New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees has expressed his delight at overcoming the adverse weather conditions to beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last night.

Garrett Hartley kicked a field goal as time expired to hand the Saints a dramatic 16-14 win in a match that was interrupted by a 69-minute delay due to lightning in the first quarter.

Brees threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown at the start of the fourth quarter, but responded by leading the drive that resulted in the match-winning kick, leaving him happy that his side had proved themselves in such tough circumstances.

"That's football. That's why we love it, and that's why we never give up, because we always feel like we have a chance," Brees told The AP.

"I think wins like this are vital because no matter what you've done in the past, you've got to kind of prove it to yourself that this team can do that and overcome those types of odds and circumstances and get a win on the road, in the division. These just become so meaningful, and our team got better today."

The result improves the Saints' record to 2-0 so far this season, while the Buccaneers are still without a win in the current campaign.