Game 17

Slimy Saints (5-11) at Bucs (9-7)

Kickoff: 1 p.m.

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

Streaming: 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 Channel 229 (Buccaneers Radio Network feed).

Weather: Going to start off chilly, per AccuWeather.com. Tailgaters will have to huddle around the grill as it will be in the upper-50s. By kickoff, it should be T-shirt weather with an expected temperature of 69. That should climb to 74 by the second half and when the game ends, look for the temperature to be 73, all under partly sunny skies.

Odds: Per Hard Rock Bet, as of midnight, Bucs -14 (-1100); over/under 44.5.

Referees: Adrian Hill and his gang will work today’s game. Hill’s outfit has the ninth-most flags thrown in the NFL. Home teams are 6-9 in which Hill and his posse work.

Injuries: Slimy Saints — Out QB Derek Carr (left hand), RB Kendre Miller (concussion). Doubtful: RB Alvin Kamara (groin). Questionable: LB Willie Gay (shoulder), TE Juwan Johnson (knee), WR Chris Olave (head), DE Payton Turner (ankle), LB Peter Werner (concussion). Bucs — Out: CB Jamel Dean (knee), S Antoine Winfield (knee), S Jordan Whitehead (car accident). Doubtful: TE Cade Otton (knee). Questionable: DL Will Gholston (knee), WR Sterling Shepard (hamstring).

Outlook: Must-win. Win (or tie)-and-in. That’s what is at stake today. The Bucs win (or tie) and the Bucs will host a playoff game next weekend. Bucs lose and the Dixie Chicks win, it’s off to the DR. If the Bucs lose and the Dixie Chicks tie or lose, the Bucs can still back door their way into the playoffs. But the easiest way to take care of all of this is for the Bucs to slam the slimy Saints. So Bucs fans, here is what you want to happen to ensure the Bucs win. When any of the following happens this season, the Bucs are undefeated: Score first, Lavonte David records a sack, the Bucs rack up five sacks, Baker Mayfield throws four touchdowns, Mayfield completes 80 percent of his passes, Mike Evans has 90 or more receiving yards, Bucky Irving has 100 scrimmage yards or Tykee Smith gets a pick. Any of those things happen, the Bucs have yet to lose a game this season. The Bucs are one of the best running teams in the NFL; the slimy Saints have a trash run defense. The Bucs have one of the better passing attacks in the NFL; the slimy Saints have a lousy pass defense. The Bucs have one of the best offenses in the NFL; the slimy Saints have a trash defense. Since their bye, the Bucs have averaged 33 points a game; since their bye, the slimy Saints have averaged 11 points a game. Simply put, with all the high stakes involved in this game, if the Bucs don’t win, it will be as colossal of a choke job as Joe has seen.

Fun facts: Slimy Saints QB Spencer Rattler had a career-high 46 yards rushing in Week 17. … In his last game against the Bucs in Oct. 2022, RB Clyde Edwards-Heleire ran for 92 yards and two touchdowns. … LB Demario Davis is looking for his fourth straight game with 10 or more tackles including a tackle for loss. … LB Pete Werner tied a career-high of 13 tackles last week. … Bucs QB Baker Mayfield needs one touchdown to become the second Bucs quarterback in franchise history to throw for 40 touchdowns. The Bucs are undefeated when Mayfield throws for 80 percent completion percentage or throws for four touchdowns. … RB Bucky Irving leads all rookie running backs with (1,430 scrimmage yards. … WR Mike Evans needs 85 yards receiving to hit 1,000 yards receiving for the 11th straight season. … The Bucs are undefeated this season when ILB  Lavonte David records a sack. With two sacks today he will set a career-high with 7.5 sacks in a season less than three weeks before turning 35. …  DT Vita Vea has two sacks in his last three games against the slimy Saints. … DT Calijah Kancey looks to extend career-highs in sacks (7.5) and tackles for loss (11). …  sacks and 10 tackles for loss in 10 games this season. … CB Zyon McCollum is looking for his third-straight game with a pass defensed.