clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Bucs Sunday: Who Dat Comes to Call

New, 1 comment

Interesting game being played at Ray Jay today.

One that those of us not actually in the stadium won’t see here in the Tampa Bay neighborhood. But still interesting nonetheless.

The New Orleans Saints and the Who Dat Nation have come to town, with the shine still on their Super Bowl Rings. Dominating last year (and arguably America’s Football Sweethearts), they’ve shown signs of having some chinks in the armor this season. That’s not to say that the mighty have fallen, but there has been unevenness on both sides of the ball, with a 3-2 record as evidence.

But they bring another big test for the Buccaneers.  An early NFC South matchup that may be more about confidence and perception than actual standings.

In order to make this a GAME and not just a repeat of the lesson the Bucs were taught by the Steelers, every part of this team needs to step up to the plate.  Duh. But sometimes the obvious bears repeating.

Drew Brees is still, well, Drew Brees, although the news that he spent time mentoring Josh Freeman in the off-season has rather endeared him to me… shhh.   And the Saints defense is tough. These guys are the defending Super Bowl champions, after all. 

However, the burgeoning chemistry between Freeman and Mike Williams is undeniable. And a whole lot of fun to watch. Refreshing, isn’t it? The secondary, even without Tanard Jackson, is operating swiftly with great moments of effectiveness.  Perhaps this is the day that the defensive line has its breakout moment, providing some pressure and stoppage. We can hope…

Both teams have something to prove today. Frankly, I think the pressure lies more heavily on the visitors from the Big Easy than it does on our young hosts. Always better to be working to establish that you belong rather than trying to show you haven’t faltered.

Load up the swagger, Bucs, stay focused and go play ball.

Yes, there really is an interesting game being played at Ray Jay today. 

Photographs by cstreet.us, thelastminute, turtlemom nancy , fesek, kthypryn, justinwright, sue_elias, pointnshoot, and scrapstothefuture used in background montage under Creative Commons. Thank you.