What Chris Simms had to say
Any initial comments on winning the game and the division?
It’s a big victory for our team and we’re pumped to have a home game next week.

Do you give the Saints credit for the way they played today?
You know what, we were prepared for that coming into today. They have battled all year long. They’re an extremely talented team and it was just great to get out of here with a victory and become NFC South champs.

What about the two TD passes to Joey Galloway?
The first one, Joey ran an unreal route, what we call a double-move route. It was all him; I just had to put the throw on target. The second one they played pretty good coverage on the pass, actually, but I kind of threw it low and away in a safe spot and Joey made a great catch again.

How big was the overturned interception and the third-down pass two plays later?
That was huge for us. They’re a tough defense, they really are. They rush the passer well, they have a ton of different looks. We had good pass protection on that play and Joey did a good job of settling down in the zone and putting a move on them. That kind of got our drive started.

What about finishing with two wins at home and getting a home playoff game?
That’s big right now. It gives us momentum going into the playoffs, and that’s what you want. Hey, everybody wants to go in with a clean, fresh mind coming into the playoffs and we’re where we want to be. We’ve just got to come ready to play next week.

Does it matter to the Bucs who you will play in the first round?
No, not really because at this point of the season it’s a new year. It doesn’t matter what happened in the past, if we beat the Redskins before or whatever else, it’s come to play and win or go home. We want to keep winning.

And on winning the NFC South title?
I’m thrilled right now. It’s definitely been one of the best accomplishments that I’ve been a part of so far in my NFL career. It’s an exciting time for us. It’s great. We have a home game next week. I’m excited for our team.

What is it like to be in the post-season?
This is extremely exciting, because I can remember how excited I used to be when [my] dad was in the playoffs, or got a home game. His last season in the NFL, his last game at Giant Stadium was a Wildcard Game against the Minnesota Vikings in ’93. I am extremely excited just for everybody involved with the organization. I know my family is going to be excited about coming down next week and going to the game, so it is a great time.

What does making the playoffs says about the Buccaneers?
[We are] extremely resilient. I think if you look at our team, we have been pretty consistent all year long, for the most part. I think, probably our most inconsistent time, was when I took over and we lost two games in-a-row there. I definitely take some of that blame because I was a young quarterback who did some stupid things. But we continue to fight, even in situations where our backs are against the wall. We have continually found ways to come up on top all year long, and today was just another chapter in that.

What allowed you to take better control of the team?
I think the first Carolina game that we lost, again, I lost the game, pretty much, by throwing an interception to [Chris] Gamble and him returning it. I don’t know if we would have won it, but nonetheless it pretty much ended at that point. The way the game went, I felt a lot more comfortable physically and mentally that game. I made a few mistakes here and there, but again, I continued to improve, and then, of course, the Redskins’ game was huge for me, and I believe, our whole offense. Because our backs were against the wall in a big way in that game, and we found a way to come out on top.