After squandering a late lead last Sunday against the Browns, the 5-6 Bucs head into Week 13 facing what feels like a must-win game on a number of fronts. Tampa Bay hosts the 4-8 Saints on Monday Night Football with a chance to sweep them for the first time since 2007. But, of course, that’s a tall task.

As bad as the Saints have been this season, the Bucs haven’t been that much better. When you add in the fact that they will be without All-Pro right tackle Tristan Wirfs and potentially two of their top safeties, it feels like the odds are against them. Not to mention, the Saints have had success in Tampa over the years, especially since Tom Brady joined the Bucs in 2020. New Orleans beat Tampa Bay on Sunday Night Football, 38-3, in 2020 before winning 9-0 last December in another Sunday Night Football matchup.

The Bucs snapped their seven-game regular season losing streak against the Saints back in Week 2. But can they complete the sweep? Will Monday Night Football be more kind to them than Sunday Night Football has been the last two seasons? Getting back to 6-6 ahead of a trip out west to face the 49ers in Week 14 is crucial.

But as big as this game is for the team, there are always individual milestones to keep an eye on. Last week, Brady passed Doug Williams for the fourth-most passing yards in franchise history, Mike Evans became the first player to reach 10,000 receiving yards with the Bucs and Carlton Davis tied Lavonte David for the fifth-most passes defended in team history. What’s on the line this week? Let’s get into it.

Tom Brady

Bucs QB Tom Brady – Photo by: USA Today

Brady is 535 passing yards away from passing Josh Freeman (13,534) for third-most passing yards in franchise history. He also needs four more wins to tie Doug Williams (33) for second-most all-time by a Bucs quarterback.

With one more fourth-quarter comeback, Brady will pass Peyton Manning (43) for the most in NFL history.

Leonard Fournette

Fournette needs one rushing touchdown to tie Ronald Jones II (18) for eighth-most in franchise history. In the passing game, “Monday Night Lenny” needs one more receiving touchdown to tie Adger Armstrong, Michael Pittman and Charles Sims (six) for fourth-most by a running back in team history. His next receiving score will also tie him with Sims (four in 2015) for the most by a Bucs running back in a single season.

With 20 more receiving yards, Fournette will pass Gary Anderson (1,021) for seventh-most by a running back in franchise history.

Mike Evans

Evans hasn’t scored a touchdown since Week 4, but if he can find the end zone against the Saints, he’ll inch closer to possessing the second-most points scored in Bucs history. He needs 21 more to pass Michael Husted (502). Tampa Bay’s top receiver also needs to come through with some big games down the stretch if he wants to reach 1,000 receiving yards for the ninth straight season. He’ll need to average 49.7 yards per game over the final six weeks.

Monday will be Evans’ 132nd career start, tying him with John Lynch for seventh-most in team history.

Chris Godwin

After being held out of the end zone for the first nine weeks, Godwin has hit paydirt in back-to-back games. He now needs one more touchdown of any kind to tie Cameron Brate (32) for fifth-most in team history. Meanwhile, one more receiving touchdown will move him ahead of Kevin House (31) for fourth-most all-time.

Cameron Brate

Bucs TE Cam Brate – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Brate needs one touchdown of any kind to tie Jimmie Giles (34) for fourth-most in franchise history. His next receiving score will also tie him with Giles (34) for second-most in team history. The veteran tight end is also only 11 receptions away from passing Giles (279) for the most-ever by a Bucs tight end.

Will Gholston

Monday night will mark Gholston’s 148th game as a Buc, tying him with Shelton Quarles for ninth-most in franchise history.

Vita Vea

Vea is only 3.5 sacks away from becoming the first Tampa Bay defensive tackle to record double-digit sacks in a season since Warren Sapp tallied 16.5 in 2000.

Lavonte David

Bucs ILB Lavonte David and Saints QB Taysom Hill – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

David will be playing in his 161st game with the Bucs on Monday night, moving him ahead of Tony Mayberry (160) for sixth-most in franchise history. It will also be his 161st start, leaving him 22 behind Paul Gruber (183) for third-most all-time.

David is still searching for the defensive touchdown that would tie him with David Logan and Mike Washington (four) for third-most in team history. He is also 1.5 sacks away from tying Logan (28.5) for 10th-most all-time.

With 58 career passes defended, the longtime Bucs linebacker needs six more to tie Donnie Abraham (64) for fourth-most in Bucs history.

Carlton Davis

Davis had two passes defended last Sunday against the Browns, tying him with Lavonte David (58) for fifth-most in franchise history. If he comes up with more than David on Monday night, he’ll take over fifth and begin chasing Donnie Abraham (64) for fourth.

Jamel Dean

With two more passes defended, Dean will tie Brent Grimes (41) for ninth-most in Bucs history.