Welcome everyone to the latest Saints preview where I preview every game on the schedule! This week, we look at the Saints matchup at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Last Week: The last time the Saints took the field, it was in a losing effort against the Detroit Lions behind a lackluster offense. The Buccaneers on the other hand came away with a win over the Seattle Seahawks by the score of 14-5.
Last Meeting: The last time the Saints took on the Bucs, they came away with a 24-17 win. They have won four of the last five matchups and hold the overall series lead 30-18.
What to Watch For:
Battle of Mediocre Defenses: The New Orleans Saints had a hard time last week against a fairly decent defense and a strong offense on Sunday afternoon. It looks like another game like the Rams game two weeks ago where the defense they’re facing is less than stellar. They do have a good secondary, but their biggest weakness is defending the run as they allow an average of 116 yards a game. However, this front seven can get after the quarterback with 29 sacks on the season and with the type of offensive line the Saints have Drew Brees will be under heavy pressure throughout Sunday’s game.
Can the Saints Offense Wake Up? The Saints offense looked lackadaisical last week with only one touchdown and it didn’t come off the arm of Drew Brees for the first time in a long time. The Saints team either succeeds or fails because of one thing and that is the offense. The defense has given this team tons of opportunities for the offense to capitalize off of big plays and this offense hasn’t always been able to do that. Look back at the Giants game; three turnovers and the Saints got no points off of those turnovers. If this team can’t get up for the competition on Sunday, it doesn’t look good for the Saints.
The Saints Will Win If:
The Saints will win if they can bounce back offensively. It doesn’t look good though with announcements that Michael Thomas and Mark Ingram have been missing practice and that could spell trouble as it seems that the offense runs a lot through what these two do, especially when in the case of Ingram and the run game. Another key to victory is the offensive line and if they can keep Brees vertical it will be a good offensive performance.
The Bucs Will Win If:
The Buccaneers will take the first game in the series if the front seven can get after Brees. Last week, the Bucs got at the Seahawks for six sacks and picked off Russell Wilson twice in their win. If that defense shows up against a less than stellar offensive line, it will be a long day for the Saints
-Clint Domingue