TAMPA — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ quarterback of the future is doing a pretty good job in the present, and there may be no need to return to the past.

Mike Glennon started in place of injured veteran Josh McCown last week and provided a spark with 302 passing yards and two touchdowns in an upset victory at the Pittsburgh Steelers, connecting with Vincent Jackson on a 5-yard strike in the end zone with seven seconds remaining.

Five of the daring downfield throws went for 20-yards or more, as many as the Bucs had through three previous games. Louis Murphy and rookie Mike Evans each had catches of more than 40 yards.

Glennon may seem to give the Bucs’ passing game more horsepower. Whatever the reason, it’s the piece of the jigsaw that was missing from the offense the first three games.

A resurgent offense and opportunistic defense is what gives the Bucs (1-3) hope of breaking a five-game losing streak to the New Orleans Saints (1-3) in Sunday’s 1 p.m. game at the Mercedes Superdome.

“We knew there were going to be opportunities for it with our guys,” Glennon said. “Their one corner was a little taller but their other guys were a little short so we knew there was going to be an opportunity to throw it up there and let them make a play on it. We wanted to make it a point of emphasis that we threw the ball down the field a little bit more to get our guys a shot to make some big plays out of it and we executed.

“We saw what Mike Evans can do with the ball in the air. We already know what Vincent can do. We’ve seen that in the past. Louis Murphy made some big plays as well. You can go on and on with Austin Seferian-Jenkins… so we have a bunch of guys that help a lot when you can throw the ball down the field and get some big chunks.”

That was the reason the Bucs drafted Evans in the first round and fellow 6-foot-5 rookie Seferian-Jenkins, a tight end from Washington and the team’s second-round choice. Jackson, the team’s leading receiver with over 1,000 yards each of the past two season, has always had good speed and similar size to outmuscle corners.

Until last Sunday’s game, the Bucs had not seen a ton of man coverage and McCown, under duress most of the time, had been content to work underneath the zones and move the sticks.

But the game plan against the Steelers more closely resembled the attack coach Lovie Smith envisioned when he sat with offensive coordinator Jeff Tedford in his Chicago basement last fall.

“Coming into that game, that was a part (of the game plan),” Smith said. “As we grow, we’re a young team growing together, figuring out exactly what we need to do as far as how we attack certain opponents. What you saw this past weekend is more along the lines of what we’d like to be, using our different weapons. They were all on the field at the same time. A lot of different elements went into that. But we want to stretch the field as much as possible – outside, inside, running game. We just want the defenses have to defend the whole field.”

The Saints defense is tied with the Bucs for 28th in the NFL in pass defense, allowing 272.5 yards per game. Defensive coordinator Rob Ryan is under fire for a unit that has produced only one turnover and no interceptions during their 1-3 start.

Saints coach Sean Payton said he was impressed by Glennon as a rookie and believes he has improved.

“I think he’s got good arm strength and I also think he understands the scheme and where he wants to go,” Payton said. “His location down the field in last week’s game was outstanding, even on one that was ruled out of bounds. He’s someone that athletically can get set and get rid of the football even in pressure situations with maybe an unblocked player or defensive blitz, he seems poised and he’s able to locate target where he’s able to go with it. He certainly has the arm, he has the range and we felt like in his rookie year he played very well last year when we saw the film and studied them.”

Meanwhile, the Bucs are all too familiar with Saints quarterback Drew Brees, who could pick apart a Bucs secondary that is likely to be without safety Dashon Goldson (ankle) and middle linebacker Mason Foster.

SERIES HISTORY: 45th regular-season meeting. Saints lead the series 27-17 and have won the past five games in the series. The Saints swept the Bucs in both 2012 and ’13, but the Bucs swept the Saints in ’05 and ’07 before the teams split each series from 2008-11. After 26 regular-season losses to start the franchise, the Bucs beat the Saints 33-14 at the Superdome for their first ever victory.

