Upcoming Opponent Knows Where Bucs Will 'Take Their Shots'

Sometimes it is very easy to see where a team's weaknesses are, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers may have a pretty big one to exploit against the New Orleans Saints.

Dec 24, 2023; Tampa, Florida, USA;Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (13) catches the touchdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Reper-Imagn Images / Jeremy Reper-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are going to have a lot of time to think about how they lost to the Atlanta Falcons last Thursday night before facing the New Orleans Saints this coming Sunday.

On one level, the Buccaneers and the Saints come into this game on opposite ends of the spectrum. With the visiting Bucs at 3-2 on the year while the home team sits at 2-3.

But at a more currently relevant level both Tampa Bay and New Orleans are entering this game with a need to improve in key areas and prevent another opponent from taking advantage of apparent weaknesses.

READ MORE: How Did the Bucs Grade Out After Their Week 5 Loss to the Falcons?

Which also means each side will be looking to exploit the weaknesses across from them, and for Saints coach Dennis Allen that means finding a way to get better play out of cornerback Paulson Adebo before another offense takes advantage of his early-season struggles.

“They are going to take their shots," Allen said when asked whether he's worried about Adebo and his rash of penalties as of late. Specifically, if he's worried other teams - like the Buccaneers - might take advantage of that trend. "I am going to have to go back and look at the tape and see
what I thought of the call, whether I agree with it or not. We have to force them to have to make
completions and finish the catch. I think we just have to look at it and see what we can do better.”

Adebo has had seven penalties called and enforced against him this season and two that were called but not accepted. That total of nine infractions flagged leads all cornerbacks in the NFL. Detroit Lions rookie Terrion Arnold is second in the league with eight, all of them accepted, but he's a rookie.

Accompanying those penalty woes is Adebo's 98.4 passer rating allowed when quarterbacks target him this year while being targeted the second-most of any cornerback. His aggressive nature is surely one reason for the flags, but that same approach has also helped him break up seven pass attempts, second only to Denzel Ward of the Cleveland Browns. His forced incompletion percentage is high as well, sitting at 22 percent, tying him for ninth-best in the league along with players like Buccaneers cornerback Zyon McCollum, All of those numbers according to Pro Football Focus.

“We just have to continue working, keep practicing and working on the technique and
fundamentals to keep improving," Allen continued when asked how he improves Adebo's penalty problem. "I think we have to do a lot of that in a lot of areas of our football team.”

Buccaneers No. 1 receiver Mike Evans will enter his 20th regular season contest against the Saints in his career one touchdown catch shy of 100, and while his matchups against cornerback Marshon Lattimore have been legendary it may be an opportunity he or Chris Godwin gets against Adebo the offense looks to exploit the most.

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