The Tampa Bay Buccaneers host the unbeaten New Orleans Saints, Sunday Nov 22, as the Bucs look for back to back wins on home soil. The Bucs have won three of the past four. NFL oddsmakers at Sportsbook.com have the Saints as -11.5 point road favs over the Buccaneers with the over/under set at 51 points . Be sure to get your New Orleans Saints vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers NFL Week 11 Predictions in now at Sportsbook.com
The Saints (9-0) won in St.Louis 28-23 in Week 10 and still have a commanding lead in the NFC South. QB Drew Brees made 18 of 26 passes for 223 yards with two TD passes and two interceptions; overall he’s thrown for 2,558 yards with 19 TD passes and nine interceptions for a 104.6 passer rating. RB Reggie Bush had six carries for 83 yards with a TD and he made two catches for 15 yards with the winning TD, while WR Devery Henderson made four catches for 72 yards. WR Robert Meachem added a TD. The Saints defense gave up a high 141 yards on the ground and 253 yards in the air to the Rams. The pressure of having a perfect record seems to have worn on the Saints over the past few weeks. The Saints needed second-half comebacks to beat the Dolphins and Panthers, and nearly got taken down by the struggling Rams last week . Tampa Bay is playing at a high enough level right now that if the Saints aren't sharp, they could get upset. Brees has seven interceptions in his last four games, and he must watch out for the red hot Bucs CB Aqib Talib who has five picks already this season. He has the ability to capitalize should Brees make an errant throw. But, regardless of his interceptions they have the league’s best offense to strike at any moment. Their pass game is ranked fourth best and their running game is fifth best, thanks to RB’s Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas, who have a combined 12 TD’s. The Saints average 36.8ppg and give up 21.9ppg, while they are 4-0 SU on the road where they average 37.2ppg and allow 21.5ppg. They are 6-3 ATS and 6-3 over/under.
The Buccaneers (1-8) lost in Miami 23-25 in Week 10 and still sit dead last in the NFC South. QB Josh Freeman made 16 of 28 passes for 196 yards with one TD pass and an interception; overall he’s thrown for 417 yards with four TD passes and eight interceptions in two starts for a 79.9 passer rating. RB Carnell Williams had 14 carries for 52 yards with a TD, while WR Kellen Winslow made seven catches for 102 yards. WR Maurice Stovall added a TD. The Bucs have played a lot better since QB Freeman was giving control in Week 9. He has four TD’s in his two starts and his teammates seem to have responded to his leadership. It will be tough for him this week against a Saints defense that has preyed on young quarterbacks in 2009. The Saints defense is ranked 21srt overall with an 18th ranked pass defense and a 20th ranked rush defense. The Bucs best chance at moving the chains will be to use short passes and let RB Williams ground n pound . Punt returner Clifton Smith is second in the NFL with an average of 30.1 yards per kickoff return and Kicker Connor Barth became the fourth player in NFL history with three 50-plus yard field goals in a game last week. The Bucs average 17.4ppg and give up 28.4ppg, while they are 1-4 SU at home where they average 17.4ppg and allow 29.8ppg. They are 3-6 ATS and 6-3 over/under.
Recent Trends to Consider:
- Over is 6-1 in the last 7 meetings.
- Saints are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 meetings in Tampa Bay.
- Underdog is 10-4 ATS in their last 14 meetings.
- Road team is 9-3 ATS in their last 12 meetings.
New Orleans Saints vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers
When: Sun, Nov 22, 2009 1:00 PM ET
Line: Sportsbook.com
Pick: Bucs +11.5
Point-Spreads.com New Orleans Saints vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers NFL Week 11 Predictions
The Bottom Line: The Bucs won’t win, but they are a better team with a new QB and the Saints have had troubles finishing. Be sure to get your New Orleans Saints vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers NFL Week 11 Predictions in now at Sportsbook.com and get a 50% Deposit Bonus and $25 Free Bet at Sportsbook.com, simply use promo code WIN100 and start winning today!
