When you think Bucs vs. Saints, tons of offensive stars come to mind immediately. Michael Thomas. Alvin Kamara. Chris Godwin. Mike Evans. And more recently, Tom Brady, Antonio Brown and Rob Gronkowski. However, it’s pretty shocking to recall recent matchups between these two teams and realize that none of the above have offered anything close to a star performance in recent years. Instead, Bucs-Saints has been a matchup dominated more by unsung heroes than the usual suspects.

In 13 career games against the Saints, Evans has posted some of his least memorable performances. In 13 career games against the Saints, Evans averages 3.5 catches, 51 yards and 0.3 touchdowns. Under Arians, his numbers have actually gotten worse against New Orleans. Last year, Evans had just six catches for 69 yards in three games. 64 of those yards came in garbage time during the 38-3 loss. However, he did catch two short touchdowns in goal line situations. Since 2019, Evans has 10 catches for 133 yards in five games against the Saints.

Evans’ struggles against New Orleans and cornerback Marshon Lattimore have been well-documented. But his teammate Godwin has also failed to be overly productive. In 2019, Godwin posted strong performances against New Orleans, but that production faded last year.

Bucs WR Chris Godwin – Photo by: USA Today

During Week 1 of the 2019 season, Godwin caught six catches for 79 yards. But he was held to a combined seven catches for 75 yards over the next two meetings. In three of his last four games against the Saints, Godwin has failed to eclipse 50 yards. He hasn’t scored against New Orleans since 2019.

Perhaps nobody has fared worse against the Saints in recent years than Antonio Brown, through little of his own doing. Brown’s first game as a Buc came during the team’s 38-3 loss to the Saints last season. The veteran receiver knew little of Tampa Bay’s offense, and it showed. Brown managed just three catches for 31 yards in the drubbing. Then, during the playoff matchup, Brown caught one pass for ten yards before an injury cost him the rest of the game.

Gronkowski’s stat line is miserable. Despite 14 targets in three games against the Saints last season, the All-Pro tight end caught just four passes for 27 yards and zero touchdowns. In the 38-3 loss, Gronkowski dropped two passes, including a touchdown from Tom Brady.

The Saints have had less pass catching stars to underwhelm, but Michael Thomas has delivered nonetheless. In 2019, Thomas destroyed the Bucs former secondary in both meetings, catching 19 passes for 296 yards and three touchdowns. But when the Bucs started some actual talent in their defensive backfield, they promptly erased Thomas. In three meetings last year, the Ohio State product managed eight catches for 68 yards. During the divisional playoffs, Thomas didn’t catch a single pass on four targets.

Brown and Thomas won’t play on Sunday. Gronkowski’s status is yet to be determined, but he’s likely to play. However, in recent years the most productive weapons in the Saints-Bucs rivalry have been the lesser known players on each team’s offense.

Bucs WR Scotty Miller – Photo by: Getty Images

For the Bucs, no receiver has topped Godwin’s 79 yards and no rusher has topped 66 yards in their last three battles with the Saints. But when Tampa Bay did win in the playoffs, it was players like Scotty Miller, Tyler Johnson and Cam Brate that stole the spotlight on offense.

Amazingly, Brate led the passing attack with four catches for 50 yards. On the game’s decisive field goal drive, Johnson had an incredible back shoulder catch for 15 yards on third down. Moments later, Miller’s sliding 29-yard grab put the Bucs in field goal range. Running backs Leonard Fournette and Ronald Jones combined for 125 yards on the ground to help Tampa Bay melt the clock.

For the Saints, Thomas has been a non-factor since 2019. That’s opened the door for Alvin Kamara to star, but he really hasn’t. In eight career games against the Bucs, Kamara has averaged 11 carries for 48 yards and 0.8 rushing touchdowns. Since Todd Bowles arrived in Tampa Bay, Kamara has 29 catches for 169 yards and just one touchdown in five matchups. 38 of those yards came on a trick play with the game already decided back in Week 1 of last season. Even including that catch, Kamara has an average of just 5.8 yards per catch against Bowles’ defense. The Bucs will take that every time.

Instead, the Saints have received starring performances from a number of role players. Emmanuel Sanders, whose time in New Orleans was pretty forgettable, scored in both regular season meetings last year. Tre’Quan Smith, who was on the receiving end of a Jameis Winston tirade on Monday Night Football, has been the biggest Buc killer over the past three games. Smith scored on a 14-yard catch in Week 9, then caught three passes for 85 yards and two touchdowns in the Saints’ playoff loss.

Other Saints touchdown scorers last season: tight ends Josh Hill and Adam Trautman. Even the much-maligned Taysom Hill has had his moments as a passer, rusher and receiver against the Bucs. Hill probably won’t play on Sunday with a concussion, but he could be active for the two teams’ Week 15 matchup.

What a weird battle this has been in recent years. Will Sunday bring more weirdness? Or will the stars shine once again in New Orleans?