clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

New Orleans Saints @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Game Preview

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.