NEW ORLEANS — Quarterback Drew Brees made enough uncharacteristic physical and mental errors — throwing three interceptions, including a woeful pick-six early in the second half — to get the New Orleans Saints beat on Sunday.

Luckily for the Saints, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers made a lot more mistakes, especially when it counted.

Running back Khiry Robinson lumbered 18 yards for a touchdown on the first and only series in overtime, leaving Tampa Bay safeties Mark Barron and Bradley McDougal pounding the turf in frustration, to lift the Saints to a 37-31 comeback victory.

Brees completed 35 of 57 passes for 371 yards, but two of his three interceptions fueled touchdowns in a stretch of 24 unanswered Tampa points that turned a 13-0 Saints’ lead into a 24-13 deficit less than four minutes into the second half.

“Those first two (interceptions) shouldn’t happen,” Brees said. “It’s just knowing the situation, knowing where to take chances. That gave them 14 points and it shifted the momentum at a point in the game where I felt we had it firmly in our grasp.

“But the most important thing is the way we responded. I’m going to stay aggressive, stay confident. None of those balls was about forcing it. The first one was just a poor decision; the next one, bad luck.”

After closing the gap to 24-20 on Brees’ 5-yard pass to Travaris Cadet, the Saints trailed 31-20 with 13:26 remaining after Tampa Bay quarterback Mike Glennon threw a 9-yard TD pass to rookie receiver Robert Herron.

Glennon completed 19 of 32 passes for 249 yards and two TDs.

But playing without All-Pro tight end Jimmy Graham, who injured his right shoulder in the second quarter, the Saints closed out regulation with 11 consecutive points.

The surge included a weaving, 27-yard scoring run by Pierre Thomas (the Saints’ two-point conversion attempt failed), a safety of Glennon by defensive end Junior Galette and a 44-yard field goal with 2:30 left by Shayne Graham, his third of the game.

The Saints (2-3) won the overtime coin flip, and they could feel the momentum growing.

“The minute we won the flip, it was like, ‘We’re not giving this thing back,’ ” Brees said.

What the Bucs said:

“I felt like we had an opportunity to steal a game. Whenever you get up like that on the road. you’ve got to be able to finish the job. That is one thing we have been doing, playing pretty good ball at the end of games. It is disappointing how we finished.” – Coach Lovie Smith

What the Saints said:

“You’re always frustrated whenever there is a turnover. We’ll take a peek at the tape and try to make the corrections and make sure we are giving Drew (Brees) enough time and being smart. There is plenty of time for us to operate in the two-minute (offenses) with the timeouts we had, so we will take a peek at that and try to make the corrections.” – Coach Sean Payton

What we learned about the Buccaneers:

1. They are 1-4 for a reason. They committed 15 penalties for 113 yards, and none was bigger than Johnathan Banks’ illegal use of hands that gave the Saints a first down on third-and-10 on the only series on overtime. Also, on the series that ended with quarterback Mike Glennon being sacked, right tackle Demar Dotson was called for holding; the Bucs bungled a shotgun snap when it hit the motioning receiver, Vincent Jackson; followed by a delay of game and a false start. That left Tampa with a second-and-29 from their 1-yard line, and Junior Galette sacked Glennon two plays later. “(The penalties) really hurt us,” said coach Lovie Smith. “Those (hands to the face) are ones you just can’t make.”

2. Tampa Bay’s defense seemed to wear down late in the game. Granted, the Saints ran 87 plays, but the Saints converted only 1 of 5 third-down situations in the first half and converted 5 of 8 in the second half and overtime. “We had them in two third-down situations that were favorable to us, and we didn’t convert,” Smith said. “Right at the end, of course, it was just running the football (that won the game for the Saints). It was as simple as that. We missed some tackles. That happens when you get tired a little bit.”

–QB Mike Glennon (19 of 32 for 249 yards, two TDs and one interception) acquitted himself well in the game. Glennon was victimized by at least four drops. He also made an impressive play after being flushed out of the pocket to the left sideline, and then turning to throw against his body for a 34-yard gain to Vincent Jackson (8 catches for 144 yards). “Our offense, from the second quarter on, was really moving the ball well,” Glennon said. “We had them right where we wanted them. But at the same time, you have to look at Drew Brees and that offense and realize the game’s never over.”

–LB Lavonte David continued his impressive play, leading the Bucs with 14 tackles, 10 unassisted. He also broke through on two running plays to through Saints’ runners for losses and broke up a pass.

–RB Doug Martin had gashed the Saints last year for 144 yards on 29 carries, but he was held mostly in check on Sunday, gaining 45 yards on 14 carries (a 3.2-yard average).

What we learned about the Saints:

1. They have struggled to a 2-3 start – losing their first two game by a combined total of five points. But nothing has come easily. However, with a bye week coming up, Drew Brees is counting on getting some teammates healed up for an Oct. 19 road game against Detroit, and he thinks the 37-31 overtime victory, while not pretty, could be a tonic for a team trying to find its identity. “We’re going to self-scout and take a look at what we’re doing well and get ready for the next stretch that’s in front of us,” Brees said. “Our division is close. Everybody is right there. We realize that. This game can be a big confidence builder. By winning, this could be a defining moment when you look back on it at the end of the season.”

2. Running back Pierre Thomas proved yet again to be old reliable in a crowded backfield.

He not only is one of the best in the Saints’ heaping stash of screen plays, but he always seems to make the first tackler miss and gets a lot of hidden yardage. Thomas accounted for 35 yards rushing on four carries – including a weaving 27-yard score – and caught eight passes for 77 yards. “The screens worked for us,” Thomas said. “It’s been awhile since we used them. Sean called it at the right times. … I don’t have the top speed like some of these guys. Consistency is my gift and what I bring to the table. It helps me out and helps the team out.”

–TE Jimmy Graham was hit hard after making a reception in the second quarter, and he left with a right shoulder injury. Graham caught 2 passes for 36 yards, but tight ends Josh Hill (3 for 53) and Benjamin Watson (5 for 43) filled in admirably. Payton said he decided to play it safe by keeping Graham on the bench. “The key is being able to function at full speed, so I think it was smart,” he said. “We had a chance to take a peek, and we decided we wanted to wait.”

–DE Junior Galette finished with just two tackles, but one was a key play in the game when he took an inside move and sacked Mike Glennon in the fourth quarter to draw the Saints within 31-28. “Cam (Jordan) and I just worked together,” Galette said. “We came through because we needed that play. We made it happen in a big situation.”

–RB Pierre Thomas was targeted 10 times by QB Drew Brees, just one less than rookie wide receiver Brandin Cooks. Thomas always seems to be the player Brees looks for in tight spots, especially with TE Jimmy Graham sidelined. “He’s everything you want in a teammate, not only on game day but throughout the week,” Brees said. “His work ethic is professional. He’s there whenever we call upon him. … he can do it all.”