First Look: Buccaneers vs. Saints

Tom Brady and the Bucs come to town for a big and early NFC South showdown against the Saints in the Superdome.

Author:
John Hendrix
Publish date:
Sep 14, 2022 9:04 AM EDT

In this story:

The Saints (1-0) and Buccaneers (1-0) are set to meet inside the Caesar's Superdome for a very early and important NFC South meeting on Sunday. FOX is sending out their top broadcasting duo of Kevin Burkhardt and Greg Olsen to cover it, as the home opener promises to be a big spectacle. Here's our first look at the matchup with some of the areas and storylines we're looking at going into Week 2.

What to Watch For

AT HOME IN THE DOME: It's hardly a secret, but this is going to be an electric home opener for the Saints. Everyone knows what they're getting into. Expect the Superdome to be rocking and 'Who Dat Nation' to be super loud working against Tom Brady and company. The noise levels should hopefully help disrupt some things the Bucs will want to do offensively. Remember that getting into the Superdome has changed a bit this season, so if you're attending, be sure to have the mobile app and get in earlier than you normally do to not miss anything.

PASS RUSH REBOUND: The element of the mobile quarterback certainly poses a challenge for the Saints, as they weren't able to sack Marcus Mariota in Week 1 and just hit him once (Demario Davis). Now, they get to rebound against a very banged up offensive line of the Bucs. The Cowboys defense got home to Brady twice last week with four quarterback hits. Look for the rotation to take advantage and have a much better outing in Week 2.

Jameis Winston - Falcons Game 2022 — Sep 11, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Jameis Winston (2) throws a pass against the Atlanta Falcons in the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

OFFENSIVE LINE IMPROVEMENT: There were some good moments in pass protection for Jameis Winston when the team needed it most, but it was far from a perfect product. Winston was sacked four times on Sunday, some of them coming from missed assignments and others from protection breakdowns. Aside the Taysom Hill success, the rush attack had a mixed bag overall. This will be something to watch throughout the game, as the team just needs to get off to a better start on both sides of the ball.

ALVIN KAMARA STATUS: He is dealing with a rib injury and was spotted in the locker room following the game. He said that he's okay, but the team did add a familiar face in Latavius Murray on Tuesday. We'll get our first glimpse of who's available at practice on Wednesday, but this will be one to watch.