The Tampa Bay Buccaneers could be in big trouble tomorrow afternoon against the Saints.  The Saints have won two games in a row on the road and they pasted the Bucs 31-6 in Tampa last year.  The Buccaneers are really going to have to step up tomorrow after getting destroyed 48-3 by the 49ers last week.  Here is a look at the matchups in this game:

When the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have the ball:  The Buccaneers are going to have to get physical with the Saints tomorrow.  The Saints are giving up 107.6 yards rushing per game and 5.2 yards per carry, so look for the Bucs to feed the ball to RB Earnest Graham in an effort to control the clock some.  The Saints already have 14 sacks this year, but they blitz to cover for their weak secondary.  If the O-Line gives QB Josh Freeman time to throw the ball, the Bucs are going to be able to move the ball through the air.  This is the week the Bucs really need WR Mike Williams to step up and start being the player he was in 2010.

When the Saints have the ball:  The Saints are going to attack the Bucs’ front seven with their three-headed RB (Darren Sproles, Mark Ingram and Pierre Thomas), so they better be ready.  The Bucs must also find a way to get pressure on Drew Brees, because he’s going to shred the Bucs’ secondary if he has time to throw the ball.  Brees uses everyone in the passing game, making it virtually impossible to double on anyone.

PREDICTION:  SAINTS 33, BUCCANEERS 17

These two teams are red hot right now as the Bucs have won three games in a row, while the Niners have won 2 in a row (both games were on the road).  Here is a look at the matchups in this game:

When the Buccaneers have the ball:  The Buccaneers like to try to establish the running game early with LeGarrette Blount.  That’s going to be hard against a 49ers’ D that is only giving up 74.0 yards rushing per game and 3.5 yards per carry.  ILBs Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman are extremely hard to run against and Blount’s game is mainly between the tackles.  That being said, QB Josh Freeman should have time to throw the ball against the Niners.  Look for him to spread the ball around to Earnest Graham, Kellen Winslow, Preston Parker, Mike Williams and Arrelious  Benn to keep the Niners’ secondary confused.

When the 49ers have the ball:  The 49ers are going to try to pound the ball with Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter.  The front seven of the Bucs better be up for the challenge.  The Bucs will probably be able to get to Alex Smith a few times as he has already been sacked 14 times this year.  The bad matchup for the Bucs here is, TE Vernon Davis against the safeties as he is likely going to have a huge game this Sunday.  None of the WRs on the Niners strike much fear to CBs Aqib Talib or Ronde Barber.

PREDICTION:  BUCCANEERS 20, 49ERS 17

The Buccaneers really need to wallop someone and I think they are going to do that on Monday Night Football against the undermanned Colts.  The Colts finally showed signs of life against the Steelers last weekend before falling just a tad short.  Here is a look at the matchups in this game:

When the Buccaneers have the ball:  The Bucs are likely going to be really balanced on offense this Monday Night against the Colts.  LeGarrette Blount is going to pound away against a tough Colts’ run D that is allowing 113.3 yards rushing per game so far this year, but only 3.3 yards per carry.  If the offensive line can keep DEs Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney out of the backfield, then Josh Freeman is going to have by far his best passing game of  the year.  WR Mike Williams and TE Kellen Winslow have not really had a big game yet, but that’s going to change with the whole country looking on.

When the Colts have the ball:  The Colts are going to start Curtis Painter at QB on Monday Night.  This is great news for the Buccaneers as he is downright horrible.  Joseph Addai and Delone Carter are going to try to run the ball on the Bucs this Monday Night, so it will be up to the front seven to step up like they did against the Falcons last weekend.  CBs Aqib Talib and Ronde Barber are going to need to win their matchups with WRs Reggie Wayne and Pierre Garcon in this game, and they should be able to accomplish that.  TE Dallas Clark and WR Austin Collie are likely to be really active on the short passes in this game.

PREDICTION:  BUCCANEERS 23, COLTS 9

The Buccaneers have a big game this Sunday against the division rival Atlanta Falcons.  The Falcons swept the Bucs last year by a combined score of 55-45, including a 28-24 win in Tampa.  Here is a look at the matchups in this game:

When the Buccaneers have the ball:  The Buccaneers would be smart to feed the ball to LeGarrette Blount in the running game.  He ran the ball 33 times for 149 yards (4.5 ypc) with 1 TD run against the Falcons last year.  The Falcons are giving up 110.5 yards rushing per game and 3.9 yards per carry so far this year.  The Buccaneers will also be attacking the Falcons through the air in this game as they are giving up 301.5 yards passing per game so far this year.  WR Mike Williams could have a big bounce back game this week as he caught 10 passes for 157 yards (15.7 avg) with 2 TD grabs against the Falcons last year.  Preston Parker, Kellen Winslow, Dezmon Briscoe, Arrelious Benn and Earnest Graham will all also be in on the action in the passing game.  The key will be giving Josh Freeman time to throw the ball against the Falcons’ suspect secondary.

When the Falcons have the ball:  The front seven of the Bucs is going to be seriously challenged by RB Michael Turner of the Falcons.  Turner carried the ball 48 times for 195 yards (4.1 ypc) with 3 TD runs against the Bucs last year.  The Buccaneers are giving up 156.0 yards rushing per game so far this year and 4.6 yards per carry, so it’s going to be hard for them to stop Michael Turner.  The Buccaneers need their DEs and OLBs to get a rush on Matt Ryan or he’s going to shred up the secondary.  Corners Ronde Barber and Aqib Talib are going to have their hands full with WRs Julio Jones and Roddy White, without much help from the safeties.  That’s because the safeties are going to have to deal with TE Tony Gonzalez.

PREDICTION:  FALCONS 27, BUCCANEERS 23

This is going to be a interesting matchup as the Bucs got behind early last week before rallying late.  The Vikings got a quick lead before folding up the tent in the second half.  This will be the Vikings’ home opener.  This is going to be a good game and here is a look at the matchups:

When the Buccaneers have the ball:  The Buccaneers want to be more balanced than they were last weekend but it isn’t going to be easy.  LeGarrette Blount is going to be taking aim at a Vikings’ D that only allowed 77 yards rushing on 27 carries (2.9 ypc) last week against the Chargers.  If the O-Line can keep DE Jared Allen, DE Brian Robison and OLB Chad Greenway out of the backfield and give Josh Freeman time to throw the ball….he will have a good game.  Mike Williams and Kellen Winslow will likely be the players that get the most passes from Freeman this Sunday.  But, he will also need to get the ball to Earnest Graham, Dezmon Briscoe and Arrelious Benn this weekend to loosen the coverage on Williams and Winslow.

When the Vikings have the ball:  The new look defensive line is going to have to put pressure on Donovan McNabb while at the same time helping slow down Adrian Peterson.  Young linebackers Mason Foster, Geno Hayes and Quincy Black will have to keep Peterson in check and that’s highly unlikely to happen.  The Bucs didn’t have any sacks last weekend, so look for Donovan McNabb to be confident in the pocket.  CBs Aqib Talib and Ronde Barber match up pretty well with Bernard Berrian and Percy Harvin.  With that in mind, don’t be surprised to see Michael Jenkins and TEs Visanthe Shiancoe and Kyle Rudolph to challenge safeties Sean Jones and Cody Grimm over the middle of the field.

PREDICTION:  BUCCANEERS 23, VIKINGS 20

The Buccaneers want to prove that last season wasn’t a fluke when they were 10-6.  It all starts against the Lions tomorrow, who beat them 23-20 in Tampa last year with their third string QB (Drew Stanton).  Tomorrow they will have to deal with the Lions’ first team QB in Matthew Stafford, and that’s a completely different animal.  Here’s a look at the matchups in this game:

When the Buccaneers have the ball:  The Buccaneers are going to have to try to control the ball and keep the Lions’ offense off the field.  They can achieve this by feeding the ball to LeGarrette Blount.  Blount rushed for 110 yards on 15 carries (7.3 ypc) with 1 TD run last year against the Lions.  The offensive line will have to open holes for Blount and give time to Josh Freeman to throw the ball.  That will be easier said than done as DT Ndamukong Suh is often a man playing among boys.  If Freeman is lacking time to throw the ball, he could either run it or keep the passing game shorter.  Mike Williams had a good game against the Lions last year as he caught 6 passes for 96 yards (16.0 avg) with a TD grab.  The Lions are probably going to double him most of the game.  If that is the case, Arrelious Benn, Dezmon Briscoe and Kellen Winslow are going to need to step up tomorrow.

When the Lions have the ball:  The Buccaneers are going to have to go all out in an effort to stop Matthew Stafford and his passing game.  They hope that Adrian Clayborn, Michael Bennett and Da’Quan Bowers can get pressure on him tomorrow.  Rookie middle linebacker Mason Foster is going to be under a lot of pressure in his first game as Jahvid Best is a very fast RB.  The biggest matchup for the Bucs though will be Aqib Talib against Calvin Johnson.  Johnson caught 10 passes for 152 yards (15.2 avg) from the Lions’ #3 QB last year.  In this game, the Lions’ have their starting QB back.

PREDICTION:  LIONS 21, BUCCANEERS 17

The Buccaneers can still make the playoffs with a win this week over the Saints and losses by the Giants (at Washington) and the Packers (at home against the Bears).  That is a lot to have happen but look for the Bucs to come out fighting this Sunday.  The Saints pounded the Bucs earlier this year 31-6 and the Bucs are 0-5 against teams with winning records this year.  The Buccaneers are 5-2 on the road this season but they could be in trouble because the game is also important to the Saints who can possibly win the AFC South with a win this weekend.  Here is a look at the matchups in this game:

When the Buccaneers have the ball:  The Buccaneers need to control the clock if they want to have a good chance to win this game.  That means they are going to have to feed the rock to LeGarrette Blount against a Saints’ D that is allowing 114.2 yards rushing per game and 4.3 yards per carry.  Josh Freeman has only thrown six interceptions this year and the Saints only have 9 so he should feel confident throwing the ball down the field to Kellen Winslow and Mike Williams.  Cadillac Williams could also have a big role catching passes out of the backfield this Sunday.