— The Bucs practiced at Tropicana Field on Wednesday afternoon — and will do so again Thursday — to avoid wet practice fields at One Buc Place and get a feel for the turf they’ll play on Sunday at New Orleans.

“For a couple of reasons — of course, there’s a lot of rain here. Our fields are drenched,” coach Lovie Smith said after his team worked out in the outfield at the Rays’ home ballpark. “It is a different feel inside, catching the ball, looking in the lights, change of directions, all those things. And just a change of pace, to do something different for our players. A good productive day, no traffic issues, an easy-in-and-out day for us.”

— Injured Bucs quarterback Josh McCown is improving but still not able to throw a football, coach Lovie Smith said Wednesday. McCown, who tore a ligament in his right thumb in the first half of the Bucs’ 56-14 loss to the Atlanta Falcons Sept. 18, still has not practiced.

There were multiple reports over the weekend that McCown would test his thumb by throwing footballs Monday. “Josh isn’t ready to throw a football yet,” Smith said. “He’s making progress. He didn’t practice today. He’s making progress.”

McCown is hoping his thumb can heal without surgery. “His thumb is getting better each day,” Smith said. “He doesn’t have a whole lot of pain.”

MEDICAL WATCH: S Mark Barron has an abdominal strain and was limited in practice Wednesday. … WR Mike Evans is out 2-4 weeks with a groin strain he suffered against the Steelers. … LB Mason Foster, who missed the past two games with a shoulder injury, returned to practice Wednesday on a limited basis. … S Dashon Goldson has an ankle sprain that knocked him out of the Steelers game and did not practice Wednesday. … DE Larry English, who was inactive with a hamstring strain vs. the Steelers, did not practice Wednesday.

GAMEPLAN: The Bucs want to be balanced on offense, but their passing game got a shot in the arm last week from Glennon, who threw for 302 yards and two touchdowns.

The Saints love to blitz under defensive coordinator Rob Ryan. While that creates pressure on the quarterback, it also creates opportunities to make plays downfield. The Saints have only one turnover this season and no interceptions.

Meanwhile, the key to winning in New Orleans may be keeping Saints quarterback Drew Brees on the sideline. A strong running game will be necessary Sunday against a defense that was sliced and diced by Dallas last Sunday night.

Bucs guard Logan Mankins wants more consistency in the team’s running game, and in preparing for Sunday’s game at New Orleans, he was encouraged, seeing the way the Cowboys were able to rush for 190 yards in a 38-17 win against the Saints.

“Dallas did a great job. We hope we can do as good a job as they did, but every Sunday’s a different day,” Mankins said.

The Cowboys got 149 yards and two touchdowns from running back DeMarco Murray, but the same Saints defense held Minnesota to 59 rushing yards in a 20-9 win for New Orleans a week earlier. The Bucs — who rushed for 157 yards against the Rams in Week 2 — have managed just 64 and 63 rushing yards in the past two games, and Mankins said the offensive line has to establish the run on a more regular basis.

“I feel we’ve been a little inconsistent with how good we’ve been with the run game. Pretty up and down,” Mankins said. “(Opponents) have a big take in that. I think the o-line has to be a little more consistent. “

Defensively, the Bucs have to get the same pressure they applied on the Steelers’ Ben Roethlisberger, sacking him five times in the first half.

MATCHUPS TO WATCH:

–Saints TE Jimmy Graham vs. Bucs S Mark Barron. Stopping Graham will be a collective effort, but Barron has the size and athleticism to present a decent matchup at times. The problem is the Saints move Graham around all over the formation, so they will have to use combination coverage.

–Saints WR Marcus Colston vs. Bucs CB Alterraun Verner. Colston is still the favorite outside target for QB Drew Brees. While Graham leads the Saints in receptions, Colston still is a deep threat. Verner has given up long TD passes to the Falcons’ Julio Jones and the Steelers’ Antonio Brown the past two weeks in man coverage.