Bucs Saints Spread


September 5, 2008 | Posted By Larry Cook

Hurricane Gustav will not stop the Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs New Orleans Saints from doing battle on the gridiron Sunday at 1 PM ET at the Superdome. Having been one of the biggest disappointments in the 2007 season the Saints are eager to strut their stuff with a clean slate in 2008. It will be crucial for New Orleans to avoid a slow start like last season when they started 0-4. Tampa Bay QB Jeff Garcia has been banged up for training camp but he is still one of the better QB’s in the NFL. Last season Tampa Bay had the Saints number as they swept the series winning by an average of 10.5 points in their 2 meetings. The NFL betting odds for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs New Orleans Saints game has the Saints as -3 point home favorites.

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Jeff Garcia has a firm grasp of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers West Coast offense, but Garcia could be a little bit rusty in his first game after missing most of training camp. With Garcia expected to be a little off, the Bucs will need RB’s Earnest Graham, Warrick Dunn and Michael Bennett to be productive. Graham has shown some ability, but new Saints MLB Jonathan Vilma is a ballhawk that should be a difference maker. The Saints spent good money on improving their defensive front and they are expecting DE Bobby McCrary and DT Sedrick Ellis to help put the heat on Garcia. Tampa Bay will have a rookie starting at right guard and the Saints could blow up some plays in the backfield One area of concern for the Saints is their shaky secondary going up against Bucs WR Joey Galloway. The Saints are vulnerable to big pass plays and Galloway is very explosive downfield. The NFL betting odds OVERUNDER for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs New Orleans Saints game is at 42.5 points.

Drew Brees runs the show in New Orleans and the Saints offense can score on anybody in the NFL. Brees has a group of underrated wideouts that know how to score and get open. It will be up to rookie Tampa CB Aquib Talib to help a Tampa against the Saints potent spread formations. Newly added Saints TE Jeremy Shockey could also be a major red-zone threat but he is questionable for Sunday’s game with a leg injury. Brees can’t do it all on his own however, and the Saints need more production from their high profile running backs. RB Reggie Bush has been a bust as a rusher and Deuce McAllister hasn’t shown he has recovered from knee surgery. The Buccaneers D has developed some teeth to their pass-rush with the emergence Gaines Adams who could be a Pro-Bowler this season. The Bucs run defense has some aging stars that have lost a step but they still remain a top-5 NFL defense. Are the Buccaneers the sleepers of the NFC South? Was last year just an aberration for the Saints?

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