Saints vs. Buccaneers 2012 odds: New Orleans a 3-point favorite over Tampa Bay

The New Orleans Saints are small favorites this weekend when they go on the road to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. According to OddShark, New Orleans opened as a three-point favorite over division foe Tampa Bay. The over/under opened at 49 points.

The 1-4 Saints are coming off a bye and were last seen grabbing their first win of the season over the San Diego Chargers in Week 5. The Saints' offense with Drew Brees at the helm has been explosive as usual, but the defense has given up over 30 points per game. This time, the defense may have the services of linebacker Jonathan Vilma, which would provide a boost.

The Buccaneers are not much better at just 2-3 on the season, but they are coming off a 38-10 demolition of the woeful Kansas City Chiefs. The Bucs have also done quite well against the spread this year, going 4-1.

This will be the first of two matchups this season between the Saints and Buccaneers. The two teams split their games last year, with the home team winning each time.