By : Mike Rifkin
Sunday will be the first time Tom Brady and the Bucs play division rival Saints in New Orleans. Since joining the Bucs Brady is 0-4 in the regular season against the Saints. In fact the Bucs have lost seven consecutive games to the Saints and have not won in New Orleans in the regular season since 2017. Brady and the Bucs did defeat the Saints in the NFC Divisional playoffs in 2020 on their way to a Super Bowl victory. In Four regular season games against New Orleans Brady has a 61.1 completion percentage, averages 259 yards per game, six touchdowns and eight interceptions. Last season the Bucs lost both meetings to the Saints by Nine points. In both meetings Chris Godwin was the Bucs leading receiver, that may not be the case on Sunday. Coach Todd Bowles said about Godwin who left last week’s win with a Hamstring injury “He’s in play by a small margin, but we’ll see Sunday, but if I had a guess I’d say he wouldn’t.” Left Tackle Donovan Smith will also be a tough call to see if he plays on Sunday. If Godwin is out that would mean more snaps for Julio Jones who had three catches for 69 yards in his Bucs debut last week against the Cowboys. In 18 games against the Saints Jones has 102 catches, 1,615 yards and three touchdowns. We also get one of the best individual matchups in Football with Mike Evans taking on Marshon Lattimore. These two go back and forth often in his career Evans 48 catches and five touchdowns against the Saints, while Lattimore has a interception and a fumble recovery against Tampa.
Jameis Winston who was selected Number One overall by the Bucs in 2015 is now the Quarterback of the Saints. Winston who tore his ACL last season, threw for 269 yards and two touchdowns last week against Atlanta. Winston was not the only major return for the Saints last week. Receiver Michael Thomas came back after essentially after two seasons out with an Ankle injury and had five catches for 57 yards and two touchdowns. Thomas in nine games against Tampa has 74 catches for 899 yards and four touchdowns.Running Back Alvin Kamara 464 yards and 11 touchdowns in 10 games against the Bucs. In 22 career games against the Bucs Edge rusher Cameron Jordan 55 tackles, 17.0 sacks, and two fumble recoveries, if Donovan Smith is out those numbers could be increased.
So will Sunday be Tom Brady’s first win against the Saints in the regular season or will the Saints continue to be Brady’s kryptonite. The winner goes to 2-0 and will be at the top of the NFC South.
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