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Saints at Bucs Preview
NewOrleansSaints.com,
Thursday, November 19, 2009 - 10:00 AM
Following a 28-23 victory at the St. Louis Rams on Sunday that was aided by a combination of key plays on offense, defense and special teams, the New Orleans Saints will attempt to win ten games in a row for the first time in franchise history and, at the least, maintain their four-game NFC South division lead when they travel to Raymond James Stadium to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday at Noon (CT).
After escaping with a win from the Edward Jones Dome in a contest that wasn’t in hand until the final play, the Saints are now riding the third nine-game winning streak in franchise history, and their first since the 1991 season. The Saints and the Indianapolis Colts are the only unbeaten NFL teams remaining entering week 11.
RB Reggie Bush enjoyed his most productive contest of the season, as he rushed six times for a team-leading 83 yards (13.8 avg.) with one touchdown and also had a 15-yard scoring reception. Bush also ripped off a career-long 55-yard rush in the third quarter. Overall, the Saints running game, powered by the three-headed trio of Bush, Mike Bell and Pierre Thomas enjoyed one of their most productive days of the season, as they ran for 203 yards for a 7.0 average. QB Drew Brees was 18-of-26 passing for 223 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions for an 89.1 passer rating.
WR Robert Meachem also made a pair of big plays in both the running and passing games, a 41-yard gain on an end-around and a fourth quarter 27-yard TD reception from Brees.
With the score knotted at 14-14 gong into halftime thanks to Bush’s two scores, WR Courtney Roby took the opening kickoff of the second half 97 yards for a touchdown to give the Saints a lead they would not relinquish.
The New Orleans defense would surrender only 38 yards on the ground in the contest’s final two quarters. DE Will Smith continued his dominant play in the month of November with seven tackles, one sack and a forced fumble. After being hobbled by a sports hernia injury in 2008, Smith has enjoyed a return to form as one of the NFL’s top pass rushers. He leads the club and is among league leaders with 7.5 sacks and three forced fumbles. Five of the takedowns have come in the last three weeks.
S Usama Young, who started in place of an injured Darren Sharper, had a first quarter pick that helped prevent a potential St. Louis score.
While Tampa Bay goes into Sunday’s contest with a 1-8 record and the Saints have a 20-14 all-time record in the series, the Buccaneers have given the Saints some recent difficulties. Tampa Bay has won three of the last four meetings between the two clubs, including the last two contests played at their home stadium.
After starting 0-7, the Buccaneers have received a spark at the quarterback position from 2009 first round draft pick Josh Freeman, who guided them to their first victory and was thwarted from leading them to their second consecutive win in Miami by a Dolphins field goal with ten seconds remaining.
WORTH NOTING: The Saints will be looking to win ten games in a row for the first time in franchise history on Sunday and to improve to 3-0 in the NFC South…With Sunday’s win over the Rams, the Saints have won five straight road games...New Orleans ranks first in the NFL in offense, fifth rushing and fourth passing the ball...New Orleans is ranked 21st defensively, 20th against the run and tied for 19th versus the pass…The Buccaneers are ranked 28th offensively, 26th rushing and 23rd passing...Tampa Bay is ranked 29th defensively, 30th against the run and 14th against the pass...Sunday afternoon’s contest will be regionally televised on the FOX network (WVUE-Fox 8 locally) with Sam Rosen handling play-by-play and Tim Ryan serving as color analyst...The game can heard regionally on the Saints Radio Network (WWL 870 AM and 105.3
FM locally) with Jim Henderson handling play-by-play, Hokie Gajan serving as color analyst and Kristian Garic reporting from the Saints sidelines...A Spanish language broadcast can be heard on WFNO 830 AM with Emilio Peralta handling play-by-play and Marco Garcia serving as color analyst.
SERIES HISTORY: The Saints and Buccaneers first met in 1977, a year after Tampa Bay’s inaugural season. New Orleans has posted a 20-14 record against the Bucs, the club’s best winning percentage (.588) vs. an NFL opponent. The series is defined by tight, hard-fought games. The two clubs split their two meetings in 2008. 15 of the last 18 games have been decided by a touchdown or less - including six by a field goal since 2002. The Saints hold an 8-7 advantage in games played in Tampa and are 4-4 at Raymond James Stadium. Since Sean Payton became head coach in 2006, the series is tied 3-3.
CONNECTIONS
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New Orleans Saints Offensive line/running game coach Aaron Kromer served on former Bucs Head Coach Jon Gruden’s staff from 2005-2007.
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DE Bobby McCray played at the University of Florida from 2001- 2003.
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Tampa Bay C Jeff Faine served as New Orleans’ starter from 2006-2007.
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K John Carney played for Tampa Bay from 1987-1989.
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DL Anthony Hargrove prepped at Port Charlotte High School in southwest Florida.
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Saints Director of player programs Fred McAfee played for Tampa Bay in 1999.
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Buccaneers WR Michael Clayton attended Christian Life Academy in Baton Rouge. WR Devery Henderson and Clayton formed one of the school’s top receiver duos at LSU, and were key contributors on the their 2003 National Championship team. CB Randall Gay was also their college teammate.
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Tampa Bay LB Matt McCoy played for the Saints in 2007.
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QB Drew Brees was tutored by Buccaneers offensive coordinator coach Greg Olson at Purdue from 1997- 2000.
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K Garrett Hartley and Tampa Bay G Davin Joseph were teammates at the University of Oklahoma.
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Buccaneers coordinator of pro scouting Doug Williams is a Zachary native who starred at Grambling and later served as head coach.
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Tampa Bay DE Stylez White competed for a roster spot with the Saints in
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2003.
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Defensive line coach Bill Johnson, Buccaneers defensive coordinator Jim Bates and defensive backs coach Joe Baker served on the same staff with the Denver Broncos.
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Bates coached the Southern Mississippi freshman in 1972.
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Baker served on the Saints staff from 2000-2004.
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Tampa Bay assistant to the head coach Jay Kaiser served as WR Lance Moore’s position coach at Toledo in 2001.
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Buccaneers offensive line coach Pete Mangurian played at LSU from 1975-78 and coached the Tigers line from 1984-87.
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Johnson, secondary coach Dennis Allen and Mangurian served on the same staff in Atlanta.
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Mangurian tutored TE Dave Thomas in New England from 2006-08.
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