You never want to be on the wrong end of a multi-game losing streak, but that’s where the New Orleans Saints put themselves. The Saints haven’t beaten the Tampa Bay Buccaneers since promoting Dennis Allen to head coach. They must cut this off at three games — their playoff hopes are on the line. New Orleans owns the all-time series with Tampa Bay (39-25), but a string of recent losses could chip into that lead.
The Saints lost to the Buccaneers 26-9 earlier this season inside the Caesars Superdome, when quarterback Derek Carr was overwhelmed by their pass rush and gained just 127 yards on 37 pass attempts; Alvin Kamara caught a team-leading 13 receptions for a mere 33 yards when the Tampa Bay defense throttled down and gave him no room to work with.
That can’t happen again this Sunday. Carr must step up and make plays under pressure and keep the Saints in this game. He has to throw a better ball to Rashid Shaheed (who caught 3 of his 7 targets in the last Buccaneers game) and Chris Olave (who went 1-for-6 in that meeting). Kamara has had success against this Bucs team as a receiver in the past, but Carr can’t funnel passes his way with abandon. There has to be some thought and purpose behind those throws.
Allen’s defense has fallen off as of late, and they won’t have star cornerback Marshon Lattimore to help slow down Buccaneers wideout Mike Evans this time. Paulson Adebo, Isaac Yiadom, and Alontae Taylor are going to have their hands full against a Tampa Bay passing attack that’s getting everything it wants. The Saints can’t afford a second consecutive season sweep from the Bucs, by any measure you can think of.
