Let’s start the breakdown for the New Orleans Saints’ Sunday matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers!
Against the Dolphins, Banks had another strong game, but had some mistakes here and there. Penalties became an issue throughout the game. Still, he looked great, which is the norm for every game. Now this week, facing the Buccaneers, it should be more of the same for the rookie.
Speaking of strong performances, Shough really showed off his talent. Yes, the first half was tough, but the entire offense was a step too slow. In the second half, Shough looked very similar to how he played against the Carolina Panthers. Against Tampa Bay, this is his chance to get revenge after coming in for Spencer Rattler against the Buccaneers earlier this season. Hopefully, this time, mistakes from receivers will be minimized.
For the first time this season, Sanker may be out of this game with an injury, and that would be a big hit to the defense. The safety room has been able to stop big plays from happening, and with Sanker and Ried out, it could be extremely worrisome going into Sunday’s game. If Sanker does play, he needs to stay strong back there and stop QB Baker Mayfield from making the big play happen.
Riley was unable to get a turnover last week, but again, this is a week it could happen. The Saints’ pass rush made Mayfield struggle in their earlier meeting this season, and if they can do that again, Riley will be in the perfect position to make it happen. Still, he is going to have a significant task on his hands to try to cover one of Chris Godwin or Emeka Egbuka.
Last Sunday was the first game Neal had a significant workload, and he looked good in that role. The run blocking is still a massive issue, making it difficult for the Saints to build momentum with the RBs, but Neal has been able to overcome it.