Bucs Aim to Strengthen NFC South Lead with Crucial Win Against Struggling Saints

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Despite Baker Mayfield’s criticisms of the New Orleans Saints’ defensive tactics, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have consistently outperformed their division rival in recent matchups.

Mayfield shared his thoughts this week on his encounters with the Saints, noting, “Their play hasn’t exactly been clean when we face them.” Since joining Tampa Bay in 2023, Mayfield has faced New Orleans four times, securing victories in three of those contests.

After a disappointing defeat in Detroit, the Buccaneers, boasting a 5-2 record, are eager to maintain their lead in the NFC South as they prepare to face the struggling Saints, who currently stand at 1-6, this Sunday.

“There’s not much more to say,” Mayfield continued, “other than the fact that I don’t like them.”

Rookie Saints head coach Kellen Moore seemed unfazed by Mayfield’s remarks, taking it all in stride.

For one, this is Moore’s first time experiencing this matchup since New Orleans hired him after he helped the Philadelphia Eagles win last season’s Super Bowl as offensive coordinator.

And what coach doesn’t relish bulletin-board material for his locker room?

“Division games are always fun,” Moore said with a knowing grin. “They’re a little bit different. … You know each other very, very well. My understanding is this is a phenomenal rivalry.”

Since Tom Brady’s final NFL season with Tampa Bay in 2022, the Bucs have won five of six against the Saints.

New Orleans, which currently has the worst record in the NFC, has lost its previous two games this season — as well as its past two meetings with the Bucs last season.

Tampa Bay coach Todd Bowles takes no comfort in that, though.

“All our division games are tough,” Bowles said, adding that the Superdome is “a tough place” for a visiting team to play.

“We’re preparing for a battle,” Bowles said.

Seeking balance

The Buccaneers passed on 54 of 66 plays in a 24-9 loss to Detroit even though the score was within reach for most of the first three quarters.

Mayfield had his worst game of the season, completing just 56% of those passes with one interception. Bowles would prefer offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard run the ball a little more.

Too much passing is “not a good formula for success; we can’t run the ball 11, 12 times and throw it 50-plus times,” Bowles said. “We’ve got to be more balanced than that. We were in the game enough — 14-3 at the half — for us to run it a little bit more. The circumstances got crazy at the end, but we’ve got to be more balanced than that and we’ve got to establish more of a run game.”

Familiar faces

Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler started both of last year’s losses to Tampa Bay while since-retired QB Derek Carr was injured.

But Rattler has an entire NFL offseason under his belt at this point and took many first-team snaps throughout camp on his way to winning the starting job. He sees himself as a more prepared player.

“It’s totally different, having more games under my belt,” said Rattler, who is 1-12 in his NFL career as a starter. “I definitely have grown since that first start. … Definitely feel better coming into this game. That’s for sure.”

But Rattler’s respect for Bowles’ ability to tailor defensive game plans to each week’s matchups leaves the Saints’ second-year QB expecting some surprises.

“It’s going to be a different thing every time you play him,” Rattler said. “The looks are going to be different than last year; the looks are going to be different than last week.”

Rattler has his own issues to worry about after committing four turnovers on three interceptions and a lost fumble during a 26-14 loss to Chicago last weekend. The performance was a deviation for Rattler, who had thrown just one interception in his six previous games.

“Didn’t play how I wanted to play,” Rattler said. “It’s all fixable things. That’s what’s good.”

“Definitely don’t plan on doing that every game,” he added. “I’m not going to be scared to take shots down the field. I don’t want to play timid. So, just got to pick your spots.”

Banged-up Bucs

The Buccaneers will be missing five starters and other key players on offense, including wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, and running back Bucky Irving.

They have plenty of depth and Mayfield has playmakers around him, but getting healthy during their upcoming bye week will be a priority.

“Until we just lost, nobody was complaining or moaning about it,” Mayfield said. “It is the nature of the game. You know you have a game every week until your bye. So, you figure it out and move on. … Guys know they have to get ready physically, as well as you possibly can, to play and go from there.”