NFL Game Preview: Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints - Week 17

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints - Week 17

Game Preview Fantasy \| Game Notes \| Results & Schedule \| Injury Report \| Stat Comparisons \| Weather \| Team vs. Team History

MIN DET	13 20
Pre	Post

BUF NYJ	7 38
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CAR ATL	10 31
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TB NO	23 13
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CIN BAL	7 13
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PIT CLE	41 9
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MIA NE	7 38
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OAK KC	31 10
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SD DEN	33 28
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NYG WAS	17 14
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ARI SF	7 38
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JAC HOU	17 34
Pre	Post

DAL PHI	14 13
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CHI GB	3 10
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TEN IND	20 23
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STL SEA	6 16
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Week:	1 \| 2 \| 3 \| 4 \| 5 \| 6 \| 7 \| 8 \| 9 \| 10 \| 11 \| 12 \| 13 \| 14 \| 15 \| 16 \| 17
Playoffs:	Wild-Card \| Divisional Playoffs \| Conference Championships \| Super Bowl

Final Score Prediction

Saints 27, Buccaneers 23

Fantasy Player Rankings and Projections by Mike Krueger

Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Rank	Player	Projections
QB 17	Josh Freeman	Pass: 220, 1 TD Rush: 10, 0
RB 18	LeGarrette Blount	Rush: 80, 1 TD Rec: 0-0, 0
RB 48	Cadillac Williams	Rush: 30, 0 TD Rec: 3-20, 0
WR 19	Mike Williams	Rec: 6-80, 1 TD
WR 67	Sammie Stroughter	Rec: 3-40, 0 TD
WR 82	Maurice Stovall	Rec: 2-30, 0 TD
TE 11	Kellen Winslow	Rec: 4-40, 1 TD
K 5	Connor Barth	FG: 3/3 XP: 2/2
DEF 25	Defense / ST

View all Week 17 Rankings or Projections

New Orleans Saints
Rank	Player	Projections
QB 3	Drew Brees	Pass: 310, 2 TD Rush: 0, 0
RB 21	Reggie Bush	Rush: 50, 0 TD Rec: 4-30, 0
RB 50	Pierre Thomas	Rush: 30, 0 TD Rec: 0-0, 0
WR 14	Robert Meachem	Rec: 7-90, 1 TD
WR 27	Lance Moore	Rec: 5-70, 1 TD
WR 62	Marques Colston	Rec: 1-20, 0 TD
WR 86	Devery Henderson	Rec: 1-20, 0 TD
TE 15	Jimmy Graham	Rec: 4-40, 0 TD
TE 28	Jeremy Shockey	Rec: 2-20, 0 TD
K 8	Garrett Hartley	FG: 2/2 XP: 3/3
DEF 17	Defense / ST

Game Notes

Buccaneers 1st team since 1970 to start 10+ rookies & have winning season (excl. 1987)... QB Josh Freeman completed 21 of 26 (80.8 pct.) for 237 yards with 5 TDs vs. 0 INTs for career-high 144.2 rating last week. His 5 TDs tied franchise record... Rookie RB LeGarrette Blount rushed for career-high 164 yards in Week 16 & aims for 3rd in row with 100+ yards. Leads NFL rookies with 941 rush yards & needs 59 to reach 1,000. RB Cadillac Williams has rushed for 336 yards (112 per game) & TD in 3 games at NO... WR Mike Williams had 2 TDs last week. Leads NFL rookies with 61 catches, 924 rec. yards & 10 rec. TDs. His 10 rec. TDs are most by rookie in team history. TE Kellen Winslow had 7 catches for 98 yards & 2 TDs last wk. WR-KR Micheal Spurlock aims for 3rd in row vs. NO with TD (1 rec., 1 KR)... CB Ronde Barber has recorded 3 INTs in game 2 times in career; both vs. NO (12/23/01 & 12/4/05). LB Geno Hayes had career-high 2 sacks last week.

Saints QB Drew Brees has 4,424 yards, 2nd most in franchise history behind his team-record 5,069 in 2008. Has 426 completions, his NFL-record 3rd 400-completion season. In 10 starts vs. TB, has completed 225 of 332 (67.8 pct.) for 2,491 yards with 21 TDs vs. 8 INTs for 100.9 rating. Aims for 4th in row vs. TB with 100+ rating... RB Chris Ivory is 2nd among NFL rookies with 683 rush yards. RB-PR Reggie Bush has 65-yard PR-TD & 42-yard rec. TD in career vs. TB. RB Pierre Thomas has 8 TDs (5 rush, 3 rec.) in past 9 division games... WR Marques Colston has 1,023 rec. yards. Is 1st Saint with 1,000+ rec. yards in 4 of 1st 5 NFL seasons. WR Robert Meachem had career-high 10 catches (101 yards) last week. Has 4 TDs in past 3 meetings & aims for 4th in row vs. TB with TD. WR Lance Moore aims for 3rd in row vs. TB with TD. Rookie TE Jimmy Graham has 3 TDs in past 2... DE Will Smith has sack in 2 of past 3 meetings. Had sack last wk. S Roman Harper had 2 FFs in last game vs. TB. S Malcolm Jenkins had 1st career INT vs. TB (11/22/09).

Results and Schedule

Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week	Date	Opp	H/A	Score	Dif
1	2010-09-12	CLE	H	W 17-14	+3
2	2010-09-19	CAR	A	W 20-7	+13
3	2010-09-26	PIT	H	L 13-38	-25
4		Bye
5	2010-10-10	CIN	A	W 24-21	+3
6	2010-10-17	NO	H	L 6-31	-25
7	2010-10-24	STL	H	W 18-17	+1
8	2010-10-31	ARI	A	W 38-35	+3
9	2010-11-07	ATL	A	L 21-27	-6
10	2010-11-14	CAR	H	W 31-16	+15
11	2010-11-21	SF	A	W 21-0	+21
12	2010-11-28	BAL	A	L 10-17	-7
13	2010-12-05	ATL	H	L 24-28	-4
14	2010-12-12	WAS	A	W 17-16	+1
15	2010-12-19	DET	H	L 20-23	-3
16	2010-12-26	SEA	H	W 38-15	+23
17	2011-01-02	NO	A	W 23-13	+10

New Orleans Saints
Week	Date	Opp	H/A	Score	Dif
1	2010-09-09	MIN	H	W 14-9	+5
2	2010-09-20	SF	A	W 25-22	+3
3	2010-09-26	ATL	H	L 24-27	-3
4	2010-10-03	CAR	H	W 16-14	+2
5	2010-10-10	ARI	A	L 20-30	-10
6	2010-10-17	TB	A	W 31-6	+25
7	2010-10-24	CLE	H	L 17-30	-13
8	2010-10-31	PIT	H	W 20-10	+10
9	2010-11-07	CAR	A	W 34-3	+31
10		Bye
11	2010-11-21	SEA	H	W 34-19	+15
12	2010-11-25	DAL	A	W 30-27	+3
13	2010-12-05	CIN	A	W 34-30	+4
14	2010-12-12	STL	H	W 31-13	+18
15	2010-12-19	BAL	A	L 24-30	-6
16	2010-12-27	ATL	A	W 17-14	+3
17	2011-01-02	TB	H	L 13-23	-10
WC	2011-01-08	SEA	A

Injury Report

Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Out	FB Earnest Graham (Neck)
Questionable	WR Sammie Stroughter (Hamstring)
Probable	OT James Lee (Ankle) TE Kellen Winslow (Knee)
Suspended	FS Tanard Jackson (Substance Abuse, indefinitely)
IR	OLB Jon Alston (Undisclosed) WR Arrelious Benn (Torn Left ACL) OLB Quincy Black (Broken Arm) OC Jeff Faine (Triceps) FS Cody Grimm (Fibula) RB Kareem Huggins (Right Knee ACL) OG Davin Joseph (Foot) DT Gerald McCoy (Torn Right Biceps) DE Kyle Moore (Shoulder) DT Brian Price (Pelvis) CB Aqib Talib (Hip)

New Orleans Saints
Questionable	WR Marques Colston (Knee) DT Tony Hargrove (Knee) TE Jeremy Shockey (Groin) TE David Thomas (Knee) RB Pierre Thomas (Ankle) OLB Anthony Waters (Ankle)
Probable	DT Remi Ayodele (Ankle) DE Alex Brown (Shoulder) RB Reggie Bush (Chest) RB Chris Ivory (Hamstring) WR Robert Meachem (Toe) DT Jimmy Wilkerson (Foot)
IR	MLB Stanley Arnoux (Achilles) RB Ladell Betts (Neck) OLB Jonathan Casillas (Foot) CB Randall Gay (Head) LS Jason Kyle (Shoulder) SS Chris Reis (Shoulder) WR Courtney Roby (Concussion)

Offense Stats Comparison

	TB Offense	NO Offense	NFL Avg.	Adv.
Points for	20.5	29.8	22.5	NO
Rushing yards	148.0	99.3	118.5	TB
Rushing yards per attempt	5.18	4.10	4.32	TB
Completion %	60.3%	67.1%	60.4%	NO
Passing yards	198.5	290.3	214.4	NO
Passing yards per completion	10.75	10.64	10.80	TB
Passing yards per attempt	6.48	7.14	6.52	NO
Interceptions	0.0	1.5	1.0	TB
Fumbles lost	0.0	0.5	0.6	TB
Sacks allowed	1.5	1.5	2.2	-
3rd down conversions	42.5%	50.6%	38.2%	NO
4th down conversions	75.0%	0.0%	54.2%	TB
Time of possession	31:12	30:40	30:09	TB

Defense Stats Comparison

	TB Defense	NO Defense	NFL Avg.	Adv.
Points against	17.8	22.5	22.5	TB
Rushing yards	112.0	112.8	118.5	TB
Rushing yards per attempt	4.56	4.48	4.32	NO
Completion %	59.9%	64.0%	60.4%	TB
Passing yards	196.5	216.8	214.4	TB
Passing yards per completion	9.55	10.73	10.80	TB
Passing yards per attempt	5.72	6.87	6.52	TB
INT return	0.5	0.3	1.0	TB
Fumble recoveries	0.3	1.3	0.6	NO
Sacks	2.3	2.0	2.2	TB
3rd down conversions	37.2%	35.9%	38.2%	NO
4th down conversions	57.1%	66.7%	54.2%	TB
Time of possession	29:36	29:21	30:09	NO

Special Teams Stats Comparison

	TB	NO	NFL Avg.	Adv.
Yards per punt return	7.4	4.6	9.5	TB
Yards per kick return	22.8	21.4	21.5	TB
Yards allowed per punt return	5.8	11.8	9.5	TB
Yards allowed per kick return	20.6	23.4	21.5	TB

Misc Stats Comparison

	TB	NO	NFL Avg.	Adv.
Penalties	6.0	5.5	5.6	NO
Penalty yards	50.0	61.3	46.4	TB

Note: Team statistics are shown as the average per game through Weeks 11 to 16 of the 2010 season after deducting the best and worst value from the data set. The exception is yards per rush attempt, completion %, yards per pass completion, yards per pass attempt, 3rd and 4th down conversions, special teams and the NFL averages, which are each calculated based on totals through Weeks 11 to 16 with no adjustment.

Weather
Dome Stadium

Team vs. Team History

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. New Orleans Saints
Season	Week	Date	Vis	Home	Score	Winner
2001	15	2001-12-23	NO	TB	21-48	TB
2002	1	2002-09-08	NO	TB	26-20	NO
2002	13	2002-12-01	TB	NO	20-23	NO
2003	9	2003-11-02	NO	TB	17-14	NO
2003	14	2003-12-07	TB	NO	14-7	TB
2004	5	2004-10-10	TB	NO	20-17	TB
2004	15	2004-12-18	NO	TB	21-17	NO
2005	13	2005-12-04	TB	NO	10-3	TB
2005	17	2006-01-01	NO	TB	13-27	TB
2006	5	2006-10-08	TB	NO	21-24	NO
2006	9	2006-11-05	NO	TB	31-14	NO
2007	2	2007-09-16	NO	TB	14-31	TB
2007	13	2007-12-02	TB	NO	27-23	TB
2008	1	2008-09-07	TB	NO	20-24	NO
2008	13	2008-11-30	NO	TB	20-23	TB
2009	11	2009-11-22	NO	TB	38-7	NO
2009	16	2009-12-27	TB	NO	20-17	TB
2010	6	2010-10-17	NO	TB	31-6	NO

Note: Only playoff games from the 2004 to 2009 seasons are included in the team vs. team history. Playoff games from seasons prior to 2004 are not currently included in the database.

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