Josh Freeman threw touchdown passes to rookies Mike Williams and Dezmon Briscoe, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers briefly kept their playoff hopes alive with a 23-13 victory over the host New Orleans Saints on Sunday.

The Buccaneers, though, were eliminated from postseason contention when the Green Bay Packers defeated the Chicago Bears 10-3.

Freeman finished 21 of 26 for 255 yards and Connor Barth kicked three field goals as Tampa Bay (10-6) finished 1-5 against winning teams this season.

Williams caught his NFL-leading 11th touchdown pass among rookies – an 18-yard jump ball in the third quarter – to give the Buccaneers a 20-10 lead.

Briscoe, one of 10 rookies in the starting lineup for Tampa Bay, scored his first career touchdown to put the Buccaneers on top 10-7 in the second quarter.

The Saints’ Drew Brees finished 22 of 38 for 196 yards with an interception and a touchdown pass to Jimmy Graham. It was the rookie tight end’s fourth touchdown catch in his last three games.

Chase Daniel replaced Brees with 9:15 left in the game, and completed his first NFL pass on his first attempt.