The Saints are sitting at 9-0 on the year and you would think that this week would be a laugher for them against the 1-8 Bucs.  It won’t be as easy as most people think it will.  The Saints are having big defensive issues as of late due to injuries so they will likely try to dominate this game on offense.  Drew Brees will likely have a lot of time to throw against a Bucs’ D that is lacking pass rushers.  That is bad news for the DBs of the Bucs in having to deal with Marques Colston, Devery Henderson, Jeremy Shockey and Robert Meachem.  The Bucs are allowing 211.9 yards passing per game so the Saints will likely have a good day throwing the ball.  But, don’t think for a minute that Pierre Thomas, Reggie Bush and Mike Bell won’t get to have their fun too against a Bucs’ D that is allowing 167.3 yards rushing per game and 4.9 yards per carry.

The Bucs look like a different football team with rookie QB Josh Freeman under center.  The Bucs would still likely want to get a running game going in an effort to keep the Saints’ offense on the sideline.  That means that Cadillac Williams, Derrick Ward and Ernest Graham will have to run hard against a Saints’ D that is allowing 115.3 yards rushing per game and 4.5 yards per carry.  If the Bucs are effective running the ball that will open up some play action passing for Freeman against a Saints’ D that is allowing 227.7 yards passing per game. 

PREDICTION:  SAINTS 35, BUCCANEERS 27

The Buccaneers travel to Miami to deal with the Dolphins on Sunday and this should be a interesting football game.  A lot will fall onto the shoulders of rookie QB Josh Freeman in this game as Cadillac Williams could have a hard time finding running room against a Fins’ D that is only allowing 94.5 yards rushing and 3.7 yards per carry so far this season.  The Bucs will still try to run the ball early in this game to keep the Dolphins’ D honest.  If they can’t then the Dolphins will be bringing the blitz early and often against the Bucs.  If that does happen then Freeman should look to get the ball into the hands of Kellen Winslow on the short stuff.  Young WRs Maurice Stovall and Sammie Stroughter seem to be on the same wave length with Freeman so they should get a lot of work in this game against the rookie corners (Sean Smith and Vontae Davis) of the Fins.

The Dolphins’ offense has been licking their chops looking at gamefilm of the Bucs’ front seven as the Bucs are allowing 163.4 yards rushing per game and 4.8 yards per carry.  Ronnie Brown, Ricky Williams and the Wildcat Formation will likely be used quite a bit in this game and for good reason as the Fins’ are averaging 150.9 yards rushing per game and 4.5 yards per carry this season.  Chad Henne will likely just be managing this game as the passing will be kept to the shorter stuff.

PREDICTION:  DOLPHINS 30, BUCCANEERS 13

The Packers really need this game on Sunday and they are mad after getting dumped on for the second time by Brett Favre.  They will likely take out their frustrations on the poor Tampa Bay Buccaneers and this game won’t likely be too pretty.  Like they did against the Browns they will likely lean on the running game a little bit more than usual.  Ryan Grant will be taking aim at a Bucs’ D that is allowing 162.4 yards rushing per game and 4.7 yards per carry.  The Bucs don’t have the pass rush to likely bother Aaron Rodgers much despite the fact that he has been sacked 31 times already this season.  Donald Driver, Greg Jennings and newly found TE Spencer Havner could all have big games against the Bucs on Sunday.

This game could get ugly quick as Josh Freeman is making his first start of his NFL career this Sunday.  The Bucs should try to lean on the running game against the Packers on Sunday.  Cadillac Williams should get a lot of work in this game in an attempt to protect Freeman.  But the Packers have a good run defense as they have only allowed 99.4 yards rushing per game and 3.5 yards per carry so it won’t be easy for Williams.  Look for Freeman to lean on Kellen Winslow in the passing game as he should avoid taking on Al Harris and Charles Woodson. 

PREDICTION:  PACKERS 38, BUCCANEERS 7

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-6) get to show American Football off to London, England this Sunday, but unfortunately they are playing the New England Patriots (4-2).  The Patriots put on a clinic against the Tennessee Titans last week, with a 59-0 demoralizing defeat.  The Titans, like the Bucs, have not won a game and are not on the same level as the Patriots.  Tom Brady got out of the funk he has been in every since returning from knee surgery, as he had a record-breaking five touchdowns in the second quarter.  Brady and the offense looked like the 2007 Patriots who did not lose a regular season game.

The Buccaneers are completely in over their heads in this match-up and it could get ugly.  They really need Josh Johnson to have the game of his life if they want a chance in this one.  Johnson, who replaced Byron Leftwich in week three, has not been much better then Leftwich.  He has thrown five interceptions in three starts and looks lost out their at times.  He is athletic, and should use his scrambling ability as much as possible against the Patriots.  They will also need a big game out of Cadillac Williams, who has yet to have a 100 yard game and has three games where he failed to get into double digit rushing yards.  This is going to be a very rough game for the Bucs and hopefully for their sake they can put up a better performance then the Titans did last week against the Patriots.

FINAL SCORE PREDICTION:  Tampa Bay Buccaneers 13, New England Patriots 35

The Carolina Panthers are trying to build off of last week when they won their first game while the Buccaneers are still trying to get on that side of the ledger.  This should be the week that the Panthers really get things going on offense.  The Bucs are allowing 152.6 yards rushing per game and 4.7 yards per carry so DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart should both have good games on Sunday.  If the Bucs are crazy enough to load up the box look for Jake Delhomme to attack them down the field with Steve Smith and Mushin Muhammad.  Panthers’ QBs have been sacked 12 times this season and the Bucs have 9 sacks this season so they will be likely blitzing more often than usual to try to pressure Delhomme into some mistakes.  After all, he has thrown 8 interceptions already this season.

The Buccaneers should come out running the ball against the Panthers.  That would give Josh Johnson a better chance for success and it would give them a chance to control the clock and keep the defense off the field.  The Panthers are allowing 155.5 yards rushing per game and 5.0 yards per carry so this could be the game that Cadillac Williams truly breaks out.  Kellen Winslow has emerged as John Johnson’s favorite receiver so the Panthers’ D will likely give him a lot of attention and dare Johnson to beat the D with his WRs (Michael Clayton and Antonio Bryant) who have been dropping more passes than they have been catching.  Look for Julius Peppers to have his best game of the year forcing Johnson into making some big mistakes.

PREDICTION:  PANTHERS 24, BUCCANEERS 10