Buccaneers vs. Saints: Tampa Bay veterans set sights on strong finish

A 6-4 start to their season had the Tampa Bay Buccaneers thinking about a possible playoff berth just one season removed form a 4-12 record. But four straight losses have all but eliminated the Buccaneers from playoff contention in the NFC. The veteran team, however, wants to make sure that this season finishes on a strong note after the strides Tampa Bay made in 2012.

"The record doesn't matter," Bucs safety Ronde Barber told the Tampa Bay Times. "We are all privileged to play this game. I say it all the time: At the beginning of the year, you signed up for 16 weeks, so you have no choice but to see it through."

Veteran tight end Dallas Clark expects exactly that kind of commitment and will power from a team he said had a lot of class.

"No matter what the season holds and no matter what happens throughout the year, we signed up to play 16 (games) and you have to be a professional and play each one like it's the most important game you've played," Clark said. "But it's going to take everyone to really focus in and take it personally and bring the professionalism onto the field."