Game Overview
As the Breeder’s Cup betting comes to a close,TampaBay head coach Raheem Morris can feel the pressure in the NFC South. Morris and his Buccaneers were expected to be one of the up and coming teams in the NFC, but the Bucs cannot seem to win big games when it needs to. At 4-3,TampaBay is tied for second in the NFC South with the Atlanta Falcons. But the Falcons have shown that it can overcome some of the earlier struggles that caused the team to start the season in the NFC South basement. The Bucs have been teetering on the brink of falling into a bad season. The loss inLondon,England to the Chicago Bears exploited the Buccaneers’ inability to stop the run. That is something the Saints look to rectify.
The price per head bookmaking experts do not usually list anger as a good reason to bet on a football team. But after the New Orleans Saints gave the St. Louis Rams its first win of the season in week eight, it is safe to say that the Saints are very angry. It was theNew Orleans defense giving up huge gains on the ground to Rams’ running back Steven Jackson and Saints’ quarterback Drew Brees throwing two key interceptions that lost the game for the Saints. The rest of the offensive and defensive units did not help the situation either. But the Saints are a veteran team that can learn from previous mistakes, and there were a lot of mistakes to learn from in week eight.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The price per head football fans in Tampa Bay know that the Buccaneers’ defense needs to start stepping up. The Tampa Bay defense is ranked 29th in the league and 26th against the pass. It would be easy to point fingers at a weak pass rush, but the Tampa defense is also ranked 23rd against the run. The Buccaneers are just giving up too many yards to the opposing offense while not putting its own offense in a position to win ball games. Quarterback Josh Freeman could help the cause by stepping up the production on offense. Freeman only has seven touchdown passes in seven games this season. Running back LeGarrette Blount only has three rushing touchdowns. The Bucs need to find ways to improve its game if it wants a chance to compete for the NFC South title.
New Orleans Saints
The two things that bet online New Orleans Saints fans can be assured that the Saints are working on this week are protecting and running the ball. Drew Brees threw two uncharacteristic interceptions in the week eight loss to the Rams that helped the Rams to win the game. Running backs Chris Ivory and Pierre Thomas combined for only 41 total rushing yards in that game. The two obstacles to the Saints fixing that running game is the loss of offensive lineman Charles Brown to injury for the season, and the possibility that rookie running back Mark Ingram may not play in this game. But the Saints will work on it, and Drew Brees will make sure the team is ready.
The Bottom Line
The NFL schedule is offering a test to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and so far the Bucs are not passing the test.TampaBay’s chances of getting better grades in its test will be challenged severely by an angry and determined New Orleans Saints team.
Pick: New Orleans Saints
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