Preview: Saints (9-0) at Buccaneers (1-8)
For the second straight week, the Saints will face off against one of the cellar-dwellers of the NFL. This time, it’s the 1-8 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. As we saw last week in St. Louis, just because the Saints are facing a bad team doesn’t guarantee an easy victory. The Rams put up their best effort of the season against the undefeated boys from the bayou.
Still, the Bucs aren’t exactly putting the fear into anybody. They’re scoring 17 points per game (25th) and giving up 28 (31st). Statistically speaking, there’s really not one area where they’ve excelled in this season, which is how you end up 1-8.
Rookie quarterback Josh Freeman will get his 3rd consecutive start and has had his ups and downs so far. His 79.9 QB rating is actually the best on the team, but he’s fumbled 6 times (losing 1) in limited action. Still, he’s big (6-6, 248) and mobile, which will be a challenge for the Saints defense.
The Saints, meanwhile, have been doing their own little high-wire act recently. They’ve turned the ball over way too often, which has allowed teams to hang around and stay in games. While New Orleans has found a way to win, coach Sean Payton has to know that getting back to mistake-free football is a must if this team is going to make a long playoff run.
On defense, the Saints have given up large chunks of yardage in the running game of late. There is talk that injured defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis may return this week, and that would be great news for a unit struggling with injuries. It looks as though cornerback Jabari Greer (groin) will miss his second straight game, although that could change over the weekend. That means newly-signed veteran Chris McAlister could see some action at corner.
This is an important game for the Saints as they look to re-establish themselves as a fundamentally sound football team. Plus, getting to the 10 win mark for the first time since 2006 wouldn’t be a bad thing, either.
Keys to the Game
1. Corral the Cadillac - We know the Saints have struggled to stop the run and there’s no better time to clean that mess up than Sunday in Tampa. Cadillac Williams (418 yards, 3 TDs) maybe isn’t fully back in top form after so many injuries, but he’s still an above average back. Slow him down and put the Buccaneers’ offense in the hands of rookie QB Josh Freeman.
2. Ball Protection - The only way I see Tampa winning this game is if the Saints lose the turnover battle by a wide margin. The Saints cannot continue to give their opponents a means to stay in the game. The offense must be smart with the football.
3. Keep on Choppin’ – Josh Freeman has shown a penchant for fumbling, and the Saints’ agressive defense must take advantage. The ball may be laying on the ground a few times on Sunday.
4. Crush their Confidence – During the past two weeks, the Bucs have played their best football of the season. That’s gotta end on Sunday. The Saints can’t give these guys a chance to breathe and must show how much better they are than their opponent.
5. The Task at Hand - Yes, the Patriots are coming to the Superdome next Monday night. But, if the Saints want to enjoy their Thanksgiving holiday, they’ll be mentally and physically ready to hand the Bucs another loss this weekend.
Prediction: Saints 38 – Bucs 13
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