New Orleans Saints @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Game Preview

by Dave Cariello on Oct 13, 2010 6:00 AM CDT

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (3-2) AT TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (3-1)

SERIES

	SAINTS	BUCCANEERS
SERIES LEADER	21-15
STREAKS		4 of past 6
COACHES VS. OPP.	Payton: 4-4	Morris: 1-1
LAST WEEK	L 30-20 at Cardinals	W 24-21 at Bengals
LAST GAME	12/27/09: Buccaneers 20 at Saints 17 (OT). Tampa Bay K Connor Barth connects on game- winning 47-yard FG in OT to propel Buccaneers to victory.
LAST GAME AT SITE	11/22/09: Saints 38, Buccaneers 7. New Orleans breaks open 7-7 tie in 2nd quarter en route to victory. RB Mike Bell & WR Robert Meachem each record 2 TDs for Saints.
BROADCAST	FOX (1:00 PM ET): Sam Rosen, Tim Ryan, Nischelle Turner (Field reporter). SIRIUS: 91 (NO), 158 (TB). XM: 108 (NO).

STATS

PASSING	Brees: 142-199-1,410 (1C)-9 (T1C)-5-95.7 (3C)	Freeman: 69-116-824-5-3-84.8
RUSHING	P. Thomas: 46-147-3.2-1	C. Williams: 66-172-2.6-0
RECEIVING	Colston: 25-287-11.5-0	M. Williams (R): 19-238-12.5-3
OFFENSE	346.8	313.8
TAKE/GIVE	-1	+5 (3C)
DEFENSE	306.4	340.8
SACKS	Ellis: 3	Crowder: 2
INTs	4 tied: 1	Talib: 3 (T2L)
PUNTING	Morstead: 46.9 (3C)	TBD
KICKING	Hartley: 19 (7/7 PAT; 4/7 FG)	Barth: 26 (8/8 PAT; 6/6 FG)

NOTES

SAINTS: QB DREW BREES has 100 rating in 9 career starts vs. TB, completing 204 of 300 (68 pct.) for 2,228 yards with 18 TDs vs. 7 INTs. Has 100+ rating in 4 of past 5 vs. TB. Since joining NO in 2006, Saints are 28-6 (.824) when Brees has 100+ rating (min. 10 att.), incl. playoffs. Has 107.6 rating in past 8 vs. division, completing 224 of 309 (72.5 pct.) for 2,405 yards with 18 TDs vs. 5 INTs...RB PIERRE THOMAS had rush TD in last meeting. Has 7 TDs (4 rush, 3 rec.) in past 8 vs. division...WR MARQUES COLSTON has 30 catches for 373 yards (93.3 per game) & 2 TDs in 4 games at TB. WR LANCE MOORE has 7 rec. TDs in past 7 vs. division. Had 13-yard TD in last meeting. WR DEVERYHENDERSON has 5 rec. TDs vs. TB & 4 have been 45+ yards. WR ROBERT MEACHEM has 3 TDs in past 2 vs. TB... DE WILL SMITH aims for 3rd in row vs. TB with sack. Has 5 sacks in past 7 meetings. LB JONATHAN VILMA has sack, INT, 2 FFs & FR in past 2 at TB. Had sack last week. S MALCOLM JENKINS had 1st career INT vs. TB (11/22/09).

BUCCANEERS: QB JOSH FREEMAN won last start vs. NO. Completed 21 of 31 (67.7 pct.) for 271 yards & posted career-best 8.74 yards/att. Has won 5 of past 7 starts...RB CADILLAC WILLIAMS rushed 24 times for 129 yards & TD in last meeting. In career, when he has 22+ att., Bucs are 13-0. Has 4 rush TDs in past 4 vs. NO. RB EARNEST GRAHAM averages 6.3 yards per carry vs. Saints (42 att., 266 yards). Had 61-yard run last week...Rookie WR MIKE WILLIAMS (4th round) had career-high 7 catches & 99 yards last week (1 TD). Has TD in 3 of 1st 4 career games. TE KELLEN WINSLOW had 4 catches for 76 yards (19 avg.) in last meeting. WR-KR-PR MICHEAL SPURLOCK had 77-yard PR-TD in last game vs. NO. Is 1 of 2 players in franchise history with PR-TD & KR-TD...CB RONDE BARBER has recorded 3 INTs in game 2 times in career; both vs. NO (12/23/01 & 12/4/05). CB AQIB TALIB aims for 4th in row with INT. LB GENO HAYES had sack & FF in last meeting. Rookie S CODY GRIMM (7th round) had 11-yard INT-TD last week.