs. Cincy

11. New England Patriots (7-5) ? Rushed for season-high 122 vs. Steelers

12. Arizona Cardinals (7-5) ? Minus 5 TO differential crippling over last two games

13. Baltimore Ravens (8-4) ? One more win makes Steelers rematch monumental

14. Atlanta Falcons (8-4) ? Remarkably, still in control of their playoff fate

15. Minnesota Vikings (7-5) ? Suspensions to Williams boys potentially crippling

16. Denver Broncos (7-5) ? Victory over Jets almost defies description

17. New Orleans Saints (6-6) ? Finally found a kicker (Hartley 8-for-8 on FGs)

18. Miami Dolphins (7-5) ? Have surpassed 300 yds. In total offense in 10 st.

19. Chicago Bears (6-6) ? Four consecutive failures from Minn. 1 a defining moment

20. Buffalo Bills (6-6) ? Wonder if head coach Jauron speaks Canadian?

21. San Diego Chargers (5-8) ? Resurgence vs. Oakland too little, too late

22. Green Bay Packers (5-7) ? Held ball for 37:52 vs. Carolina at home, still lost

23. Houston Texans (5-7) ? Rookie RB Slaton (third round) 96 yards shy of 1,000

24. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-8) ? Defense quit Monday night vs. Houston late

25. SF 49ers (4-8) ? QB Hill has rated 95.0 or better in six of eight career games

26. Cleveland Browns (4-8) ? They're down to Dorsey at quarterback, ouch

27. Seattle Seahawks (2-10) ? Still winless outside NFC West (0-8)

28. Kansas City Chiefs (2-10) ? Still winless outside AFC West (0-8)

29. Oakland Raiders (3-10) ? After SD, no fear of anyone wanting to steal Cable

30. Cincinnati Bengals (1-10-1) ? Outscored, 61-13, in last 2 after 1-0-1 streak

31. St. Louis Rams (2-10) ? Minus 201 in net points a staggering figure

32. Detroit Lions (0-12) ? Thanksgiving Day tradition? Thanks for nothing