Football

Brees, Saints beat Buccaneers 24-17 to end 4-game skid

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) —
Drew Brees threw a pair of touchdown passes to Marques Colston and the New Orleans Saints stopped a four-game losing streak with a 24-17 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.
 
   Brees completed 31 of 41 passes for 312 yards without an interception. Colston scored on receptions of 1 and 3 yards in the first half, and Tim Hightower added a 3-yard TD run in the third quarter for the Saints (5-8).
 
   The loss was the second in three games for the Bucs (6-7), whose hopes to make a run at a NFC wild card took a hit.
 
   Jameis Winston threw a fourth-quarter TD pass to Adam Humphries to trim a 14-point deficit to 24-17. The Bucs got the ball back with just over five minutes remaining, punted four plays later and then watched New Orleans grind out three first downs to end the game.