The Buccaneers will get another shot at the Saints, who many fans believe is the second best team in the NFC after the Rams. Drew Brees has been terrific as we have grown accustomed to seeing from him, and of course Sean Payton looks to make a statement of dominance in the the NFC South division. Can the Saints defense hold off the Tampa Bay playmakers? Will Jameis Winston be able to move the ball down the field without much of a running game to back him up? We’ll find out these and more when these two rivals meet in Tampa for this one.
Saints vs. Buccaneers Odds
Currently the Saints are a double digit favorite. That’s saying something for a road team against a divisional rival. Normally, these games stay pretty close, but Vegas is taking the Saints to beat up on ole Tampa Bay in this matchup.
Spread: Saints -10
Total: 57.5
Saints vs. Buccaneers Head to Head
The Buccaneers, led at one point by Ryan Fitzpatrick, beat the Saints earlier this season by an improbable score of 48 – 40. Last season, the two teams split the series with a win a piece. The Saints drew first blood, winning 30 – 10 last November, while the Buccaneers answered the call with a victory of their own, this time by a score of 31 – 24. Look for the Saints to get revenge for the loss earlier this season and once again split the regular season series.
Saints vs. Buccaneers Stats
The Saints are one of the league’s very best offenses. The reason they are so good is that they are extremely balanced. They feature the 9th best rushing game led by Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara, but also have the league’s 11th bes passing attack orchestrated the way only Drew Brees can. Combined, their offense is good for 6th best in the NFL. Their defense isn’t too shabby either though, really. They come in right at average, 16th in the league.
As we give the praise to the Saints for being balanced, the Bucs throw that right out the window. Tampa Bay leads the league in total offense and passing yards, but falls way below average in the run game. They are 26th in the league in total yards gained on the ground, meaning they really air it out in order to stay put at the top spot in overall yards. Their defense is a bit lacking as well, falling into the 27th best slot in the league.
Saints vs. Buccaneers News
The Tampa Bay defense made major strides against Cam Newton in their last game, forcing the previous league MVP into throwing 4 interceptions. The game was won on that side of the ball for once, something the Bucs needed greatly. As for the Saints, well they now have the longest tenured head coach in the NFC in Sean Payton since the firing of Green Bay’s previous head man, Mike McCarthy. He will look to blast past the Bucs this week and secure the NFC South division title. It sure would be a sweet victory to avenge the week 1 loss to the Bucs and to cement their playoff trip.
Saints vs. Buccaneers Predictions
I’ll take the Saints to beat the Buccaneers by a score of 41 – 28. I think this one will be full of added motivation for the coaching staff and players. The Saints will get on top early and continue to build their lead, showing they are a dominant force in the NFC.
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