Bucs looking for complete game in New Orleans
It’s been too long since the Bucs have played a complete game. The Season opener against the Chicago Bears was the best performance of the season for the Bucs as they played well on offense and defense.
That’s not been the case since. The win against the NY Giants was a game the Bucs should have won considering the Giants are won of the worst teams in the league.
In the three road games, the Bucs defense has been awful Allowing 34, 28 and 30 Points. The games in New Orleans tend to be shootouts as the Bucs and Saints put up 55 combined in a 31-24 Saints win last year. So it has the potential to be a long afternoon for the Bucs defense as Drew Brees has the Sainst clicking on all cylinders right now.
Offensively, the Bucs have the No. 4 offense in the league and at times have shown that they have the potential to be one of the best offenses in franchise history. I think the best offensive performance this season was in Arizona as the Bucs led by Ryan Fitzpatrick came back from a 31 point deficit and nearly beat the Cardinals before falling 38-33. Jameis Winston had his best game statistically and maybe one of the best of his career in the 30-27 loss to Buffalo.
It’s the consistency factor that has been driving Bucs fans crazy about this team. Last weeks dreadful performance against the Panthers at home was one of the worst offensively in the Dirk Koetter era. One week the offense is on fire and the defense can’t stop anyone. The nest week the offense is struggling while the defense is keeping the Bucs in games like last weeks 17-3 los to Carolina.
The Bucs are 2-5 and are on the verge of becoming the most disappointing team in Bucs history and one of the biggest disappointments this season in the NFL. On paper, the Bucs are good enough to be competing for a division title, but will need to play more consistent on both sides of the ball to reach thier potential.
The Saints offense will present a challenge for the Bucs defense. Brees No. 1 receiver is Michel Thomas, followed by the two running backs, Mark Ingram, and Alvin Kamara. So the Bucs will have to guard against the run while respecting the pass catching ability of both running backs.
The Bucs will need to apply pressure on Brees to try to rattle him a bit. That is something that has been lacking all season for the Bucs, consistent pressure on the QB. Brees has been sacked just seven times this year as the Saints have upgraded their offensive line. The Bucs defense has seven sacks all season, so pressuring Brees is something that will need to happen for the Bucs to win this game.
Defensively, The Saints are very opportunistic led by DB Kenny Vaccaro who has three picks this season. The Saints defense has nine picks on the season and is averaging just over three sacks a game. The key on offense for the Bucs will be two-fold. Jameis Winston will have to make good decisions with the football. It seems this is the same story line every game and it will continue to be until Winston cuts down on his turnovers and becomes more consistent.
The running game will have to get going. Doug Martin has been ok since his return this season, but the offensive line has to do a better job of opening holes for Martin to get that run game going.
It will take a complete game effort from both the offense and defense for the Bucs to put themselves in position to win this game.
This will be a tough game for the Bucs to win. I think it will be a high scoring affair just like the game last year in New Orleans. I like the Saints to win 34-24 and the seat under Dirk Koetter will continue to get hotter.
