First Look: Saints vs. Buccaneers

It feels like forever ago when the Saints and Bucs met in Week 8 at the Superdome, and a lot has changed for both teams since that matchup.

Week 15 NFL action sees the Saints and Buccaneers clash at Raymond James Stadium for Sunday Night Football. A lot has changed since these two met in Week 8, with New Orleans spiraling after Jameis Winston was lost for the year and Tampa being an ascending team after the loss in the Superdome. Needless to say, both teams look different now, and each one of them want this game for their own reason.

Here's a look at some things we're paying attention to going into this one.

What to Watch For

Health and Availability. Things didn't start off on the right foot on the team's injury report, as Ryan Ramczyk is still dealing with a knee injury. Sean Payton said on Wednesday that it's something he's working through, which leaves a lot to the imagination. Payton himself actually missed practice, but we learned that it is not COVID related.

Marcus Davenport (shoulder) and C.J. Gardner-Johnson (toe) were both limited on Wednesday, with Terron Armstead (knee/shoulder) and Lil'Jordan Humphrey (hamstring) not practicing. Cam Jordan and Mark Ingram should return from the COVID-19 Reserve List, as we've already seen Ty Montgomery back off of it. Adam Trautman is in the designated to return window, so he could be back on Sunday night if all goes well.

Passing Attack? Sean Payton said on Wednesday that the Saints are going to have to have a good throwing game on Sunday, and that falls heavily on all parties involved. Tampa's corners in Sean Murphy-Bunting, Carlton Davis, and Richard Sherman will pose an interesting challenge for the Saints receiving corps, and the offensive line will have their hands full with the Bucs front 7. 

A lot of things ride on Taysom Hill here, and as we talked about before, this is a very good opportunity for him. He was efficient against the Jets, and in the same breath, that was a completely different defense. What we didn't like from that outing was the sacks and getting in those long down and distance situations. New Orleans is going to have be better overall offensively, as points will come at a premium during this game.

'Lights Out' Defense Needed. Everyone knows what Tom Brady brings to the table, but one of the more concerning things the Saints will have on their hands is Leonard Fournette. He's been a very strong part of what the Bucs have done offensively, and the team's run defense will be tested here. Naturally, most of the focus will go to Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, which means the trio of Marshon Lattimore, Paulson Adebo, and Bradley Roby will have to be on their toes. It also means that C.J. Gardner-Johnson will have to play up, as Godwin had tremendous success against him and the Saints defense in the last meeting.

NFC South Crown. If the Bucs win, they'll take home the NFC South crown and stamp their spot in the postseason. Perhaps it seems fitting to have to earn it at the hands of the Saints, who have held the honor for the past four years. You're going to hear a lot about the regular season success New Orleans has had, and they're going to need that magic to come through once again.

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