TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (2-5) VS. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (5-2)
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5TH, 1:00 P.M. ET
MERCEDES-BENZ DOME (73,000)
NETWORK TELEVISION: FOX
PLAY-BY-PLAY: THOM BRENNAMAN ANALYST: CHRIS SPIELMAN SIDELINE: JENNIFER HALE BUCS RADIO: 98ROCK, FLAGSHIP STATION (WXTB-97.9 FM)
PLAY-BY-PLAY: GENE DECKERHOFF ANALYST: DAVE MOORE SIDELINE: T.J. RIVES
LAST GAME: TAMPA BAY LOST VS. CAROLINA, 17-3; NEW ORLEANS WON VS. CHICAGO, 20-12

PewterReport.com Publisher And Bucs Beat Writer Scott Reynolds
As I outlined in my most recent SR’s Fab 5, I think the Bucs need to run the heck out of the ball in New Orleans to beat the Saints. That will help Tampa Bay’s suspect defense by keeping Pro Bowl quarterback Drew Brees on the sidelines. Will that happen? Will the Bucs offense be committed to run the ball against a defense that is surrendering 4.9 yards per carry? I don’t think so. I just don’t think head coach and offensive play-caller Dirk Koetter has the discipline to do so.

The more Jameis Winston is asked to drop back and throw the ball to try to take advantage of DeSean Jackson and Mike Evans being matched up in man coverage, the more he will be subjected to hits on his injured throwing shoulder. The artificial surface at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome is hard an unforgiving, too. The temptation will be there to exploit the Saints cornerbacks in man coverage, especially rookie Marshon Lattimore, but that might not be wise for two reasons. The first is that Lattimore already has two interceptions and is quite good already. The second is that the Saints are a blitz happy football team and will bring linebackers and safeties to try to force quick throws. Having Winston drop back on five- and seven-step drops is playing right into defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s hands.

Defensively, the Bucs need to play quarters in New Orleans to keep Ted Ginn, Jr., who is averaging 17.5 yards per catch and Michael Thomas in front of Tampa Bay’s defensive backs. New Orleans likes to run their receivers deep to open up the flats for screen passes to Alvin Kamara. Bucs linebackers Kwon Alexander, Lavonte David and Kendell Beckwith will have to be just as wary of Kamara and Mark Ingram catching the ball and getting screened to death in addition to running the ball. Tampa Bay cannot continue to give up 34 points per game on the road this year.

Tampa Bay needs to score early in order to have the running game remain a part of the game plan. The Bucs do not want to get into a shootout with Brees, especially in his house.

All eyes will be on Bucs kicker Pat Murray to see if he can continue his perfect string of field goals and extra points. He’s on a short leash because Tampa Bay continues to monitor the health of former Kansas City kicker Cairo Santos, who is close to returning from a leg injury and is a more talented kicker.
Reynolds’ Score Prediction: Saints Win 30-20
Reynolds’ Pick To Click: TE Cameron Brate

PewterReport.com editor & Bucs Beat Writer Mark Cook
We have said must win the last couple weeks and they were important, but this is absolutely a must win. No, a loss won’t mathematically eliminate the Bucs from the playoffs, but with six losses it would take the team winning the remaining games on their schedule to have a shot. So yes, if the Bucs want to keep any chance of a postseason berth alive, it must start on Sunday against the Saints.

The problem is they play the Saints. On the road. Who lead the division. And now have seemed to finally have found a defense. This doesn’t bode well for the Bucs. And add in the fact the Saints have this young up-and-coming quarterback by the name of Drew something or other that looks like he might pan out. Sorry about all the sarcasm. This disappointing Bucs team has me frustrating and crabby.

I suppose it is possible for this team to win on Sunday, but they will have to play a nearly perfect game and hope the Saints self-destruct somewhat. We saw this team do it last year at home, beating the Saints with a dominating defensive performance. But this is a better Saints team, and playing in the dome in New Orleans is never easy.

If Jameis Winston can play the whole game like he did in the second half against Buffalo that would be a formula to give this team a shot. It will have to be in a shootout in my opinion however, as despite the Bucs defense playing better last week in the loss to Carolina, we are talking Drew Brees and not Cam Newton. Giving Brees all day to throw is a recipe for disaster. The crafty veteran will carve them apart. Mike Smith needs to simplify things for his guys, and blitz to generate some pressure and hope the pressure gets there. If not, expect a long day on Sunday.
Cook’s Score Prediction: Saints Win 34-19
Cook’s Pick To Click: WR DeSean Jackson

PewterReport.com Beat Writer Trevor Sikkema
If two weeks ago wasn’t a “must win” up in Buffalo and if the week after at home against a division opponent wasn’t a “must win” versus Carolina, make no doubt about it, if the Buccaneers don’t win in New Orleans this week, their season is over – and you could see a landslide afterwards.

The Bucs picked a bad week to put themselves up against a wall to get a big win. The Bucs are going into a place that is one of the tougher home field advantages to play against in the Superdome, and even more unfortunate for them is the host team is on a hot streak.

Saints quarterback Drew Brees is having a great year. He isn’t blowing out the stat book like he has in the past with yards or touchdowns, but his efficiency this year is as good as it gets. He’s completing more than 70 percent of his passes on the year, has almost 2,000 yards passing already with 11 touchdowns and just four interceptions. Now that Adrian Peterson is no longer on the team – who was never a fit – the Saints running game is doing that they need to do for the game plan, and players like Alvin Kamara have flourished in it.

On the other side, the Saints started the year with the worst defense in the NFL two weeks in (also started 0-2 because of it). However, since then the team has gone on a five-game winning streak, and during that time they’ve been one of the best defenses in the league. A big reason for that is because of the play of rookie cornerback Marshon Lattimore. For a long time the narrative around the Saints has been they can pass the ball themselves but struggle to stop other teams from passing on them. With Lattimore, they’ve widened that gap. Lattimore will likely spy Bucs wide receiver Mike Evans all game, and who wins that matchup could have a lot to say in where this game ends.

I believe Lattimore and Evans will have the key match up this week, but make no mistake, if the Bucs aren’t better in the trenches, on both sides of the ball than what we’ve seen in the past, it won’t matter, and the Saints will make it six wins in a row while the Bucs will extend their losing streak to five.
Sikkema’s Score Prediction: Saints win 31-17
Sikkema’s Pick to Click: Mike Evans