Few would have predicted that four weeks into the season, the New Orleans Saints would be tied atop the NFC South while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers would be at the bottom.

Two teams heading in opposite directions meet at the refurbished Superdome on Sunday when the surprising Saints host the slumping Buccaneers.

New Orleans (3-1) went 3-13 last season after Hurricane Katrina forced them to play "home" games in San Antonio, Baton Rouge and East Rutherford, N.J., while Tampa Bay (0-3) went 11-5 to win the division and make the playoffs.

The Saints have had to hit the road again at the beginning of the season, but have been successful this time. Three of their first four games have been away from New Orleans, with the Saints winning all three road contests.

"If you would have told us at the beginning of the season, I think we would have said, 'Yeah, we'll take 3-1,"' said quarterback Drew Brees, signed away from San Diego in the offseason. "I would have taken it because it's hard, knowing we had three games on the road.

"I'd say we're on the right track."

In its lone home game - and first at the Superdome since Katrina - New Orleans defeated Atlanta in convincing fashion, 23-3 on Sept. 25. The Saints play their next three games at the Superdome.

New Orleans had a chance to begin that stretch at home undefeated, but lost 21-18 to Carolina on Sunday as it failed to start 4-0 for the first time since 1993.

The Saints led 10-7 early in the fourth quarter. They fell behind 21-10 before pulling within three on rookie Marques Colston's 86-yard touchdown and a 2-point conversion with 1:15 left, but could get no closer.

"Everybody goes through the NFL season and loses at least one, except the '72 Dolphins," said Brees, who went 28-of-38 for 349 yards and a TD. "At some point, we're going to have to face a little adversity. We're going to have to swallow a tough loss and move on to the next big game, which is this week."

Brees has looked sharp in his first four games after having surgery on his throwing shoulder in the offseason. He has completed 65.7 percent of his passes and thrown for 1,063 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions.

While the passing game is in sync, the rushing attack has been inconsistent. The Saints have run for 302 yards combined in two of their games, but 111 in the other two.

Deuce McAllister had 39 yards on 11 carries against the Panthers, while rookie Reggie Bush was held to 22 yards on 11 rushes and lost a fumble.

"As a team we should easily eclipse 150, 175 (yards) collectively as running backs," McAllister said. "We really weren't a balanced offense ... like we've been in the past."

The Bucs are also having problems running the ball, putting even more pressure on 23-year-old rookie quarterback Bruce Gradkowski, who makes his first start Sunday.

Tampa Bay, coming off its bye week, will be playing for the first time since No. 1 quarterback Chris Simms ruptured his spleen in the Bucs' 26-24 loss to Carolina on Sept. 24.

Gradkowski, a sixth-round draft pick, is being pressed into action with Simms out for at least six weeks.

"I definitely feel like I'm ready," said Gradkowski, who completed nearly 74 percent of his passes and had five touchdowns and three interceptions in the preseason. "I know coach (Jon) Gruden wouldn't throw me out there if he didn't think I was ready. I've been preparing for this. Coach didn't bring me in here to be a clipboard holder my whole career. ... I'm a rookie, but I'm going to play my game."

Gradkowski set an NCAA record for career completion percentage (68.2 percent) while at Toledo, and is 2-of-6 for 20 yards in two games this season. He completed his only pass for 16 yards after relieving Simms two weeks ago.

"Any time you turn the reigns over to a rookie quarterback a lot can happen, good and bad," Gruden said.

"I'm going to look at it optimistically. This guy can make plays. He can run. He's smart. He's tough. He's a charismatic fellow, he's a winner. I believe he'll rise to the challenge if we rally around him."

Tampa Bay has won four of its last five against the Saints, but a loss Sunday would leave the Bucs winless in their first four games for the second time in three years.

Since the NFL adopted a 12-team playoff format in 1990, only three teams - the 1992 Chargers, 1995 Lions and 1998 Bills - have rebounded from losing the first three games to earn a postseason berth.

Gruden hopes for improvements in the ground game, which has gained an NFL-worst 130 yards, to help his rookie quarterback. Carnell "Cadillac" Williams has been limited to 107 yards rushing on 42 carries after setting an NFL rookie record with 434 yards over the first three games of 2005.