Keys To Cannon Fire: How The Bucs Can Beat The Saints in Week 18

The Buccaneers have a clear path to victory over the Saints as long as they follow these keys to cannon fire.

Dec 29, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (7) runs with the ball against the Carolina Panthers in the third quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

It all comes down to one game for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — win and you're in.

Win, and it's four straight years as NFC South champs. Win, and it's a fifth straight year making the playoffs. The Bucs are staring in the face of their goal, and now it's time to accomplish it.

When the Bucs take on the Saints Sunday, it will be the second straight year it comes down to the wire for Tampa Bay needing a win in Week 18 to clinch the division and punch their ticket to the dance.

However, this team feels different than the one last year. The offense is humming and the defense has been fantastic in the second half of games, allowing just three points total in the last three games. The Bucs can and should win this matchup and should be donning hats and t-shirts come this afternoon and they'll do just that if they follow these keys to cannon fire.

Play Clean Football

Turnovers and mental errors have killed this team at times this season. Penalties have killed drives on offense and given opponents new life on defense. With everything on the line, playing clean football will be imperative to ensure a fourth straight NFC South crown and a fifth consecutive trip to the playoffs.

On offense, Baker Mayfield needs to play calm, cool, and collected. He needs to go through his reads and try not to force anything that isn't there, especially with Mike Evans. Ball security is huge. The Bucs have fumbled the ball 12 times since coming off the bye week. Protecting the ball and avoiding turnovers will be paramount in winning this matchup against the Saints. On defense, communication is key. You can't get beat on mental mistakes and not being lined up or dropping where you need to be. If the Bucs play smart, clean football, they should be in control and stay that way early on.

Rattle Rattler

The Bucs' pass rush came alive last week with three different edge rushers bringing down Bryce Young for sacks. It's been a quiet year for the Bucs pass rush but they are coming on at the right time. The room is also getting a boost with the return of Shaq Barrett to the lineup, but getting consistent pressure and play-ending sacks need to come early and often against Saints rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler.

Rattler started the game for the Saints in Week 6 for an injured Derek Carr and the Bucs defense gave him hell. The Buccaneers got to him four times in that game and pressured him 24 times. Rattler threw two interceptions as well, and creating chaos with pressure and clean football on the back end may lead to more errant passes for the Bucs defense to capitalize on. If the Bucs can make Rattler uncomfortable, especially throughout the game, it should help lead to a Bucs win.

Churn Out The Running Backs

The Bucs ran dominant against the Saints in Week 6 for an astounding 277 yards on the ground. Sean Tucker led all running backs with 136 yards on the ground, but Bucky Irving had 81 yards as well in a game Rachaad White missed due to injury. Over the last three games, the Bucs have ran for 559 yards and keeping the run game churning will be key against a Saints defense that ranks 30th in the league allowing 137.9 yards per game.

Rushing the ball won't just be an effective way for the Bucs to move the ball, but it will also to control the clock and time of possession. The Bucs will want this game over quickly, so controlling the pace on the ground will play into the Bucs' hands as the Saints have struggled lightly to shut down the ground game. If the Bucs can continue to get the run game moving to pick up yards and move the ball down the field, keeping the Saints' defense on the field longer and their offense off the field, it should be over rather quickly with the Buccaneers standing tall as division champs.

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