The Tampa Bay Buccaneers face off against a familiar foe this Sunday, the New Orleans Saints. Will the Buccaneers be able to piece together their first win streak of thee season? Or will the Saints right the ship after an embarrassing loss to the lowly Atlanta Falcons?
The Buccaneers and the Saints faced off in Week 5 at the Superdome. Teddy Bridgewater started for an injured Drew Brees but it didn’t seem to matter much. Bridgewater threw for over 300 yards and four touchdowns leading the Saints to a 31-24 victory. With Drew Brees back at quarterback facing the youngest secondary in the NFL, the Buccaneers could be in for a very long Sunday.
Brees vs Tampa Bay’s secondary
As most Bucs’ fans know by now, Vernon Hargreaves III is no longer a Buccaneer. Incredibly he was one of the most experienced cornerbacks on the roster even with only three seasons under his belt. The Buccaneers will now lean on Carlton Davis, Jamel Dean, Jordan Whitehead, Sean Murphy-Bunting, and Mike Edwards. All of whom are either rookies or in their second year in the NFL. Meanwhile Drew Brees is destined for the hall of fame and is one of the most prolific passers the game has ever seen. This young group of players will have to step up in a big way to keep Brees in check.
Tampa Bay’s O-line
In their first meeting with the Saints the Buccaneers offensive line was absolutely dominated. Jameis Winston was under duress the entire game and was sacked six times for a loss of 46 yards. No Buccaneer running back rushed for more than 35 yards and the team as a whole didn’t break 100 yards on the ground. The Buccaneers’ offensive line play has been inconsistent but they undoubtedly had their worst game against New Orleans. The good news for the Bucs is the Saints’ defensive line seems to be slowing down a little, last week they were only able to sack Matt Ryan one time.
Jameis Winston
Which version of Jameis Winston will show up Sunday? Will it be the one who threw for 385 yards and four touchdowns against the Rams or the one who threw five interceptions against the Panthers. Winston’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde has long frustrated fans and his coaches alike. In last weeks game against the Cardinals, Winston threw two interceptions, however he was able to lead the team on a game winning touchdown drive. Fans never truly know what to expect from Jameis Winston but to beat a team destined for the playoffs, he will have to limit his mistakes.
Score Prediction
Unfortunately, I personally can’t see the Saints losing two rivalry games in a row. Saints win 38-27.
