The red hot Tampa Bay Buccaneers host the disheveled New Orleans Saints, Sunday Oct 17, as the Saints try to find their game. The Bucs won their last meeting 20-17 (OT), on the road, on 12/27/09. NFL oddsmakers at BETUS.com have the Saints as -4.5 point road favorites over the Rams while the game's total has been posted at 43.5 points. Be sure to get your NFL Week 6 Picks: New Orleans Saints vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers Betting Odds in now at BETUS.com
The Saints (3-2) lost in Arizona 20-30 last week. QB Drew Brees completed 24 of 39 passes for 279 yards with two TD’s, but three interceptions. RB Ladell Betts was top runner with a low 44 yards while they amassed 85 yards rushing against the Cardinals 28th ranked rush defense. WR Robert Meachem and TE Jeremy Shockey each added a TD as the Saints had 273 pass yards against the Cardinals 26th ranked pass rush. Sean Payton sees a troubling pattern of fundamental breakdowns as the primary cause. "We'll put a quick drive together, move the ball with efficiency, and the very next sequence, we'll have a penalty or a minus play, or a turnover," Payton said Monday after reviewing video. "You can't operate that way and expect to have real good results." The Saints have lost two of three games since running back Reggie Bush fractured a bone in his lower right leg. Pierre Thomas, the Saints' leading rusher last season, has missed the past two games with a left ankle injury. Thomas is currently listed as questionable Sunday and Bush is mid-November. The Saint offense is ranked 10th overall (346ypg) with the fifth best ranked pass game (271ypg) and the leagues worst ranked running game (75ypg). They score the 18th most points per-game (19.8ppg). They’ll be up against the Bucs 18th ranked defense (340ypg), the league’s ninth best ranked pass rush (197ypg) and 30th ranked rush defense (143ypg). The Bucs give up the 15th most points per-game (20ppg).
The Buccaneers (3-1) won in Cincinnati 24-21 after Connor Barth kicked a 31-yard field goal with 1 second left. QB Josh Freeman made 20 of 33 passes for 280 yards with one TD and an interception. RB Earnest Graham had three carries for 65 yards with a TD, while WR Mike Williams made seven catches for 99 yards with a TD. Center Jeff Faine will be out "a few weeks" with a quadriceps injury, the team announced . Faine is in his eighth season in the NFL and has started 32 games for the Bucs since 2008.
The Bucs offense is ranked 21st overall (313ypg) with a 19th ranked pass game (210ypg) and a 18th ranked running game (103ypg). They are ranked 21st in scoring, averaging 18.5ppg. They’ll be up against the Saints ninth ranked defense (306ypg), their seventh ranked pass rush (187ypg) and 22nd ranked rush defense (118ypg). The Saints give up the 18th amount of points per-game (20.4ppg). Tampa Bay has won five of its last seven games overall and a Bucs victory Sunday, coupled with a Falcons loss at Philadelphia, would give the young Bucs sole possession of first place in the NFC South through six weeks.
Recent Trends to Consider:
- Saints are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 meetings in Tampa Bay.
- Underdog is 11-5 ATS in their last 16 meetings.
- Road team is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings.
- Saints are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games as a road favorite of 3.5-10.0.
- Saints are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games as a favorite.
- Saints are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games overall.
- Buccaneers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games after accumulating more than 350 total yards in their previous game.
- Buccaneers are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games as an underdog of 3.5-10.0.
- Buccaneers are 11-4 ATS in their last 15 games as a home underdog of 3.5-10.0.
New Orleans Saints vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers
When: Sun, Oct 17, 1:00 PM ET
Line: BETUS.com
Pick: Bucs +4.5
Point-Spreads.com NFL Week 6 Picks: New Orleans Saints vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers Betting Odds
The Bottom Line: The Bucs are confident, they Saints aren’t. Be sure to get your NFL Week 6 Picks: New Orleans Saints vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers Betting Odds in now at BETUS.com and receive up to 155% in Cash Bonuses and start winning today!
