TAMPA, Fla. — The New Orleans Saints were six minutes away from moving within a half-game of NFC South-leading Tampa Bay when the bottom fell out of the game, and most likely the season.
All the Saints had to do was move the chains, kill the clock and keep Tom Brady from scoring. Protecting a 16-3 lead, Mark Ingram caught a short pass and started running for the first down marker, but inexplicably stepped out one yard short. The pass set up a third and 1 that the Saints didn't convert.
Andy Dalton threw an incomplete pass intended for Marquez Callaway at the Tampa Bay 44 with 5:34 to play.
“It was 1-on-1 over there and I tried to give him a chance," Dalton said.
If the Saints had converted the first down, its likely they would have taken two more minutes off the clock, perhaps sealing the game. Ingram said his effort on second down was a 'crucial mistake.'
"I'm sick about this one," Ingram wrote on social media. "Regardless of circumstances or how I feel I have to get that fresh set of downs for the squad. I apologize to my teammates my coaches and my city for a crucial mistake. We work way too hard and sacrifice blood sweat and tears. I will be better."
Brady threw a pair of touchdown passes in the final three minutes, rallying the buccaneers from a 13-point deficit to beat the Saints 17-16.
“It’s frustrating to not come out with the win when you’re up 16-3 in the fourth and you lose,” Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan said. “That’s sort of been the story of the year, and that’s not winning football.”
The loss guarantees a losing season for the Saints (4-9), while Tampa Bay (6-6) tops the division.
Brady tossed a one-yard TD pass to rookie Cade Otton, finishing a 91-yard drive to pull within 16-10 with three minutes remaining. He got the ball back with 2:29 to go and won it with a 6-yard scoring pass Rachaad White with three seconds left.
“It makes it tough because I felt like we had an opportunity really to win this game,” New Orleans coach Dennis Allen said. “And we didn’t finish, and we didn’t get it done.”
Andy Dalton threw for 229 yards and a touchdown without an interception for New Orleans, but the Saints failed to take advantage of opportunities to put the score out of reach by settling for three short field goals.
“There’s only four games left and it’s unfortunate that we keep having to say the same thing over and over again,” Dalton said. “The missed opportunities have hurt us. We’ve had chances in a lot of games this year. We haven’t made plays when we needed to. It has affected the game and it’s been the same outcome.”
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.