The Associated Press

TAMPA, Fla.

New Orleans put the game in Drew Brees' hands, and Tampa Bay took it right away.

The relentless Buccaneers' defense pressured the NFL's leading passer all day , then intercepted him twice in the closing minutes Sunday to stay atop the NFC South with a 23-20 victory over the Saints.

"You know you're going to get opportunities," Bucs cornerback Ronde Barber said after Brees threw on nine of New Orleans' first 11 plays and finished with 47 attempts on a rainy day .

Instead it was Tampa Bay's defense, sometimes overlooked during the team's 9-3 start, that got the best of the Saints star.

"We've got to relish this because we feel like we're one of the best secondaries in the league, and I think our performance today, at least in our minds, proves it," Barber said.

Brees, on pace to break Dan Marino's single-season yardage record, threw for 296 yards and two touchdowns, but also was picked off three times - once in the end zone on a pass that Barber tipped to Cato June - and sacked once.

"We had our perfect chances out there and we didn't take advantage of it," Brees said. "It's disappointing, very disappointing. It's probably one of the more disappointing losses I have ever been a part of."

The victory was the fourth straight for Tampa Bay. The Bucs are 6-1 since Jeff Garcia regained the starting quarterback job, which he lost after a poor performance in a season-opening loss against the Saints (6-6).

Garcia was limited to 119 yards passing, but threw 38 yards to Antonio Bryant for a third-quarter touchdown that put the Bucs up 20-10. Carnell "Cadillac" Williams also scored on an 8-yard run, his first TD since a career-threatening knee injury 14 months ago.

23 Tampa Bay 20 New Orleans