When the Saints have the ball:  The Saints are averaging 282.8 yards passing per game so the Bucs need to stop Drew Brees’ passing and take their chances with the Saints’ running game.  The Falcons blitzed Brees into making big mistakes so maybe the Bucs will try the same thing.  That might be hard for them to achieve though as they only have 23 sacks so far this year.  Brees moves the ball around to a lot of receivers which is going to give the Bucs problems in this game due to the injuries they have suffered in the secondary.

PREDICTION:  SAINTS 31, BUCCANEERS 17

The Buccaneers really slipped up bad last weekend in losing to the Lions.  The injuries have been mounting on the defense but they Bucs can still make the playoffs if they win out and get some help.  The Seahawks have lost four of their last five games (the only win was over the Panthers) by an average of 17 points per game.  But, they are still tied for first place in the NFC West and they will win that division if they can win out.  Here is a look at the matchups in this game:

When the Buccaneers have the ball:  The Buccaneers would be smart to come out pounding the ball with LeGarrette Blount & Cadillac Williams against a Seahawks’ D that is allowing 117.7 yards rushing per game and 4.0 yards per carry.  If the Bucs get off to a good start running the ball it’s going to make things easy when Josh Freeman drops back to pass the ball.  WR Mike Williams & TE Kellen Winslow are likely going to give the Seahawks’ secondary fits.

When the Seahawks have the ball:  With the Bucs having problems in the front seven due to injuries they better be ready to stop Justin Forsett & Marshawn Lynch.  The Bucs also better blitz a lot in this game because if Matt Hasselbeck gets comfy in the pocket, he’s going to make some plays down the field in the passing game.  WRs Mike Williams & Ben Obomanu are going to be Hasselbeck’s top targets in this game.

PREDICTION:  BUCCANEERS 23, SEAHAWKS 20

The Buccaneers still have high hopes of making the playoffs and to do that they can’t overlook the Lions who have lost 26 games in a row on the road.  The Buccaneers are 8-0 against teams with losing records so it’s looking good for them tomorrow.  The Lions beat the Packers 7-3 last weekend in a shocker.  Here is a look at the matchups in this game:

When the Buccaneers have the ball:  The Buccaneers are going to mix things up on offense tomorrow as the Lions have issues stopping both the run (122.7 yards per game) and the pass (220.2 yards passing per game).  The Bucs will likely come out running the ball with LeGarrette Blount.  But, make no mistake, Josh Freeman is going to be putting the ball a lot in the air tomorrow.  It will be up to the O-Line to give him time to throw the ball as the Lions have 36 sacks already this year.  If the O-Line gives Freeman time to throw the ball then he’s going to make some big plays down the field to Mike Williams, Arrelious Benn and Kellen Winslow.

When the Lions have the ball:  The Lions are going to likely mix up things on offense.  With Drew Stanton at QB, they should run more than usual against the Bucs who are giving up 133.1 yards rushing per game and 4.7 yards per carry.  Still, Jahvid Best & Maurice Morris are not a very scary combo at RB.  Drew Stanton is very mobile but he makes both mistakes and big plays when he’s on the run.  The Bucs would be smart to double Calvin Johnson and make Stanton beat them by throwing to other players.

PREDICTION:  BUCCANEERS 23, LIONS 13

The Buccaneers are on a two game winning streak.  But they are 7-0 against teams with losing records this season.  The Redskins have also lost 2 games in a row and four of their last five.  Here is a look at the matchups in this game:

When the Buccaneers have the ball:  The Bucs are likely going to come out running this Sunday against the Redskins who are giving up 137.0 yards rushing and 5.0 yards per carry.  That means that LeGarrette Blount is going to have a heavy workload.  Josh Freeman & Cadillac Williams will also likely get in on the action running the ball for the Bucs this Sunday.  Mike Williams & Kellen Winslow are going to be Freeman’s top targets in this game throwing the ball, but look for him to use everyone a little bit.

When the Redskins have the ball:  The Redskins hope to have Ryan Torain back for this game which would give them some balance.  The Buccaneers are giving up 128.5 yards rushing per game and 4.6 yards per carry so it would be good for them if Torain is ready to return.  If not, the Redskins will likely throw the ball early and often in this game.  If Donovan McNabb has time to throw the ball he’s going to make some plays as Santana Moss, Anthony Armstrong and Chris Cooley give him some decent targets.

PREDICTION:  BUCCANEERS 30, REDSKINS 27