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Buccaneers at Saints: Five Game-Changing Players

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 7:00 p.m. ET

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Dec 11, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton (R) greets Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Dirk Koetter (L) prior to their game at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports

This Saturday, the Buccaneers (8-6) head to New Orleans for a 4:25 matchup with the Saints (6-8). Here, we break down five players that can change the outcome of the game.

The Buccaneers won five in a row before a 26-20 loss to the Cowboys this past Sunday. They now sit a game back of the NFC South lead and fell out of their wild card spot. Although they no longer control their own playoff destiny, wins in each of the final two weeks would give them the best shot at reaching the postseason.

In the loss to Dallas on Sunday night, Tampa Bay saw a lot of things go wrong. Jameis Winston struggled, the offensive line was bad and there wasn’t much the defense could do to stop Dak Prescott or Ezekiel Elliott. The loss snapped the Bucs’ five-game winning streak, which started back on November 13 against the Bears.

This past Sunday, the Saints bounced back from their week 14 loss to the Bucs with a 48-41 win over the Arizona Cardinals. Drew Brees completed 37 of his 48 passes for 389 yards and four touchdowns. The previous two weeks, he didn’t find the end zone and threw six interceptions.

New Orleans doesn’t have much to play for, but it can spoil Tampa Bay’s playoff chances this Saturday. Which five players can change the game?

Nov 13, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end Robert Ayers (91) takes the field prior to the game against the Chicago Bears at Raymond James Stadium. The Buccaneers won 36-10. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

Robert Ayers

The Buccaneer defense is at its best when it can get pressure on the quarterback. Robert Ayers is a big part of that for Tampa Bay. When he gets into the backfield, things tend to go well for the Bucs. When they met the Saints in week 14, Ayers sacked Drew Brees once and hit him four times. If Tampa Bay wants to pick up another win over New Orleans, they’ll need Ayers to come up with a similar performance to the one he produced in the last matchup.

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When Brees has time to throw, he can pick apart any defense. Even though Tampa Bay only sacked him once in week 14, it was getting consistent pressure on him. That helped the secondary come up with three interceptions on the afternoon. Stopping the New Orleans offense starts with stopping Brees. To do that, the Bucs will need to disrupt his rhythm. If he settles into a groove, it could be dangerous. Just ask the Arizona defense.

This season, Ayers has proven to be a solid pickup for the Bucs. He has 25 tackles (18 solo), five and a half sacks and a forced fumble. If he can continue to put pressure on the quarterback, Tampa Bay will have a much better chance at slowing down opposing offenses. He can change the game this Saturday by disrupting the pocket and forcing Brees to make mistakes.

Dec 18, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas (13) catches a touchdown against Arizona Cardinals cornerback Brandon Williams (13) in the fourth quarter at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Saints defeated the Cardinals 48-41. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Michael Thomas

There was one glaring absence from the New Orleans offense when it came to Tampa Bay two weeks ago. Rookie wide receiver Michael Thomas missed the game with an injury, and the Bucs took advantage of that. There’s no way that anyone can say that Thomas’ absence was the only reason that Tampa Bay shut down Drew Brees and his offense, but there’s no denying that it played a part.

The Bucs couldn’t exactly shut down the Cowboys’ top receiver last week. Dez Bryant caught eight passes for 82 yards, playing a big part in Dallas’ strong offensive performance. New Orleans will undoubtedly try to bounce back from a poor week 14 performance against Tampa Bay. Thomas should figure into the game plan heavily, considering that the Bucs haven’t seen him first-hand yet.

Through 13 NFL games, the former Ohio State Buckeye has hauled in a team-high 76 passes for 883 yards and eight touchdowns. He has been one of the most productive players for the Saints, and if he gets a lot of targets on Saturday afternoon, he could make a major difference against a Bucs secondary that is looking to bounce back from a rough performance last week.

Dec 11, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (13) points against the New Orleans Saints during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the New Orleans Saints 16-11. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Mike Evans

In the last couple of weeks, Mike Evans hasn’t been himself. He’s still been productive, but he hasn’t played up to his standards. For the last three weeks, he has been held under five catches and 100 yards. And, the last time he found the end zone was in week 12 against the Seahawks. The Bucs will need him to step up this Saturday against the Saints.

You wouldn’t be able to tell by looking at the week 14 game, but New Orleans doesn’t have a very good defense. It gave up 425 total yards last week, including 309 through the air. Jameis Winston and the Buccaneer offense didn’t do a whole lot against the Saints two weeks ago, but they’ll be looking to bounce back this week. In that game, Evans was held to four catches on eight targets for 42 yards. He’ll need to be a major part of the offense this week.

No. 13 was named to the Pro Bowl earlier this week, and it’s much deserved. He has caught 84 passes for 1,159 yards and 10 touchdowns this season. His production earlier in the season was insane, and it would be a big difference for the Bucs this Saturday if he can get back to that.

Dec 11, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; New Orleans Saints defensive end Paul Kruger (99),defensive end Cameron Jordan (94) and free safety Vonn Bell (48) celebrate after they get a safety against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first half at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Cameron Jordan

Just like the Bucs need a pass rush to disrupt Drew Brees, the Saints will need one to slow down Jameis Winston. That pressure could come from sixth-year veteran Cameron Jordan. He finished the week 14 matchup with five tackles (two solo), half a sack and two hits on the quarterback. This season, he has 54 tackles (36 solo) and six and a half sacks.

The Tampa Bay offensive line was a major problem against Dallas last Sunday. Winston was sacked four times and hit nine times. Especially late in the game, the Bucs’ offensive line couldn’t keep anyone out of the backfield. There were multiple opportunities in the fourth quarter for the Bucs to come back and beat the Cowboys, but they couldn’t get anything going. Most of the trouble came from the fact that the offensive line wasn’t stopping anybody.

If Jordan gets through the line repeatedly like David Irving was doing for Dallas, the Bucs won’t have an easy time on Saturday. Things could look better if Demar Dotson can clear concussion protocol and return to the field. Either way, Tampa Bay needs to get its offensive line on track this weekend. That might be tough to do with Jordan on the field.

Dec 11, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Brent Grimes (24) intercepted the ball from New Orleans Saints wide receiver Brandon Coleman (16) during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the New Orleans Saints 16-11. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Brent Grimes

One of the top offseason acquisitions for the Bucs was cornerback Brent Grimes. He’s experienced some ups and downs this year, but he has played better in recent weeks. Back in week 14, he intercepted Drew Brees in the Bucs’ 16-11 win. He’ll have a tougher task this time around, as it looks like the Saints will have both Brandin Cooks and Michael Thomas healthy.

New Orleans will focus heavily on its passing game, looking to expose the Tampa Bay secondary. Grimes is the leader of that group, and he should be called upon to step up in this big week 16 matchup. Whether he covers Cooks or Thomas, his play will have a major impact on the final score. The Bucs need him to be at his best in this must-win game, and if he isn’t, things might not look to good on the scoreboard.

The Saints threw all over a solid Arizona secondary last week, putting up 358 passing yards and 48 points. New Orleans will lean heavily on the arm of Brees, so if Grimes can shut down his man throughout the afternoon, that will be a big deal for Tampa Bay. The Pro Bowl alternate has to come through on Saturday if the Bucs want to keep themselves firmly in contention for a playoff spot.

Well, Bucs fans, this is a big one on Saturday. Who do you think changes the game this weekend in New Orleans? Let us know in the comments, on Twitter or on Facebook.