Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Buccaneers vs Saints: Five Game-Changing Players

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Sep 20, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston (3) at the line against the New Orleans Saints during the second half of a game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Buccaneers defeated the Saints 26-19. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

This Sunday, the Buccaneers (7-5) welcome in the division rival New Orleans Saints (5-7) into Raymond James Stadium for a 4:25 matchup. Here, we break down five players that can change the outcome of this week’s NFC South clash.

After improving their road record to 5-1 with Sunday’s 28-21 win in San Diego, the Buccaneers return home this week. They will be meeting the Saints for the first time this year, and they will be looking to strengthen their positioning for a spot in the playoffs. The home crowd should be full of life and excitement for what is one of the biggest games at Raymond James Stadium in recent memory.

On Sunday, Tampa Bay kept its streak alive with a comeback win on the road. The Chargers led 14-7 at halftime, but the Bucs found a way to overcome the deficit, and injuries, to knock off Philip Rivers and company. The win helped the Bucs in a big way, especially considering the losses by the Falcons and Redskins. Currently, Tampa Bay sits tied for first in the NFC South, while also holding a wild card spot.

The Saints are coming off of a crushing 28-13 home loss to the Lions. They dropped to 5-7 on the year, which means they’ll likely have to win out to have any shot at the playoffs. Despite some inconsistency, New Orleans is still a tough team to beat. Head coach Sean Payton will have his team ready to play on Sunday.

The Bucs can become even stronger playoff contenders with a win this Sunday, while the Saints need a win to keep any hopes they have. Which five players can have a big impact on the final score?

Sep 20, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston (3) throws the ball against the New Orleans Saints in the second quarter at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

Jameis Winston

One of the most impressive things about this recent turnaround for the Bucs is the play of Jameis Winston. The second-year quarterback is missing some big pieces on offense, including Vincent Jackson and the departed Austin Seferian-Jenkins. But, he has made a pretty big impact with what he still has. Even with Mike Evans as the only bona-fide threat, Winston has thrown for 3,180 yards and 23 touchdowns, while completing 61.7 percent of his passes.

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The Saints are not good against the pass. Through 12 games this season, they have given up an average of 277 passing yards per game, which is tied for 29th in the NFL. Their other marks are pretty dismal as well. Teams average 7.8 yards per passing play against them (T-28th), and have thrown for 3,322 yards total against them (31st). That’s good news for Winston and the passing game.

“Famous Jameis” has been a big part of the team’s success, but the fact that he’s been able to rely on his group of receivers has been huge. Adam Humphries, Cameron Brate and Russell Shepard have all stepped up to give him options. And, with Cecil Shorts out for the rest of the year, the Bucs will need Freddie Martino and perhaps Donteea Dye or Josh Huff to be the next man up this week. No matter who does step up this Sunday, no. 3 can have a major effect on the final score.

Dec 13, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) throws the ball against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. New Orleans Saints defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24-17. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Drew Brees

Drew Brees is perhaps the only reason the Saints aren’t completely out of the playoff picture. He is having a monster year. The veteran has completed 71.4 percent of his passes this season, while throwing for 3,913 yards and 30 touchdowns. He and his 16 years of experience are undoubtedly a major source of leadership for New Orleans, and he is never an easy quarterback to beat.

The Bucs have been much better on defense in recent weeks against some pretty good quarterbacks. They’ve slowed down Alex Smith, Russell Wilson and Philip Rivers in consecutive weeks, and they’ve shown a lot of confidence in the process. The secondary has benefited from a strong pass rush, but the guys in that group are playing well in their own right. Vernon Hargreaves and Brent Grimes have found some consistency, and the “next man up” mentality has been very important. Alterraun Verner, Chris Conte, Keith Tandy, Bradley McDougald and Javien Elliot have all stepped up at different times in recent weeks.

Stopping Brees will be tough for the Tampa Bay defense. He has some young weapons at receiver in Brandin Cooks and Michael Thomas, who will provide a challenge for the streaking secondary of the Buccaneers. If Brees is able to shake off the three-interception game he had against the Lions and get back to his successful ways, he could very well lead his team to a major road win on Sunday.

