By FRED GOODALL
AP Sports Writer

TAMPA, Fla.(AP) — Josh Freeman spoke bluntly, refusing to make
excuses for an error-filled performance.

The rookie quarterback took a step back in his third start for
the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, however he insists playing poorly
during a 38-7 loss to unbeaten New Orleans will not undermine
his confidence.

“This game is this game,” the 21-year-old said, vowing to leave
Sunday’s disappointment behind and begin with a “clean slate”
this week against NFC South rival Atlanta (5-5).

“We knew what we had to do to come out and win, and I put that
on myself. … It’s a game of inches, and I was a hair off. I
don’t see that as a problem in the future. It’s not something
where going into next week, I’m like: `Oh man, I hope I’m not a
hair off.’ I just have to keep throwing.”

Freeman led a 12-play, 95-yard drive to start the game,
finishing the march with an 18-yard touchdown pass to Michael
Clayton.

Little went right the rest of the way.

In addition to throwing three interceptions, the first-round
draft pick out of Kansas State was sacked three times and lost a
fumble on a play that went awry after Freeman correctly read the
Saints defense and changed the blocking protection to audible
from a run to a pass.

The only problem was he didn’t actually switch the play.

The result was a sack, producing a fumble that Drew Brees
quickly turned into a touchdown that put New Orleans up 24-7
early in the third quarter.

“He went out there and made his first real rookie blunder. He
came off to the sideline, knew it right away. It wasn’t a rookie
mistake where he tried to blame people,” coach Raheem Morris
said Monday.

“The best thing to come out of a game like that is what he did
last night with (the media). He got up there and accepted
responsibility for what he did. He looks to go correct it.
That’s all you can ask from a young quarterback.”

The Bucs were limited to 124 yards after the long TD march, with
Freeman finishing 17 of 33 for 126 yards.

The rookie led fourth-quarter rallies from double-digit deficits
in his first two starts. After beating Green Bay with a late
touchdown pass, he gave the Bucs (1-9) a lead they couldn’t hold
in the final minute against Miami.

To have a chance against the Saints (10-0), Morris felt his team
had to run the ball effectively and dominate time of possession
to keep Brees and New Orleans’ high-powered offense off the
field as much as possible.

“He’s going to get you if you give him enough opportunities,”
Morris said, adding that the last thing Tampa Bay wanted was
Freeman trying to match Brees TD pass for TD pass in a
high-scoring game.

“That’s not fair to the young man. That’s not fair to our team,”
the first-year coach said. “I think he did a nice job of
handling the situation, as tough as it was.”

Tampa Bay rushed for 119 yards, but 62 of that came in the
opening quarter. The Saints gained 183 on the ground, 147 after
halftime.

Teammates described Freeman as the same confident, poised guy
who played well against the Packers and Dolphins. They
attributed Sunday’s struggles to typical growing pains for a
young, inexperienced quarterback.

“Some guys play 10 years in the league and have horrible days,”
running back Cadillac Williams said. “He didn’t fold. It was
just that type of day for him.”

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