Saints travel to Tampa without injured Bush, Ellis

NEW ORLEANS -- Running back Reggie Bush and defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis are not traveling with the New Orleans Saints for Sunday's game against Tampa Bay.

A team spokesman said Saturday that both players had been downgraded on the official injury report from questionable to out with knee injuries.

Both players are expected to be back at practice next week.

Bush missed practice this week with swelling in his left knee, the same knee on which he had surgery last December to repair cartilage damage. Bush is coming off one of his best games of the season in St. Louis last Sunday, when he gained 98 yards and scored two touchdowns on six rushes and a pair of receptions.

• Sunday: Saints at Buccaneers, 1 p.m. ET

Bush has 484 yards and six touchdowns in combined rushing and receiving this season.

Head coach Sean Payton said earlier in the week that he was hopeful Bush could play against the Buccaneers, but that he was wary of pushing him and causing a setback.

Ellis sprained his right knee in Miami in Week 7 and returned to practice this week on a limited basis. A first-round draft choice in 2008, he is one of New Orleans' primary run-stuffers.

The Saints' defense has yielded 151 yards rushing to Atlanta's Michael Turner, 149 yards to Carolina's DeAngelo Williams and 131 yards to St. Louis' Steven Jackson in the three full games Ellis has missed so far.