Week 16
Bucs at Saints
Kickoff: 1 p.m.
TV: WTVT Ch. 13, DirecTV 711
Radio: Buccaneers Radio Network (in Tampa WFUS-FM, 103.5 and WDAE-AM, 620); Sirius Channel 158.
Weather: It’s asinine to give a forecast for a dome game but Joe suspects there may be a few Bucs fans prowling Bourbon Street prior to the game. For those hearty souls, AccuWeather.com suggests they will need a jacket. Tailgating temperatures will be in the lower 50’s under cloudy skies. If it’s too chilly, Joe is confident Bucs fans can find a nice warm, albeit a smokey and smelly watering hole in the quarter.
Odds: Per Bodog.com, Saints -14.
Outlook: Joe is expecting a blowout. The Saints are coming off an extra day of rest and still stinging from a bad loss to Dallass. The Saints will want to show the NFL that it still means business. A win by the Saints will clinch home field advantage throughout the playoffs. That written, Joe is looking for a spirited effort from the Bucs. The Bucs want to show that the the win over Seattle and the resurgence of their defense since defensive coordinator Jim Bates was defrocked were or are not flukes. Though most believe Raheem the Dream will likely be back next year, a close game with a good showing will help reinforce Raheem the Dream’s chances of being back with the Bucs in 2010.