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Garcia, Williams lead Bucs past Saints

Sep 16, 2007 - 9:40 PM TAMPA, Florida (Ticker) -- Jeff Garcia and Joey Galloway guaranteed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers would not go winless against the NFC South this season.

Garcia hit Galloway on two touchdown passes and Cadillac Williams added a pair of one-yard TD runs as the Bucs blasted the New Orleans Saints, 31-14, on Sunday.

The Bucs (1-1), who were 30th in the NFL in touchdowns last season and held to two field goals last week at Seattle, erupted for the most points in their past 25 games under coach Jon Gruden. The win also helped erase last season's 0-6 mark against NFC South teams.

"I'm happy with the win," Gruden said. "It's about time certainly. Our football team showed up today and showed a lot of promise. There are still a lot of things we have to clean up to be a playoff team."

Galloway scored on receptions of 69 and 24 yards and finished with four receptions for 135 yards. In his last six games against the Saints, Galloway has nine touchdowns.

"It's really not me," Galloway said. "They gave us some opportunities and Jeff made the plays. He made great throws and we alwasy, say, take what they give us."

"It's no secret Joey has great speed," Garcia said. "He creates opportunities on the field."

Garcia completed an efficient 10-of-16 passes for 243 yards and was not sacked. A week ago in his Tampa Bay debut, Garcia was sacked three times and threw for only 201 yards.

New Orleans' Drew Brees, who was under constant pressure all afternoon, completed 26-of-44 passes for 260 yards and one TD with an interception. In two games against the Bucs last season, Brees was 45-for-65 for 485 yards, four TDs and no interceptions.

"As you can see on the field, we're just not ourselves out there," Saints wide receiver Marques Colston said. "We turn the ball over more than normal. We can't get the ball downfield right now."

Williams' 1-yard run with 5:25 remaining in the first gave the Bucs a 7-0 lead.

"That first score for us was a big step for us and we need to continue to build on that," Garcia said.

Following the Saints' third three-and-out on their first four possessions, the Bucs increased their lead to 14-0.

On 3rd-and-11, Garcia fired across the middle for Galloway, who received a block at midfield from Michael Clayton, giving Galloway a clear path to the end zone for the final 40 yards.

"That (block) was a thing of beauty," Gruden said. "Michael had a huge assist."

In the final two minutes of the first half, Tampa Bay needed only two plays to cover 65 yards - a 41-yard pass from Garcia to Ike Hilliard and Garcia's 24-yard TD to Galloway - to take a 21-0 halftime lead.

"Those two explosive plays at the end of the half were the key to the game," Gruden said.

In the third quarter, a diving 41-yard catch by Galloway set up Williams' second TD.

Williams, who suffered a rib injury last week, rushed for 61 yards on 24 carries.

Fullback Mike Karney's 1-yard plunge accounted for the Saints' only touchdown. The key play on the Saints' TD drive was Brees' 58-yard pass to David Patten to the Bucs' 11.

Matt Bryant's 27-yard field goal with 7:30 remaining gave Tampa Bay 31 points, tying for the most under Gruden since the Bucs scored 36 on November 13, 2005 against Washington.

After reaching the NFC championship game for the first time in their history last season, the Saints (0-2) head home winless after two games.

"Obviously, it was a disappointing loss," Saints coach Sean Payton said. "It is frustrating when you are playing a team like Tampa Bay, a divisional game on the road. I told our team we've had no consistency in two weeks now offensively."