This will be a good football game but the Saints always seem to rally around hurricanes.  The Bucs are hoping that Jeff Garcia and Joey Galloway are ready to go after missing most of the preseason with injuries.  The Bucs would be smart to keep the ball on the ground and throw short passes.  Earnest Graham and Warrick Dunn will have to deal with Saints’ first round pick DT Sedrick Ellis when they try to run up the middle.  If they get past him then they have to deal with Jonathan Vilma and that won’t be pretty either.  The Bucs would be smarter to run outside and challenge the Saints’ OLBs Scott Shanle and Scott Fujita.  Joey Galloway has had some huge games against the Saints and he will likely draw Mike McKenzie in coverage.  That should be a fun matchup to watch on Sunday. 

The Saints will likely be wide open on offense and that will be a challenge to the Bucs’ defense.  Despite all of Drew Brees’ heroics in the passing game the Saints like to run the ball too.  Reggie Bush and Deuce McAllister will keep the pressure on the linebacking corps of the Bucs.  But, Barrett Ruud, Derrick Brooks and Cato June is one of the better linebacking units in the NFL so Bush and McAllister will have to work hard.  The Saints do have edges against the Bucs’ secondary and it will be up to the O-Line to keep Brees clean so that he can look downfield.  DEs Gaines Adams and Kevin Carter are pretty good pass rushers so the line better be ready.  The Saints will attack with WR Marques Colston who will likely draw Ronde Barber and maybe a safety in coverage.  If they double Colston look for Brees to throw the ball a lot over the middle to TE Jeremy Shockey.  This will also be fun to watch as Bucs’ safeties Tanard Jackson and Jermaine Phillips love to hit.  Should be some good collisions in this football game.  Devery Henderson and David Patten could make some big plays if Phillip Buchanon is covering them for the Bucs.

PREDICTION:  NEW ORLEANS SAINTS 27, TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS 20