Saints Pass Defense vs. Buccaneers Passing Attack

New Orleans is one of the few teams to have defensive success against Tom Brady and the Buccaneers offense. The Saints will need a Herculean defensive effort to upset Tampa Bay on Sunday.

Author:
Bob Rose
Publish date:
Dec 18, 2021 12:00 PM EST

In this story:

New Orleans Saints

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The 6-7 New Orleans Saints play the 10-3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the road on Sunday Night Football.

Tampa Bay has won four straight and could clinch the NFC South with a win. The Saints, winners of four straight division titles, snapped a five-game losing streak with a victory over the Jets last week.

New Orleans has had their worst offensive season in the 16-year tenure of head coach Sean Payton. Their playoff hopes rest mostly on the strength of one of the NFL's better defenses. They give up an average of 339.5 yards per game, ranking 11th in the league.

The Saints face the NFL's top-ranked offense in the Buccaneers. Tampa Bay averages a league-best 410 yards and 31.5 points/game. They've scored over 30 points in four straight contests and eight times in total. The Bucs are one of the league's most efficient teams on third downs and in the red-zone.

Tampa Bay ranks just 25th in rushing yardage, but have proven that they can run in big games. That might be a challenge against the Saints sixth-ranked run defense.

New Orleans has shown some vulnerability against the pass. They'll be challenged by future Hall of Fame QB Tom Brady and a bevy of talented receivers.

SAINTS PASS DEFENSE VS. BUCCANEERS PASSING ATTACK

New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan (94) knocks the ball from Tampa Bay quarterback Tom Brady (12), causing a fumble. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

New Orleans ranks 18th in pass defense, allowing 244.5 yards/game. They've surrendered three 300-yard outings, but two of those were to mediocre quarterbacks Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones. Opposing passers have completed 62.5% of their attempts against the Saints, who have intercepted 14 throws.

Pass rush is the biggest key to the Saints success. New Orleans has 84 QB hits, but just 29 sacks this season after a combined 145 sacks the previous three years.

Edge rushers Tanoh Kpassagnon (4 sacks, 11 pressures) and Payton Turner are on injured reserve. Several other players along the defensive line have also missed time this year.

One of those players was DE Marcus Davenport, who has developed into a disruptive force. Davenport has 13 pressures and a team-high 5.5 sacks in just seven games. The fifth-year end has become nearly unblockable when healthy.

Pro Bowl DE Cam Jordan hasn't had his best year. However, he's still a capable pass rusher opposite Davenport. Jordan has 4 sacks and a team-high 21 pressures. In 21 career games against the Buccaneers, Jordan has 15 sacks, 30 QB hits, and six fumbles forced or recovered.

With Kpassagnon and Turner sidelined, Carl Granderson and Jalyn Holmes provide depth along the edge. Granderson is an underrated pass rusher with 3 sacks and 14 pressures on limited snaps.

David Onyemata and Shy Tuttle handle starting defensive tackle duties. Tuttle is better against the run, while Onyemata is the Saints most disruptive interior defender. In seven games of action he has just a half sack, but 11 QB pressures.

New Orleans Saints free safety Marcus Williams (43) intercepts a pass intended for Tampa Bay receiver Mike Evans (13). Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

The Saints secondary is as talented as any in the league, but has struggled with consistency. They've shut down some of the NFL's most talented receivers, but have had breakdowns against less-regarded wideouts.

Shutdown CB Marshon Lattimore typically shadows an opponent's best receiver. Lattimore has allowed just 55% completion rate when targeted this season while intercepting 2 passes and breaking up 16 others.

Rookie CB Paulson Adebo has had a promising inaugural campaign. Adebo has been heavily targeted, but has mostly responded well. He has 2 interceptions and four passes broken up. Veteran CB Bradley Roby is a seasoned starter and gives the defense a trio of top-tier corners.

Chauncey Gardner-Johnson and P.J. Williams handle slot duties. Williams leads the team with three interceptions, returning one for a touchdown against the Buccaneers earlier this season. Gardner-Johnson has incredible versatility and is one of the defense's most underrated players.

Free safety Marcus Williams has as much range as any safety in the league. Worthy of Pro Bowl consideration, Williams has 2 interceptions and 8 passes broken up.

Veteran S Malcolm Jenkins is the team’s oldest player. He still provides adequate deep support in double-high safety alignments and is disruptive near the line of scrimmage.

