Game 16

Slimy Saints (7-8) at Bucs (8-7) 

Kickoff: 1 p.m.

TV: FOX (WTVT-TV Channel 13 locally) with Kevin Burkhardt, Greg Olsen, Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi.

Streaming: NFL Sunday Ticket (YouTubeTV) and NFL+. (Geographic restrictions apply. Subscription may be required).

Radio: Buccaneers Radio Network WXTB-FM 97.9 in the Tampa-St. Petersburg region (Transmisiones de radio en español en WTMP-FM 96.1 y WMGG-AM 1470 en Tampa). Additional stations throughout Florida on the Buccaneers Radio Network can be found here. The game also will be broadcast on SiriusXM Channels 113 or 232 (Buccaneers Radio Network feed).

Weather: Chilly day. Though our friends in town for the (nee) Outback Bowl from Wisconsin will laugh their arses off because locals are whining about a high of 68, folks didn’t move to Florida to wear coats (yes, Joe is looking right at you, Joe’s local TV meteorologist friends who pine for nine months of the year to wear pants and sweaters indoors — Joe has a four-letter word for you: Iowa). Per AccuWeather.com, tailgaters will deal with temperatures in the high-50s, which should quickly warm up to 66 by kickoff. By the fourth quarter, it should be 69 degrees. After the game, temperatures will quickly drop to 62 for the hardcore partiers — all of this under mostly sunny skies and little wind.

Odds: Per BetMGM, as of midnight, Bucs -25 (-110); over/under 42.5.

Referees: Land Clark and his gang will work today’s game. The numbers say the Bucs might be getting a break, per Joe Gibbs of Sharp Football Analysis. Some 57 percent of the flags thrown by Clark’s outfit come against visiting teams this season. The slimy Saints’ defense is a top-five unit in penalties that result in automatic first downs  for the opposing offense. Overall, the slimy Saints are No. 2 in defensive pass interference calls and tops for DPI calls on the road. Clark’s posse is second in the league in unnecessary roughing calls and third in defensive holding. Favored teams with Clark’s gang this season are 9-5.

Injuries: Slimy Saints — Out: S Lonnie Johnson (knee), T Ryan Ramczyk (knee).  Questionable: DE Isaiah Foskey (quad), P Lou Hedley (illness), RB Alvin Kamara (illness), RB Kendre Miller (ankle), DE Payton Turner (toe). Bucs — Out: OLB Shaq Barrett (groin), CB Carlton Davis (concussion), TE Ko Kieft (shoulder).

Outlook: Joe is adamant that today could go down as one of the great days in Bucs history, and the greatest regular season game in the history of The Licht House — if the Bucs win. As much as Bucs fans hate the slimy Saints, Joe cannot think of a more important win for fans than to clinch the NFC South title with a win. The Bucs are on the cusp of all sorts of team and individual records. The Bucs could have two 1,000-yard receivers and a 1,000-yard rusher. The Bucs could win 10 games, which nobody saw coming. But none of this makes any difference without a win. It’s a hat and T-shirt game. The Bucs would be a playoff team, again. An unprecedented third-straight NFC South title for the franchise. The slimy Saints are on the verge of collapse. So how great would it be to win the division while punking the slimy Saints and maybe running Dennis Allen? To do that, the Bucs must win. Good teams don’t let the slimy Saints rise from the dead and win. Get the job done. Make history.

Fun facts: Baker Mayfield looks for his third straight game with two touchdown passes. In the Week 4 game at New Orleans, Mayfield threw three touchdown passes. He ranks fifth in the NFC in touchdown passes (24). … Per the PFF tribe, Mike Evans destroys corners who single-cover him. Evans has 809 receiving yards (first), 9 touchdowns (first) and 23 explosive plays (first) against single coverage. …  Chris Godwin is looking for his fifth-straight game against the slimy Saints with six or more catches. …  Lavonte David is fourth in the NFL in tackles for loss (17). … OLB YaYa Diaby has a sack in his last three straight home games. Antoine Winfield is the only NFL player since 2000 with 100-plus tackles (110), 10-plus passes defended (12), five or more sacks (5) and five or more forced fumbles.

Ira Kaufman Talks Bucs-Saints Predictions, Mayfield-Evans Contract Chess, Locker Room Vibes, Dance Moves, Dave Canales Vs. NFL Owners, And Much More

Did someone say longest winning streak in the NFC? 👀@rondebarber breaks down the latest W. 🎦 pic.twitter.com/WtfrOzyxkJ

— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) December 27, 2023