We’ve seen all sorts of final scores when the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers meet up. The Saints have won by 9-0. They’ve beaten the Bucs by 36-27. Other final tallies have climbed to 38-3, 34-23, and 34-17, all in New Orleans’ favor.
Is this where Tampa Bay turns it around, though? The Buccaneers ran it back with most of the starters they won a Super Bowl with not too long ago, upgrading a few key positions, and the Saints didn’t exactly look invincible in the season-opener with Atlanta. New Orleans has a lot to clean up and not much time to work with before Week 2’s kickoff.
Still, the Saints are the Saints and the Bucs are the Bucs. New Orleans has dominated this matchup over the years. They haven’t lost to Tampa Bay during the regular season since Week 1 way back in 2018. They have a formula for dealing with the challenges the Buccaneers propose, and the personnel to execute it.
Final score: 33-27 Saints
I’ll be bold and predict Marshon Lattimore scores more touchdowns than Mike Evans. The battles between Lattimore and Evans have been the stuff of legend since the 2017 season. After a fantastic week against Atlanta Falcons pass-catchers Drake London and Kyle Pitts, Lattimore heads back to New Orleans ready to square off with his bitter foe. The former Ohio State Buckeye has only allowed two touchdowns in his matchups with Evans. This week, he’ll not only keep the 6-foot-5 receiver out of the end zone, he’ll find it himself for a pick-6. — Ross Jackson
Final score: 21-17 Saints
I think that this will be a game where Jameis Winston outperforms “the GOAT” Tom Brady. Before his injury last year, Winston was on pace to have a great game. Brady has seemed to have found his kryptonite, in Dennis Allen defenses. Even in the game that the Buccaneers won, Brady didn’t do particularly well. Also add in the fact that the top five receivers for Tampa Bay are all on the injury report this week, Brady’s weapons might not be 100%. Winston, these receivers, and Carmichael seem to have found their groove in the last quarter of the Falcons game. — Dylan Sanders
Final score: 31-17 Saints
It’s not exactly a bold prediction to say the pass rush is primed to rebound from a poor Week 1 showing given their matchup history and the health, or lack thereof, of Tampa Bay’s offensive line. The Buccaneers learned the hard way in 2020 that rushing for 5 attempts, while attempting 38 passes, isn’t going to beat the Saints. Leonard Fournette is on the injury report, but so is nearly their entire receiving corp. Accordingly, not only does the pass rush bounce back, but so does New Orleans’ run defense. I expect Pete Werner and Demario Davis to lead that charge that won’t allow a 100-yard rusher a consecutive game. — Maddy Hudak
Final score: 27-21 Saints
Much like everyone has said, I think the defense is due for a rebound from Week 1. The Bucs are banged up and the Saints defense is supposed to be the identity of this team with Allen at the helm. The proof will be in the pudding. Where I do get a little bold though is that I think the offense once again starts slowly. With new faces and playmakers on the offensive side, coupled with a stout Tampa defense, a slow start seems likely. However, a second half explosion will propel the Saints to another close victory over another NFC South rival. — Kade Kistner
Final score: 17-14 Saints
I think this is going to be another close game for the Saints. The Buccaneers defense was firing on all cylinders last week and I can totally see the Tampa Bay pass rush pushing New Orleans’ offensive line around and limiting Jameis Winston’s passing numbers. At the same time, the injuries that the Bucs offense is managing (combined with their usual lack of success against the Saints defense) suggests Tom Brady will have trouble moving the ball, too. But I like the Saints to win a war of attrition in front of an energized home crowd. I can see this being a big Chris Olave game with him lining up against the less-notable Buccaneers defensive backs. — John Sigler
