5 Bucs to Watch Against the New Orleans Saints in Week 13

The 5-6 Tampa Bay Buccaneers will go head-to-head with their longtime division nemesis, New Orleans Saints on Monday Night in Prime-Time as playoff aspirations for both clubs hang in the balance. The Bucs currently lead the NFC South and will look to strengthen their hold this weekend. Tampa Bay is only a half-game ahead of the Falcons and one over the Panthers and Saints (4-8). The division is up for grabs and Week 13 could wind up as the season catalyst for one of these two teams, propelling them forward. The Bucs fell to the Browns in overtime in Week 12 and instead of capitalizing with a third-straight win, many are left questioning if the thrilling victory over Seattle was an anomaly or actuality. Meanwhile the Saints were shutout by a stout 49ers’ defense in Week 12 and they will look to respond against Tampa Bay. There are many matchups and individual performances that could weigh heavily on the outcome of the Bucs-Saints clash in Week 13. Here is an in-depth look at five Buccaneers to observe on Monday Night Football.

The Saints prioritize putting the ball in both Taysom Hill and Alvin Kamara’s hands. Both are the focal point of multiple personnel groupings and elevate New Orleans’ screen game, power sweeps and draws. Kamara and Hill are a nightmare to bring down in the open field and Bucs’ safety Keanu Neal will likely have an increased role on Monday night. With Antoine Winfield Jr.’s availability in question for Week 13, the Bucs will rely on Neal. Previously spending the majority of his career in Atlanta, Neal filled a prototypical Cover 3 strong safety role, playing versus the run in the box. His physicality set the standard during the peak of his NFL tenure and became invariably linked to his coverage ability, limiting running backs and tight ends. After playing linebacker for the Cowboys in 2021 under Dan Quinn, Neal shifted back to his natural position at safety with the Bucs. He fills a variety of roles for the Buccaneers and will play a crucial role in Prime-Time for Tampa Bay. For the Saints, Hill does it all, lining up as a tailback, tight end, wideout, and slot receiver. His arm-strength cannot be ignored either, completing eight of 14 passes this season for 115 yards and a touchdown. The Saints surely have trick plays dialed up featuring their Swiss Army Knife in preparation for the Bucs’ defense. Kamara, although his numbers have dipped in 2022, still remains one of the most explosive runners in the league, with the…