Week 2 Preview: New Orleans Saints vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The New Orleans Saints host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in an important NFC South clash in Week 2. The Saints will look to keep the good times rolling after an incredible Week 1 comeback against the Atlanta Falcons, while the Bucs will fight to end an embarrassing streak of seven straight losses to their division rivals. Despite their struggles against the Saints, the Bucs are 2.5-point favorites to travel to New Orleans and take the win.

The Bucs are in a bit of an awkward spot following Week 1's smothering performance against the Dallas Cowboys. Already suffering from key injuries to a pair of stars on offense, the Bucs will hope their new additions at wide receiver Julio Jones and Russell Gage will be able to boost an offense that was shut out the last time these teams played. They'll also need their defense to build on its impressive Week 1 performance against the Cowboys; the Bucs allowed a mere three points and 12 first downs against a Dallas team that led the league in scoring last year.

Meanwhile, Saints quarterback Jameis Winston will be pursuing his own redemption. The Bucs' former first overall pick joined the Saints following Tampa's signing of quarterback Tom Brady in 2020, and Winston's first opportunity at revenge was spoiled by a brutal first-half ACL tear when the teams met in Week 8 last year. Winston looked incredible in the fourth quarter of the Saints' miracle comeback against the Falcons after a dicey first half this past week, and he could be even better on Sunday should he be more confident in his surgically-repaired knee. He'll have help from a defense that has consistently stifled the Brady-led Bucs; they've allowed a mere 13.25 points per game to Tampa across their last four regular season contests.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers visit the New Orleans Saints this Sunday in Week 2.