Buccaneers vs Saints: Betting preview, TV schedule, & best bets

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Buccaneers vs Saints promises to be a thriller

It’s scary to think that going into Sunday, there was only one win separating the entire NFC South. A win for the New Orleans Saints on Monday could see them shoot up toward the top of their division. The Saints dropped the opening clash of the season between these two and will be hungry to level the playing field on the road, but it won’t be easy.

How to watch Buccaneers vs Saints

Where: Raymond James Stadium
When: Monday December 5th, 8:15PM EST
How: ESPN, NFL Gamepass

Buccaneers vs Saints betting odds

  • Moneyline: Buccaneers -195| Saints +165
  • Against the spread: Buccaneers -3.5 | Saints +3.5
  • Over/Under: 40.5 points

Buccaneers vs Saints betting preview

The Saints have long been living rent-free in the head of Tom Brady, but the GOAT might fancy his chances against a flailing Saints team that was stunningly shut out one week ago. Alvin Kamara had two fumbles and couldn’t get anything going on the ground, while it became inherently clear that Andy Dalton might be enough to keep his team in games, but no longer has the edge to push them into winning situations.

The Bucs, meanwhile, fell narrowly short of the mark in overtime against the Cleveland Browns last week, but had won twice in a row before that. Their rushing offense might be atrocious, but they still rank 5th in passing and Tom Brady has only been sacked 17 times this season, ranking 2nd in the NFL. The Saints may well have the antidote here, ranking as the 7th best pass defense in the NFL, and 6th in sacks over the last 3 weeks. If New Orleans can suffocate Brady at the line of scrimmage and frustrate the wiley vet, they may have a shot.

As far as X-factors go, the Saints just have to stop giving the ball away. Their QB committee (?) has combined for 12 picks, while the offense has accounted for 9 fumbles. That number is far too high for a team that is trying to mount a playoff charge and will debilitate any attempts to win close games, as we’ve seen plenty of times this season. When you remember that Tom Brady is one of the smartest minds in football and has a 14-2 TD-INT ratio, it’s clear that turnovers will be few and far between, but giveaways could well be the opposite.

If that does prove to be the case, the Saints will constantly be fighting from behind, and it could actually give Tampa Bay an opportunity to establish a run-game that needs to find an identity.

Buccaneers vs saints
ATLANTA, GA Ð JANUARY 09: New Orleans running back Alvin Kamara (41) runs the ball during the NFL game between the New Orleans Saints and the Atlanta Falcons on January 9th, 2022 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire)

Buccaneers vs Saints pick

The total for this game sits at just 40.5 points and the Saints give away too many gifts to opposing defenses. The two combined for 30 points in their first meeting of the season, but I’d expect there to be a real sense of aggression from Tom Brady and company knowing that the Saints will struggle to keep up.

Pick: Over 40.5 points

Best Buccaneers vs Saints betting offers

Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire