The 7-5 Tampa Bay Buccaneers will take on the 2-10 New Orleans Saints on Sunday in an NFC showdown. Four of the last five matchups for Tampa Bay are against a divisional opponent and the club will strive to stay in the driver's seat. The Bucs have won six of the past seven meetings with the Saints and will vie to win their fourth consecutive versus New Orleans for the first time in the series history. The Bucs snapped a three-game losing skid with a 20-17 victory over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 13 and will host a Saints' team looking to dethrone their its at Raymond James Stadium. Following kickoff, here are five Buccaneers to keep an eye on:
Jamel Dean
Jamel Dean is having the best year of his career. According to Next Gen Stats, he ranks first in the NFL among cornerbacks who have been targeted at least 35 times in passer rating allowed (26.6), completion rate allowed (41.5%), target EPA (33.1) and receptions allowed (17). He has not allowed a touchdown completion since Dec. 24, 2023, and has been a lockdown presence this season for Tampa Bay. Dean disrupts the catch space with his length and has the quickness to stay in position from press. He can get to top speed quickly and he will be paired with Chris Olave at some point on Sunday. Olave has racked up 73 receptions for 781 yards and five touchdowns. The Ohio State product drives the Saints' offense and is the team's vertical threat with gliding movements. He has the burst to create separation at all three levels of the field and can settle on short-to-intermediate routes.
Luke Goedeke
Luke Goedeke showed off his footwork and ability to uproot the opposition in the run game against the Cardinals. On Bucky Irving's 13-yard touchdown rush, Goedeke paved the way, pulling across the formation to create the seam. With tremendous strength, he works into the initial contact with stunning pop. Goedeke has good anticipation at the second level and has a successful anchor to survive bull rushes. On Sunday, he will face the Saints talented pass rushers: Cam Jordan, Carl Granderson and Chase Young. The trio have combined for 16.0 sacks and 66 quarterback pressures according to Next Gen Stats. Young has accumulated five sacks and has become a force for New Orleans since his arrival in 2024. He plays with aggression and explosiveness, erupting with a lethal first step. Granderson pairs stellar bend around the edge with burst into the backfield. He has an arsenal of counter moves including spins and push-pulls to work the inside. Goedeke will help solidify the line on Sunday, mitigating the Saints' effectiveness off the edge.
Emeka Egbuka
Bucs' rookie Emeka Egbuka is averaging 15.2 yards per catch and leads the Bucs with 791 receiving yards on 52 receptions. He is one of four rookies since 1970 to record 40-plus receptions and average at least 16.5 yards per reception through his first nine career games. He has routinely commanded double teams and has an innate feel for manipulating coverage in space with subtle maneuvers. With fluid route running and effective breaks to generate separation, Egbuka will look to pad his stat line against the Saints. He will go up against Kool-Aid McKinstry on Sunday, who leads the Saints with three interceptions. McKinstry is patient in matching releases and stays in phase with vertical routes. He plays with balance and outstanding ball-tracking skills.
Bucky Irving
Against the Cardinals in his first game back from injury, Bucky Irving posted 81 yards from scrimmage, including a 13-yard touchdown run to give Tampa Bay a 17-3 lead. He brought an added element of explosiveness to the ground game and created additional yardage with rare lateral jump-cuts and panoramic vision. On Sunday, he will likely face Demario Davis, the Saints' stout linebacker. He ranks fifth in the NFL with 111 tackles and imposes his will. Davis has superb read-and-react skills and calls out offensive plays before they happen. He is physical in the run game with jarring hits and can cover running backs effectively. Davis sets the standard at the Mike role and Tampa Bay will have to know where he is lined up on every play.
Antoine Winfield Jr.
The last time these two teams met, Antoine Winfield Jr. recorded an interception and a fumble recovery, fortifying the Bucs' defense. Against the Cardinals on Sunday, Winfield nabbed a pick off a Jamel Dean deflection to go with seven tackles and a quarterback hit. Off a timely blitz, Winfield went unblocked underneath Haason Reddick for the hit on Jacoby Brissett that forced an incompletion. The Bucs' interchangeable safety possesses outstanding recognition of plays designs and has the range to line up in the post and the physicality to play down in the box. Winfield naturally tracks the ball and will help fortify the Bucs' defense in Week 14.
