The New Orleans Saints will be hosting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in what will be the black and gold’s first divisional matchup in the 2025 regular season. As the Saints try to avoid their fourth home loss, the Bucs will be seeking their fourth road victory of the year.
The name of the game for the Bucs’ offense right now is simply injuries. The Buccaneers currently sit at 5-2 and lead the NFC South, but a lot of their offensive production has been out, are currently out, or have been ruled out for the remainder
of the season.
The number one concern for Tampa is the loss of star wide receiver Mike Evans to an injury in their recent game, a Monday Night Football defeat at the hands of the Detroit Lions. Evans went down with what was eventually determined to be a broken clavicle (collarbone), which will keep him sidelined for the majority of, if not the rest of the year.
Wideout Chris Godwin and tailback Bucky Irving are both out for the game versus New Orleans, while quarterback Baker Mayfield and rookie standout Emeka Egbuka remain questionable. Although the Buccaneers may not be at their full strength against the Saints, New Orleans can ill-afford to take this Tampa team lightly. There is talent all around the field.
New Orleans is not without health concerns of their own on the defensive side of the ball. Edge Chase Young is dealing with an illness, while cornerback Isaac Yiadom is expected to remain sidelined as he continues to battle a nagging hamstring injury. Rookie Quincy Riley will continue to fill the void.
The Saints’ pass rush once again failed to answer the bell last week against the Bears. They managed to sack Caleb Williams just once during the contest. With as poor as the pass coverage has been for New Orleans in recent weeks, Brandon Staley’s group has got to find a way to get after the quarterback.
These are the games you’ve got to win. You’re at home, playing against a rival, the first meeting of the season, and time to set the tone. How will the New Orleans Saints come out and perform in front of the Superdome crowd? How much room for error does this team have before moves are made? We’ll find out Sunday afternoon.
