Jeremy Shockey's debut good one for New Orleans Saints

After weeks of waiting through the preseason, it did not take long for tight end Jeremy Shockey to make his debut Sunday. He was on the field for the Saints' first offensive play.

But the significance of his performance was not quite clear until the third quarter. Then he showed what his role could be: an emotional leader and another offensive threat for quarterback Drew Brees to find, especially on third down.

"I felt a little down because I didn't get to play in the preseason, and I think I answered a lot of you guys' questions," Shockey said after the Saints' 24-20 victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the Superdome. "You asked me if I could still play at a high level, and I think you got the answer there."

Shockey finished with six catches for 54 yards. The longest was a 26-yarder on a drive that began with 8:13 remaining in the third quarter and led to a Saints' field goal that tied the score at 10.

Also during that drive, Shockey caught a pass for 10 yards on third-and-9 from the Buccaneers' 33-yard line.

Those catches enabled Shockey to show the emotion and excitement that have defined him throughout his career. The crowd at the Superdome, which had spent the day alternating between cheers and jeers, even began to chant his last name.

"I love it," Saints Coach Sean Payton said about Shockey's in-game reactions. "I think it brings an energy to our crowd, our offense, and we welcome that."

Payton had said in the weeks leading up to the Saints' final two preseason games that Shockey would play in those contests, but he didn't make his Saints debut until Sunday.

"It's pretty tough for him, because he's not really a patient guy," Payton said. "But he did a good job. Drew found him on a couple of big plays."

INACTIVES

Cornerback Mike McKenzie (knee), receiver Robert Meachem, cornerback Usama Young (hamstring), linebacker Mark Simoneau (back), running back Aaron Stecker (hamstring), offensive tackle Jermon Bushrod, linebacker Troy Evans (ankle) and defensive tackle Hollis Thomas (triceps) were inactive.

That meant none of the players from the Saints' 2007 draft class were active for the 2008 season opener.

The Saints also announced that they had waived offensive lineman Matt Lehr and brought linebacker Jo-Lunn Dunbar onto the regular-season roster. Dunbar had a bone-crunching tackle in the second quarter against Buccaneers receiver Dexter Jackson as he tried to return a punt.

The Buccaneers' list of inactive players included former LSU receiver Michael Clayton.

AFTER INDY

The Saints seemed unaffected Sunday after practicing most of the week in Indianapolis, staying out of Hurricane Gustav's way.

Payton said he gave game balls to director of football operations James Nagaoka, head equipment manager Dan Simmons and video director Dave Desposito, who helped with the plans in Indianapolis.

"Any mental errors we had, botched snaps or penalties, that would be hard-pressed for me to blame on Indianapolis," Payton said.

He also said there were game balls given to players but declined to identify them.

INJURIES

Defensive tackle Antwan Lake left the game in the first quarter with a groin injury and did not return.

Running back Deuce McAllister, who is coming off two knee surgeries, was dressed for the game but did not play.

OTHER NOTES

The field at the Superdome had a patch at the 50-yard line with the initials GU and the number 63, in memory of former NFL Players Association executive director Gene Upshaw, who died Aug. 20. Players also wore a patch on their jerseys honoring Upshaw. . . . Hornets owner George Shinn and his wife, Denise, were guests in Saints owner Tom Benson's suite. . . . The Saints were penalized six times during the first quarter -- and just once for the rest of the game.