An Inside Look at the Saints and Bucs

by Doug Miller, NewOrleansSaints.com
Sunday, September 07, 2008 - 7:00 AM

*The Saints lead the all-times series between the two teams, 19-13.

*Tampa Bay has a current two game winning streak after sweeping the season series in 2007. In 2006, the Saints swept the season series.

*Saints Head Coach Sean Payton has a 2-2 record as a head coach against Tampa.  Tampa Bay Head Coach Jon Gruden is 7-6 all-time as a head coach against the Saints.

LAST GAME

12/2/07: Buccaneers 27 at Saints 23. Tampa Bay RB Earnest Graham runs for 106 yards & 1 TD & WR Joey Galloway adds 7 receptions for 159 yards.

BROADCAST INFORMATION

FOX (12:00 PM CT): Thom Brennaman, Brian Billick, Eric Richey (Field reporter). SIRIUS: 140 (TB), 127, (NO). New Orleans Saints Radio Network: Flagship Station WWL-AM 870 (New Orleans).

KEY STATS FROM 2007

PASSING

TAMPA: QB Jeff Garcia: 209-327-2,440-13-4-94.6 (3rd Overall in NFC)

NEW ORLEANS: QB Drew Brees: 440-652-4,423 (1C)-28 (2C)-18-89.4

RUSHING

TAMPA BAY: RB Ernest Graham: 222-898-4.0-10 TD

NEW ORLEANS: RB Reggie Bush: 157-581-3.7-4

RECEIVING

TAMPA BAY: WR Ike Hilliard: 62-722-11.6-1 TD

NEW ORLEANS: WR Marques Colston: 98 (2C)-1,202-12.3-11 TD

NOTES

SAINTS: In 5 career starts vs. TB, Pro Bowl QB DREW BREES has 100.6 passer rating. When Brees has 100+ rating, his teams are 24-5 (.828). Last year had NFL-record 440 completions & set team marks in yards (4,423) & TDs (28)…REGGIE BUSH has 161 receptions, most by RB in 1st 2 NFL seasons. Scored 1st career TD vs. TB on 65-yard PR-TD. RB DEUCE MC ALLISTER is team’s all-time leading rusher with 5,678 yards & ranks 1st with 44 rush TDs…WR MARQUES COLSTON has 168 receptions, most by player in 1st 2 NFL seasons. Is only player drafted in 7th round or later to record 1,000 yards in each of 1st 2 seasons. TE JEREMY SHOCKEY makes NO debut. Had 371 catches for 4,228 yards & 27 TDs in 6 years with NYG…CB MIKE MC KENZIE had 53-yard INT-TD in last meeting. S ROMAN HARPER led NFL DBs last year with 4 sacks. LB JONATHAN VILMA makes Saints debut. In 4 years with NYJ, he racked up 460 tackles & was named to Pro Bowl. DE WILL SMITH has led Saints in sacks each of past 3 seasons & can tie franchise record (4) this year.

BUCCANEERS: Won NFC South last year. TB has won division 6 times, incl. 3 under head coach JON GRUDEN. Under Gruden, Bucs are 17-0 since 2002 when not committing turnover…QB JEFF GARCIA was named to Pro Bowl last year. In career (incl. playoffs), Garcia’s teams are 32-12 (.727) when he has 95+ passer rating…RB EARNEST GRAHAM led team with career-high 898 rush yards & 10 rush TDs. Set club record with rush TD in 6 consecutive games. RB WARRICK DUNN returns to TB. Is 3rd in team annals with 4,200 rush yards…WR JOEY GALLOWAY had 6 rec. TDs last year (301 yards) & averaged 50.2 yards per TD. Has 9 rec. TDs in past 7 vs. NO, recording TD in 6 of those 7. Has 19 catches for 501 yards (125.3 per game) & 5 TDs in past 4 vs. NO…Bucs led NFC in total defense (278.4 yards per game). CB RONDE BARBER (12) & LB DERRICK BROOKS (8) are franchise leaders in TDs by def. player (incl. playoffs). When Brooks has INT-TD (incl. playoffs), TB is 7-0. DE GAINES ADAMS led NFL rookies with 6 sacks. LB BARRETT RUUD led team in tackles. DE JOVAN HAYE aims for 3rd in row vs. NO with sack.

Wednesday Injury Report

New Orleans Saints

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