Saints (7-8) at Bucs (8-7)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida TV: Fox
Spread (BetMGM):
Bucs by 3
Saints’ keys to victory: Slowing down Tampa Bay’s newfound offensive prowess. Limiting RB Rachaad White – who has mirrored Saints RB Alvin Kamara recently – is a major step toward achieving that goal. On offense, QB Derek Carr and the Saints passing game will have to exploit Tampa Bay’s awful pass defense, but they’ll also have to overcome their red-zone woes to cash in against one of the best red-zone defenses in the NFL.
Buccaneers’ keys to victory: The Saints pass defense is staunch, so the Bucs will need to establish the run game early to rack up yards and open up opportunities for QB Baker Mayfield. The New Orleans offense has been middling for most of the year, and the Tampa Bay defense allowed the Saints to score just nine points on Oct. 1. If the Bucs defense can hold Carr and his pass catchers at bay, New Orleans isn’t much of a threat in the ground game.
Matchup to watch: Bucs WR Mike Evans vs. Saints CB Marshon Lattimore. Who else? This long-running feud gets a little more exciting this time around, as Evans left their matchup early in Week 4. He’s having one of the best campaigns of his career. Lattimore is an excellent cornerback who almost always gives Evans fits, and he’ll certainly want revenge after he committed a bad pass interference penalty against Evans last time around.
Who wins? The Bucs are better. The Saints have improved in recent weeks, but their inherent flaws will prevent them from taking advantage against a team hunting for a division title.
Bucs, 27-17
River Wells, Bucs Wire