Bucs vs. Saints Pregame Report - Week 13

It's put up or shut up for the Saints when they take the national spotlight against the Bucs in Tampa for Monday Night Football.

Author:
John Hendrix
Updated:
Dec 5, 2022 11:46 AM EST
Original:
Dec 5, 2022

In this story:

New Orleans Saints

The Saints (4-8) are down to their last strike when they take on the Bucs (5-6) in Tampa to close out Week 13. Atlanta losing again certainly helped out in the grand scheme of things, but this is all about whether or not New Orleans can dig deep and find themselves in prime time to help keep their season alive. Here's a look at all you need to know for tonight ahead of kickoff.

All-Time Series: The Saints lead the all-time series 39-22, and have won 7 out of the past 8 regular season matchups. Tampa has the lone playoff victory meeting from the 202 season.

Where to Watch: ESPN (7:15 p.m. CT), Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Lisa Salters (field reporter)

Where to Stream: FuboTV (Start Your Free Trial Here), Saints App, ESPN

Where to Listen: WWL Radio locally (105.3FM) with Mike Hoss, Deuce McAllister, and Steve Geller (sideline reporter); National Radio on Westwood One with Kevin Harlan and Kurt Warner; SIRIUS: 81 (NO), 85 (TB), 88 (National) | XM: 226 (NO), 225 (TB)

Referee: Clay Martin

Current Lines: Bucs -3.5 (O/U at 41)

Jersey Combo: Color Rush with Black Helmets

Last 5 Matchups

9/18/22 - Bucs 20, Saints 10
12/19/21 - Saints 9, Bucs 0
10/31/21 - Saints 36, Bucs 27
1/17/21 - Bucs 30, Saints 20 (NFC Divisional)
11/8/20 - Saints 38, Bucs 3

Saints Storylines

November 27, 2022; Santa Clara, California, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Andy Dalton (14) passes the football against San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa (97) during the third quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

OFFENSE? OFFENSE? OFFENSE? After being shut out last week against the 49ers for the first time since the 2001 regular season, the Saints have got to put in a sense of urgency tonight. They simply can't afford to be mediocre. They're going to need their big players like Alvin Kamara, Taysom Hill, and Chris Olave to help carry them through to get points on the board. Naturally, a lot will fall on Andy Dalton, who played pretty well last week despite the loss.

SET TO DEBUT: Not having Juwan Johnson (ankle) will certainly hurt the offense, but it does bode well for undrafted rookie Lucas Krull to get called up in some form or fashion for the game. He was getting some red zone work in the brief practice period we saw on Friday, and it'll be interesting to see if he can get some looks on the evening. It's a big spot for a rookie to be in, but Krull looks like he's up for the challenge.

STARTING CORNER LOOKS: It remains to be seen whether or not Marshon Lattimore suits up tonight, but based on some things we've seen at practice, it wouldn't appear that he would start even if he's active. New Orleans looks like they'll turn to Paulson Adebo and Alontae Taylor, with Bradley Roby commanding the slot. Things can naturally change, but not having Lattimore out there with the season on the line will certainly raise some questions.