Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs New Orleans Saints week 11 matchup preview
After a win against the Cardinals, the Buccaneers will face off with the Saints for their second match of the year; here’s a preview of the week 11 matchup.
In week 10 the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were able to get a gutsy win against an ascending Arizona Cardinals team. In week 11 the New Orleans Saints will come to town for the two teams’ final meeting of the season. The Saints are coming off a bad 26-9 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, in the game the Saints struggled to keep quarterback Drew Brees upright as he was sacked six times.
In the first matchup of the year, the Bucs defense could not stop quarterback Teddy Bridgewater and the offense, Bridgewater threw for 314 yards and 4 touchdowns in the win over Tampa Bay. Micheal Thomas feasted on the Bucs secondary racking up 182 yards and two touchdowns and the Bucs defense had no answers.
After the game in week five head coach Bruce Arians was asked about the play of the Bucs secondary and he has this to say about his secondary:
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"“We’re too soft. I don’t know any other way to put it. When we’re in press man… Now, we’ve got some guys that are getting after it but we’ve got some guys that are just soft” (Arians via FOX Sports)"
Tampa will need the secondary to step up their play this time around as it doesn’t get any easier this time around with Drew Brees back under center. They took a step in the right direction of improving their secondary, however, with the release of former first round pick Vernon Hargreaves today.
On the positive side of things, the Saints are coming off a bad loss to a one-win Falcons team, also a divisional opponent. There’s no question that the Bucs will play the Saints tough in this matchup, but will it be enough?
The Buccaneers secondary has struggled to stop any offense so far this season, last week Cardinals wide receiver Christian Kirk has a field day with 138 yards and 3 touchdowns. Jameis Winston has been effective at parts of this season, but he has to limit the turnovers for the Bucs to have a chance against the Saints.
Next. 4 Buccaneers doing the dirty work and getting no credit. dark
To win this game the Buccaneers must limit the turnovers and get running back Ronald Jones involved early and establish the running game, wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin will also need to continue their great campaigns this season. The Bucs secondary also must limit giving up big plays to the Saints wide receivers if the Bucs want to win this football game.