The Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost a heartbreaker at the end of overtime in Cleveland in Week 12, but they still have a tenuous hold on first place in the NFC South and a bitter rival is coming to town for a prime-time affair.
The Buccaneers will take on the New Orleans Saints on Monday Night Football in Week 13, with kickoff scheduled for 8:15 p.m. ET on December 5. Tampa Bay will take a slim lead in the division into the weekend, as their 5-6 record is a half-game better than the 5-7 Atlanta Falcons and 1.5 above the 4-8 Saints and Carolina Panthers. The Buccaneers will be looking for their first season sweep of the Saints since 2007 after winning in New Orleans in Week Two by a 20-10 margin.
The Saints are coming off a 13-0 road loss to the San Francisco 49ers, in which they were held to 260 yards and 14 first downs, with star running back Alvin Kamara losing two fumbles. In Week Two, the Buccaneers picked off starting quarterback Jameis Winston three times in the fourth quarter to pull away to the 10-point victory, but in the weeks since Andy Dalton has taken over as the Saints' starter under center. On Sunday, Dalton completed 18 of 29 passes for 204 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions. The New Orleans defensed allowed only 317 yards but Niners quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo was 26 of 37 for 222 yards and the 49ers did not commit a turnover.
The Buccaneers will be playing in prime time for the fourth time this season. They opened the campaign with a rousing 19-3 win in Dallas on Sunday night in opening week but have subsequently lost to Kansas City on Sunday Night Football in Week Four and to Baltimore on Thursday Night Football in Week Eight.
Bucs fans attending the MNF game vs. the Saints are encouraged to wear red for a RED OUT!
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