Nov 13, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Gerald McCoy (93) against the Chicago Bears at Raymond James Stadium. The Buccaneers won 36-10. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

Gerald McCoy

The leadership of Jameis Winston during the winning streak has been big for the Bucs. But, it shouldn’t take away from the leadership that Gerald McCoy has shown. The Buccaneer veteran has always been a great leader, but it seems that his ability to lead has come out even more in recent weeks. Both on and off the field, he has stepped up. He can change the game in a big way this Sunday.

New Orleans hasn’t allowed a whole lot of hits on quarterback Drew Brees. The offensive line has allowed just 19 sacks and 52 hits on Brees, which is very good compared to the rest of the league. The Tampa Bay defensive line has been outstanding in recent weeks, and it will need to come up with another strong performance on Sunday. When Brees gets into a rhythm, he’s dangerous. The Bucs know they have to get after him, and that has to start with big no. 93, the leader in the middle.

McCoy leads the team in sacks with seven, while also forcing two fumbles and recovering two. He had a key sack early in the game against San Diego that ended up leading to a missed field goal. It was another instance in which he came up with a big play just when the Bucs have needed one. His consistency and leadership will be needed this Sunday if Tampa Bay wants to extend its winning streak to five games.

Nov 13, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints strong safety Kenny Vaccaro (32) returns an interception against Denver Broncos offensive guard Max Garcia (76) in the second half at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Broncos won, 25-23. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

Kenny Vaccaro

The Saints don’t have the best secondary in the league, but Kenny Vaccaro is definitely someone to watch out for. The fourth-year safety out of Texas is a threat to the Tampa Bay passing game. This season, he has 68 tackles (51 solo), a sack, two forced fumbles, two interceptions and four passes defended. If the Bucs want to air it out on Sunday afternoon, they’ll have to beat Vaccaro.

Tampa Bay is going to look for Mike Evans to get back on track after he was shut down last week. But, head coach Dirk Koetter has to make sure that Jameis Winston stays within himself and doesn’t try to force any throws. If he does, Vaccaro can take advantage. The New Orleans defense is giving up 27.9 points per game, which is third-worst in the NFL. The Bucs will look to get the offense rolling early, especially after struggling in the red zone once again against the Chargers. If they look to throw the ball all over the Saints, they need to know where Vacarro is at all times.

The Bucs should be favored in this game at home, but a few big plays can change things in a major way. Vacarro can turn things in his team’s favor with a big pick or a turnover of any kind. But, if Tampa Bay can stay away from turning the ball over on offense, it could be a long day for the New Orleans defense.

Nov 13, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cameron Brate (84) against the Chicago Bears at Raymond James Stadium. The Buccaneers won 36-10. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

Cameron Brate

Behind Mike Evans, Cameron Brate is the no. 2 target for Jameis Winston. When Evans got shut down this past Sunday, Brate came through in a big way. He finished the day with six catches on nine targets for 86 yards and a big touchdown. Especially in recent weeks, he has become a major part of the offense. If he can continue to produce, the Bucs will have a much easier time against the Saints.

In nine out of 12 games this season, New Orleans has allowed four or more catches to opposing tight ends. Only twice has the defense given up over 100 yards to a tight end, but it has allowed four touchdowns. The defense isn’t much of a strength for the Saints, so Brate catching passes over the middle may be a frequent sight this Sunday. But if he can’t get going, it’ll be tough for the Bucs to put a lot of points up on the board.

Evans will always be the primary target, but Brate should continue to get secondary looks. He’s a solid target on third downs and in the red zone. Tampa Bay needs to continue to feature him in a big way. If he gets a lot of looks, the Bucs will have a much better chance of getting through the Saints for their fifth straight win.

Who do you think will impact the final score this Sunday, Bucs fans? Sound off in the comments, on Twitter or on Facebook.

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