Through The Spyglass: Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints
After a tough loss at home to the Eagles, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers look to bounce back against the Saints in New Orleans Week 4. The offense sputtered and the defense was gashed on the ground and through the air. They'll look to wipe the bitter taste from their mouths while heading into their bye week 3-1.
In this weekly article, BucsGameday will preview the upcoming opponent. We’ll break down their prior season, the moves they’ve made this year, and the top players to watch on the offense and defense to give you insight into what to expect on game day.
Matchup History
The history between these two teams is extensive and bitter. There is certainly no love lost between these two franchises and their fan base. Last season, the Bucs swept the Saints for the first time since 2007. However, New Orleans holds the edge by quite the margin with 39 wins to just 24 losses, including seven of the last 10 meetings.
Looking Back At 2022
Last season had its ups and downs for the Saints. Long-time head coach Sean Payton stepped down as head coach and was replaced by defensive coordinator Dennis Allen. The results were less than ideal with a third-place finish in the NFC South and a 7-9 record.
Starting quarterback Jameis Winston was benched after three starts due to injury and never got a chance to regain his starting spot. Veteran backup Andy Dalton took over in Week 4 and the offense struggled to put up points going 6-8 to close out the season. The Emergence of rookie first-round pick Chris Olave was one of the few bright spots for the Saints in 2022.
What's New In 2023
The Saints went out and signed former Raiders quarterback David Carr to a four-year $150 million deal. They also added running back Jamaal Williams in free agency to complement Alvin Kamara, who was suspended for the first three games of the season. Juwan Johnson was retained on a two-year deal and the team brought back Jimmy Graham to round out the tight end room.
Co-defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen left for the Falcons DC job in the offseason. While New Orleans lost defensive lineman Marcus Davenport and David Onyemata in free agency. They replaced them with first-rounder Brian Breese and veteran Nathan Shepherd.
Top Players On Offense
Chris Olave
Olave broke out onto the scene as a rookie with his game-breaking speed and ability to generate yards after the catch. He finished the season with 72 receptions on 119 targets and 1,042 yards adding four touchdowns. He's picked up right where he left off last season with 302 yards on 22 grabs.
The Bucs will have their hands full trying to contain the Saints' big play weapon, especially if they are down starting cornerback Jamel Dean.
READ MORE: Todd Bowles Calls Out Buccaneers' Running Back After Eagles Loss
Alvin Kamara
Fresh off a three-game suspension, Kamara is ready to hit the ground running. He wasn't the same back he has been over the years but he ran for 897 yards and two touchdowns. While catching 57 passes for 490 yards and two scores. Kamara is still a dynamic weapon out of the backfield and can hurt teams in a variety of ways.
The Eagles embarrassed the Bucs' run defense last week gashing them for over 200 yards. Kamara and the Saints will look to exploit Tampa Bay in similar ways this week with the division on the line.
Ryan Ramczyk
Ramczyk is still one of the premier tackles in the league. While his run blocking has taken a dip this season, he is still a formidable pass blocker. The Saints' offensive line has had its struggles through the first few weeks but will look to bounce back in Week 4.
READ MORE: Former Buccaneers Quarterback Expected to Start Sunday With Saints
Ramczyk will be going up against Joe Tryon-Shoyinka for most of the game. The Bucs edge rusher had seven pressures and a sack last season and will look to duplicate that performance on Sunday.
Top Players On Defense
Demario Davis
The 2022 second-team All-Pro is still one of the top inside linebackers in the league. Davis finished last season with 109 tackles and a career-best 6.5 sacks. He has tremendous play recognition and instincts and is effective against both the run and pass. His running mate Pete Werner is equally disruptive and
Davis is a true sideline-to-sideline linebacker and will sniff out screens and running plays making the Bucs' life difficult moving the ball on offense.
Cameron Jordan
Jordan is still one of the premier pass rushers in the league and is dominant setting the edge against the run. Last season he had 66 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 13 tackles for loss, 13 quarterback hits, two passes defended, and two forced fumbles. Curtis Granderson is emerging in his own right and was rewarded with a new big money deal, but Jordan is still the top dog for the Saints pass rush.
Jordan versus the Bucs comes with plenty of trash talk. He has 20 career sacks against Tampa Bay and will give Luke Goedeke all he can handle at right tackle.
Marshon Lattimore
Lattimore is a lockdown corner who isn't tested often because of his coverage skills. Last season he missed 10 games due to injury, but had 49 tackles and an interception in seven games. He has 84 pass deflections and 15 interceptions over his seven years in the league. This season Lattimore's allowed just five receptions on 12 targets for just 54 yards.
A matchup the NFL world comes to look forward to each year Lattimore and Mike Evans have a genuine disdain for one another. Last year's first meeting led to a brawl that saw Evans suspended for one game. Evans had some drops last week but will need to keep his head cool and rebound in what will be a fiery matchup.
Final Thoughts
Carr was the Saints biggest prize in free agency but is currently dealing with a shoulder injury that could put him in jeopardy of missing Sunday's game. The New Orleans started the season 2-0 but suffered their first loss after letting up 18 straight points in Week 3 to the Packers. Currently atop the NFC South, many picked them to win the division. Though injuries to Carr and Williams as well as a suspension to starting safety Marcus Maye could start to derail their season.
What are your thoughts on the game? Can the Bucs bounce back and head into the bye week 3-1 or will they stumble in New Orleans to a 2-2 start? Tell us in the comments below!
You can follow JC Allen on Twitter @JCAllenNFL.
Stick with BucsGameday and the Locked On Bucs podcast for more coverage, news and analysis throughout the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2023 season.
