FAB 4. Bucs at Saints – 4 Match-ups To Watch

This offseason I’ve used this Fab 4 section to provide you with 25 personal stories as I enter my 25th year on the Bucs beat for PewterReport.com (formerly Buccaneer Magazine). Now that Tampa Bay’s 2020 regular season is upon us, it’s time to shift gears.

Each week you can find 4 Match-ups to Watch in the Fab 4 section of my SR’s Fab 5 columns. We begin this week with an advanced look at the Bucs’ season-opener against the Saints in New Orleans.

Bucs WR Chris Godwin vs. Saints CB Janoris Jenkins

If Tampa Bay’s top wide receiver, Mike Evans, can’t play on Sunday in New Orleans, that will put more pressure on Godwin to deliver in the passing game. Expect Godwin to work both in and out of the slot on opening day with Jenkins in coverage, as the Bucs’ fourth-year receiver had 518 snaps in the slot and 349 snaps out wide in 2019, according to Pro Football Focus. Top cornerback Marshon Lattimore will likely play outside and match up against Evans, assuming he plays.

Bucs WR Chris Godwin – Photo by: Getty Images

Godwin had seven catches for 125 yards and two touchdowns in last year’s loss at the Superdome, and was held to just three catches for 47 yards and one touchdown in the rematch in Tampa Bay. Jenkins, who had five interceptions last year – four with the Giants and one with the Saints, played the first 13 games of the season in New York and faced the Bucs in Week 4, allowing eight catches for 188 yards and three touchdowns, according to PFF. The 31-year old veteran will have to play much better than that against Godwin.
ADVANTAGE: Godwin

Bucs ILB Devin White vs. Saints RB Alvin Kamara

Kamara, a three-time Pro Bowler, just signed a contract extension with New Orleans and should be ready to face off against White in Week 1. The multi-purpose running back is a real weapon because of his ability to run the ball and catch it equally well. Although Kamara’s scoring production dipped to six touchdowns (five rushing, one receiving) from 18 (14 rushing, four receiving) a year ago, he still caught 81 passes for the third year in a row and nearly rushed for 800 yards in 2019.

Saints RB Alvin Kamara – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

White and the Bucs defense held him in check last year with 106 total yards (62 rushing, 42 receiving) and no touchdowns in the first game, and 122 total yards (75 rushing, 47 receiving) in the rematch in Tampa Bay – and without any touchdowns. White has the speed to match up with Kamara, and has more experience as he enters his second year in the league. White’s goal will be to hold Kamara to less than 100 total yards and keep him out of the end zone.
ADVANTAGE: Push

Bucs CB Carlton Davis vs. Saints WR Michael Thomas

The Saints like to move Thomas around to try to create mismatches, but with Davis’ growth and improvement last year, look for defensive coordinator Todd Bowles to possibly put Davis, who is the team’s best shutdown cornerback on Thomas the entire game – except in the slot. Davis was targeted three times in the first Saints game last year and gave up three catches for 39 yards, according to PFF. In the rematch in Tampa Bay, Davis had his highest-graded game of the year against the Saints, allowing just two catches for 11 yards.

Saints WR Michael Thomas and former Bucs CB Vernon Hargreaves III – Photo by: Getty Images

The problem is that Davis wasn’t on Thomas for the entire game in either contest last year. Vernon Hargreaves II was matched up with Thomas for much of the first meeting, and surrendered much of Thomas’ 11 catches for 182 yards and two touchdowns. Weeks later in Tampa Bay, Thomas caught eight passes for 114 yards and another score. Is Davis a Top 10 shutdown cornerback like Arians thinks he is? He’ll need to play like it against Thomas if the Bucs are going to have a chance to win the 2020 season opener. The problem is that Thomas is on another level right now.
ADVANTAGE: Thomas

Bucs RT Tristan Wirfs vs. Saints DE Cameron Jordan

Wirfs is at a real disadvantage in his first NFL game, going against a five-time Pro Bowler like Jordan, who is coming off a 15.5-sack season. Wirfs was already behind the eight ball without his first NFL offseason due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Then the preseason was cancelled and there were no practice tune-ups before the bullets start flying for real against Jordan in Week 1. Wirfs has the physical tools to handle the 6-foot-4, 287-pound Jordan, but he has zero NFL experience.

Saints DE Cameron Jordan and former Bucs QB Jameis Winston – Photo by: Getty Images

Jordan had his way against right tackle Demar Dotson, and backup Josh Wells, whom he faced in the fourth quarter of the first match-up with Tampa Bay last year. Jordan had two hurries, one hit and one sack of Jameis Winston in New Orleans, and then had a monster game at Raymond James Stadium with five hurries, two hits and two sacks. It seems inevitable that Jordan will use his experience to get by Wirfs at least time or two on Sunday. Look for the Bucs to help Wirfs out by countering with a quick passing game and also some max protection schemes with tight ends Rob Gronkowski and O.J. Howard helping Wirfs out when Tom Brady looks to take a deep shot off play action.
ADVANTAGE: Jordan