Game Information
Date: Sunday, October 16, 2011
Kickoff: 4:15 p.m. ET
Site: Raymond James Stadium (69,732)
2011 Records: Tampa Bay 3-2, New Orleans 4-1
Network Television: FOX
Play-by-Play: Ron Pitts, Analyst: Jim Mora, Sideline: Jennifer Hale
National Radio: Westwood One
Play-by-Play: Howard David, Analyst: Tony Boselli
Bucs Radio: US 103.5, flagship station (103.5 FM, 620 AM) Play-by-Play: Gene Deckerhoff, Analyst: Dave Moore, Sideline: T.J. Rives Last Game: Tampa Bay lost at San Francisco, 48-3; New Orleans won at Carolina, 30-27
Niko’s Preview-
Bucs got blown out, the Saints are awesome, have beaten the Bucs bad the last two years here in Tampa Bay.
The Saints will blow the Bucs out.
Done.
OR……
Sometimes the game is played because what happens on paper is NOT what happens in real life.
The Saints have a weak defense, the Bucs CAN move against them. Earnest Graham has some benefits over LeGarrette Blount. EG hits holes, and he can run too. ..and catch. Same running back on the field all three downs- could spell trouble for the Saints defense.
But what about the Bucs defense? Will Tanard Jackson make a difference? Isn’t this what Tanard Jackson does best? Surprise us when we least expect him too?
So if you run into someone who thinks this game is over before it starts, please remind them Drew Brees is 5-5 vs the Bucs. Thats it; 5 wins, 5 losses.
2007 and 2008, WITH Drew Brees and Reggie Bush, Saints lost here in Tampa.
So dont go by your Madden 12 game, and dont go by paper (or internet).
Go by what happens on the screen.
(Internet Screen!)
All-Time Series
Tampa Bay has won five of the last eight meetings, including six of the last eight road contests in the series. New Orleans leads the all-time series 22- 16, but the series is tied at 9-9 as NFC South rivals. The teams split the series last year, with New Orleans winning in Tampa in Week 6 and the Buc- caneers prevailing at the Superdome in Week 17. The Buccaneers swept both contests in 2005 and 2007 before splitting each series from 2008-10, including a 10-3 victory in 2005 in a road contest played in Baton Rouge and a 27-13 contest in the 2005 regular season home finale, a victory that clinched the NFC South title for the Buccaneers. Prior to joining the NFC South, Tampa Bay had claimed three of the previous four meetings, includ- ing wins in both 1999 and 2001. The Bucs won the first game between the two clubs, a 33-14 triumph at the Superdome in 1977. Tampa Bay tied an NFL record, which has since been broken, by returning three interceptions for touchdowns. The victory marked the Bucs’ first regular season win af- ter 26 consecutive losses. More than 8,000 fans greeted the team upon its return to One Buccaneer Place. Tampa Bay and New Orleans split the next four meetings, each winning two straight on the other team’s turf before the Saints assembled a six-game winning streak.
SERIES BY THE NUMBERS
Overall Regular Season Series: ………….New Orleans leads series, 22-16
Home Record vs. New Orleans Saints: ………………………………….6-10
Road Record vs. New Orleans Saints: ………………………………… 10-12
Current Streak:………………………………… Buccaneers, one game (2011)
Buccaneers Longest Streak:…………Two games, five times (last in 2007)
Saints Longest Streak:…………………………………..Six games (1983-88)
Regular Season Point Total:………………….Buccaneers 689 – Saints 767
Most Points, Buccaneers:……………………. 48, Buccaneers 48-21 (2001)
Most Points, Saints:…………………………………..44, Saints 44-34 (1987)
Most Points, both teams: ……………………………78, Saints 44-34 (1987)
Fewest Points, Buccaneers: ……………………………. 3, Saints 9-3 (1998)
Fewest Points, Saints: …………………………… 3, Buccaneers 10-3 (2005)
Fewest Points, both teams: ………………………….. 12, Saints 9-3 (1998)
LAST GAME RECAP
San Francisco 48, Tampa Bay 3 (Oct. 9, 2011) SAN FRANCISCO – Following an appearance on Monday Night Football, the Buccaneers traveled to the West coast where they turned in an uncharacter- istic performance, falling 48-3 to the San Francisco 49ers. Held to a punt on the opening drive, Tampa Bay immediately fell behind the 49ers after the lat- ter put the game’s first points on the board with a 26-yard touchdown pass from QB Alex Smith to TE Delanie Walker. On the Buccaneers’ next possession, the team made its only score of the day, stringing together a 74-yard march down the field that ended with a 24-yard field goal by K Connor Barth. San Francisco then put together a drive to the Tampa Bay 12, but RB Frank Gore fumbled, and the ball was re- covered by Buccaneers LB Mason Foster for a change in possession. However, QB Josh Freeman was in- tercepted by CB Carlos Rogers on the subsequent series, returning the pick for a touchdown and the 14-3 San Francisco lead. Freeman was intercepted again on the next Buccaneers drive, which eventual- ly resulted in a two-yard Gore touchdown run for the 49ers. Following a Buccaneers punt, San Francisco added a 37-yard field goal by K David Akers, and Tampa Bay was unable to cut into the 24-3 lead be- fore halftime. With the first drive of the second half, San Francisco added another touchdown after Smith found TE Vernon Davis on a 23-yard pass, extending the lead to 31-3. The Buccaneers drove to the San Francisco 33 on their first possession of the second half, but were unable to convert on fourth-and-two and turned the ball over on downs. The 49ers pro- ceeded to make their way deep into Tampa Bay ter- ritory, but settled for a 27-yard Akers field goal. San Francisco quickly gave the ball back to their offense following a forced fumble by 49ers S Dashon Gold- son that was recovered by LB Patrick Willis. Davis proceeded to nab a 14-yard pass from Smith to bring the score to 41-3 as the fourth quarter began. The Buccaneers were pinned inside their own 10-yard line on the next drive, but managed to move across midfield before again being forced to punt following a sack on third-and-six. San Francisco engineered its final scoring drive of the day on the next series, with QB Colin Kaepernick leading the team 90 yards, where RB Anthony Dixon made the score 48-3 fol- lowing his one-yard touchdown run. The Buccaneers then drove to the San Francisco 43, but QB Josh Johnson was sacked on third-and-eight, ending the drive with less than two minutes left to play. Kaepe- rnick proceeded to kneel, allowing the game to end as time expired.
Get to know their coach–
SEAN PAYTON
Payton was hired as the 14th head coach in Saints history on Jan. 18, 2006 after being a member of the Dallas Cowboys staff since 2003. In 2011 he enters his 15th season in the NFL and 23rd in coaching.
In just five-plus seasons as Head Coach of the New Orleans Saints, Sean Payton
has established himself as one of the most successful coaches in the National Football League during this span leading the Saints to their first Super Bowl title in franchise history and two division titles.
Through his first five-years, Payton holds the top winning percentage (.616) for a Saints coach all- time. His 53 from 2006-10 are the most during any five-year span in Saints history and tied for the second-most by an NFL coach during that period. He’s posted a 4-2 (.667) mark in the postseason after the team had won only one playoff game in franchise history prior to his arrival.
Serving as the club’s play-caller, Payton’s presided over the most prolific offense in the NFL, leading the league in yards per game three-of-his five seasons at the helm and finishing first in scoring in 2008 and 2009. These are the only three times the Saints have led the NFL in total offense. In franchise history, the Saints have scored at least 45 points 10 times. Six of these outputs have occurred under Payton’s watch.
In 2010 Payton led the Saints to their second consecutive postseason appearance and third in five seasons with an 11-5 record, becoming the only the second coach in franchise history to post three double-digit win seasons. It was only the second time in club record books that the Saints had back- to-back 11-win campaigns. The club had six road victories in 2010 as they had back-to-back winning records at visiting stadiums for the first time since 1991 and 1992. In fact, three of the top six road campaigns in team history (7-1 in 2009, 6-2 in both 2006 and 2010) have come under Payton in
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