Bucs Defense Bails Out Sluggish Offense as The Cavalry Arrives

The New Orleans Saints travel to Tampa Bay to take on the Buccaneers in a huge NFC South divisional clash, but for the Bucs, the bigger story isn’t who’s playing, it’s who’s finally practicing. Tampa Bay’s offense has been struggling, scraping by with a 20-17 win against the Cardinals last week to break a tough three-game skid and hold onto their division lead. Frankly, that win wasn't pretty. Quarterback Baker Mayfield, dealing with a left shoulder sprain, only managed 194 yards passing, and the offense sputtered, generating a pathetic 279 total yards. The highlight of the day? All-Pro Left Tackle Tristan Wirfs caught a trick-play touchdown pass. When your offensive line is scoring, you know things are desperate, even though the defense is doing enough to hold on.

This sluggishness has been entirely due to injuries, but help is finally walking through the door. The big news that dropped this week is that the Bucs' receiving corps is about to get a massive boost. Top wideout Mike Evans, who’s been out with a fractured clavicle, and promising young receiver Jalen McMillan are both expected to return to practice. McMillan, who suffered three fractured vertebrae earlier in the season, just got the all-clear from a spine specialist, which is huge for the long term. This comes just one week after Chris Godwin and running back Bucky Irving returned from long absences, immediately making an impact in the ground game.

Head Coach Todd Bowles even said the offense is "very, very close" to hitting their ceiling, and getting Evans and McMillan back in uniform could be the trigger that flips the switch. The Saints' offense, which the Bucs defense handled easily in their first meeting this year, needs to be praying that Tampa Bay’s stars stay on the sideline. If the Bucs are even close to full strength, they’re a totally different team. The Saints will rely on their defense to contain Mayfield, but facing a potentially loaded receiving corps is a nightmare when they need a win to close the gap in the division.

Betting Picks & Predictions

The Bucs are currently 9-point favorites with a low total of 42 ½, which shows you how much respect the betting public has for their defense and how little confidence there is in their current offense or the Saints' ability to score. Here’s the killer trend: Tampa Bay is 2-4 against the spread after a win this season. They tend to ease up and play down to competition, which is exactly what happened last week against the Cardinals.

Even with the receivers potentially returning, Tampa Bay might not be able to cover a touchdown-plus margin against a divisional opponent who knows them well. I think the Bucs win the game straight up because of their defense, but the Saints cover that huge number. Prediction: Take the Saints +9.