The Saints have a trio of athletic and versatile linebackers. Demario Davis is one of the NFL's best defensive players. Davis not only leads the team in tackles for loss and total tackles, but is effective in coverage and as a pass rusher. He's broken up five passes while recording 3 sacks and 9 pressures.

Rookie LB Pete Werner has been a great addition to Davis and the athletic Kwon Alexander. Werner is intelligent in coverage and Alexander, like Davis, is active all over the field.

Tampa Bay Passing Game

Tampa Bay quarterback Tom Brady (12) passes the ball against New Orleans. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY

The Buccaneers have the NFL's top-ranked passing attack, averaging 314 yards/contest. The 43-year-old Brady continues to torch defenses if given protection. He leads the league with 36 touchdowns against just 10 interceptions while also leading the NFL in attempts, completions, and passing yardage.

Brady has seven games of over 300 yards this season and has the league's deepest corps of pass catchers to target. Four different players have combined for 14 outings of at least 90 yards receiving in 2021.

Boneheaded star WR Antonio Brown is suspended for a false vaccination card, but the team still has a wide array of weapons. Underrated WR Chris Godwin leads the Bucs with 92 receptions for 1,054 yards and five touchdowns.

Physical WR Mike Evans has added 63 catches for 885 yards and a team-high 11 scores. Veteran TE Rob Gronkowski has missed five games, but still has 38 receptions for 498 yards and six scores.

Godwin, Evans, and Gronkowski are considered among the league's best. The tight end spot has incredible depth with reliable Cameron Brate and athletic O.J. Howard. Wideout also has underrated depth with second-year WR Tyler Johnson, Scotty Miller, and veteran Breshad Perriman.

Brady relies on his running backs as check-down options. Giovani Bernard is on injured reserve, but RB Leonard Fournette is a valuable member of the passing attack. Fournette has 62 receptions, third on the team, for 421 yards and 2 scores.

The Buccaneers protect their quarterback with a physical offensive line. Brady has been sacked just 16 times this season. Second-year RT Tristan Wirfs is already one of the league’s best at his position. Veteran LT Donovan Smith is an experienced pass protector on the other side.

The Buccaneers have a trio of inside maulers that set up a consistent pass pocket for Brady. Guards Ali Marpet and Alex Cappa, along with C Ryan Jensen, are underrated blockers who set up a clean interior pocket for their signal caller.

What to Watch

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (12) reacts to loosing a fumble against New Orleans. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

The book on beating Tom Brady is to beat him up, especially with interior pressure. The Saints have defeated Brady in three of four meetings since he joined the Buccaneers.

In those four games, New Orleans sacked Brady 10 times and registered 35 pressures. During their three wins, the Saints allowed six touchdown passes while intercepting Brady 7 times, returning two for touchdowns.

New Orleans will have to control the line of scrimmage to shut down the run and pressure Brady consistently. Their coverage packages must also play at a top level, allowing extra time for the pass rush.

The Saints need to find an answer for WR Chris Godwin, who has three 100-yard outings, 606 yards on 39 receptions, and six touchdowns in nine career meetings.

Demario Davis and the linebackers must also contain Gronkowski, Fournette, and the tight ends so the secondary can focus on Tampa's wideouts.

The one-on-one matchup between CB Marshon Lattimore and WR Mike Evans is worthy of a pay-per-view event.

New Orleans Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore breaks up a touchdown pass to Buccaneers receiver Mike Evans. Mandatory Credit: Scott Clause/The Daily Advertiser via USA TODAY NETWORK

Lattimore has dominated Evans in seven of nine meetings against each other. Excluding two contests in 2018, Evans has a paltry 14 receptions for 185 yards and 3 scores in seven other showdowns.

Lattimore has been most responsible for holding Evans to just 36% catch rate against the Saints since 2017. He's held the Buccaneers Pro Bowler to two or fewer receptions five times, including in four of their last five matchups.

With little offensive firepower to stay with Brady in a shootout, it will be on the shoulders of the Saints defense to pull off an upset. With head coach Sean Payton sidelined after a positive COVID test, defensive coordinator Dennis Allen will assume coaching duties.

Allen and his star defenders have had the formula for beating Tom Brady several times. They'll need another Herculean effort on Sunday evening.