Welcome everyone to the latest edition of the New Orleans Saints preview where we break down every game on the schedule! This week it’s the Saints matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Last Week: The last time the Saints took the field, they were able to find their offensive groove with a 48-41 win over the Arizona Cardinals. The Bucs on the other hand were on the losing side of things thanks to the foot of Dan Bailey getting three field goals in the final quarter, coming away with a 26-20 win.
Last Meeting: These two teams last met two weeks ago and the Bucs were able to take down the Saints in a low scoring affair. The Saints lead the overall series 30-19.
What to Watch For:
Saints Offense Jekyll and Hyde: The New Orleans Saints in the last month have been much like the entire season: up and down. The last time they met up, the Saints underperformed and the passing game was at the forefront of it all. The Bucs defense was able to get after Brees all day inside of Raymond James Stadium and if the offensive line is struggling on Saturday, it could be another nightmare in New Orleans.
Bucs Defense Will Need to Step Up: Speaking of the Bucs defense, they made life miserable two weeks ago with the Saints allowing 294 total yards. It was not only in this game, you look back to the Seattle game they had where they allowed only 5 points by the Seahawks. However, in their loss to the Cowboys they were shredded with Dallas racking up over 400 yards. If the Bucs want to keep their playoff hopes, they’ll need the defense from two weeks ago to show up again.
Playing Spoiler: The chance of the Saints making the playoffs is razor thin while the Buccaneers still have a solid chance of making the playoffs. If there’s one thing Saints fans don’t want is two teams from the NFC South making it to the playoffs, so this team could be showing up in a big way to play the spoiler. There’s a lot that they’ll need to do to get that done
The Saints Will Win If:
The New Orleans Saints will be able to win if the offensive line can do their job. One of the best pieces of the line Max Unger was missing in action in the previous meeting and that really hurt them as Tim Lelito filled in at center and perhaps that chemistry was affected. If Brees is protected, you can expect a win from the black and gold under the Christmas tree.
The Bucs Will Win If:
The Bucs can keep their playoff hopes alive if their offense can handle a high-scoring affair. The Saints have all the talent in the world that can put points on the board and if it becomes one of those shootouts, it doesn’t look great because they score an average of 18 points this season.
-Clint Domingue