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With Week 18 of the regular season finally here in the NFL, some teams have already had their playoff fates decided, while others are still fighting to get in. That’s no different in this NFC South divisional matchup between the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Saints’ season is all but over, but they will look to play spoiler, as the Bucs can win the division with a victory.
The Saints’ season has not gone as hoped. They currently sit with just five wins after dealing with multiple injuries throughout the season. With injuries piling up, the Saints lost to the Raiders 25-10. The game was competitive in the first half, with the score at 13-10 heading into halftime, but the Saints’ depleted offense couldn’t get going in the second half.
Spencer Rattler started in place of the injured Derek Carr and had an up-and-down day. Rattler went 20 of 36 for 218 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. His lone touchdown went to backup tight end Foster Moreau on a double pass play, an impressive design from offensive coordinator Clint Kubiak.
Rattler was also the Saints’ leading rusher with 46 yards. Kendre Miller left the game with an injury early on and the Saints couldn’t get the ground game going. Former Chief Clyde Edwards-Helaire led the team in carries with five.
With a depleted pass-catching corps, Juwan Jennings led the Saints in receiving. He caught six passes for 66 yards. There isn’t much else to take away from this game other than the fact the Saints are still playing hard for interim head coach Darren Rizzi.
The Bucs, on the other hand, had a terrific game in Week 17. They beat the Carolina Panthers 48-14, dominating the game from the opening kickoff.
Baker Mayfield continued his strong season and it finally looks like he’s found a home in Tampa Bay. He threw the ball 32 times, completing 27 of his pass attempts for 359 yards and a whopping five touchdowns. It seems he and offensive coordinator Liam Coen have great chemistry and are peaking at the right time.
The five touchdowns Mayfield threw were spread out among three players. Mike Evans led the team in receiving with 97 yards on eight catches and two touchdowns. Jalen McMillan extended his touchdown streak to four games in a row, with five catches for 51 yards and two touchdowns. With Cade Otton out of the lineup, Payne Durham finished with two catches for 36 yards and a touchdown.
Even with the passing offense firing on all cylinders, the run game can’t be overlooked. The Bucs rushed for 202 yards, led by Bucky Irving, who had 20 carries for 113 yards. It was just a great day for this Bucs team.
The Saints come into this game outmatched by the Bucs. They will still be without Derek Carr, Chris Olave and Alvin Kamara, their top three offensive players. Their defense will continue to play hard for Rizzi, but the problem lies in the lack of talent remaining on the field for this Saints team.
With that said, for our Saints vs. Bucs pick, we are going to continue to ride this hot Tampa Bay offense. Mike Evans enters this game just 85 yards shy of 1,000 yards in a season, during which he missed four games with a hamstring injury.
If Evans goes over 85 receiving yards, it will mark the 11th straight season in which he has surpassed 1,000 yards to open his career. This would continue to build his legacy, considering Randy Moss is second with just six such seasons. We believe Baker Mayfield and this offense will do everything they can to make this happen. So, with that, our Saints vs Bucs pick is for Evans to have at least 85 receiving yards.
Dylan has had a love for sports since he was a kid. Four years ago, he decided to dive into the sports content-creating industry specializing in Fantasy Football, NFL and NBA. He has since had his work published on sites that include Fantasy Alarm, Fansided, and Fantasy Six Pack.