Turnovers = Beating The Saints
November 1st, 2011There are no more important plays than takeaways by a defense; no worse plays for an offense than giveaways.
If the Bucs are to beat the Saints at the Superdome Sunday, it would behoove the Bucs to get turnovers. It’s why Joe goes crazy that an alleged elite player like Aqib Talib simply cannot make big plays.
Winning the turnover battle with the Saints is the narrative veteran NFL scribe eye-RAH! Kaufman extols in the Tampa Tribune.
Morris, who also doubles at Tampa Bay’s defensive coordinator, has tremendous respect for Saints quarterback Drew Brees. But as Morris points out, Brees also has the confidence and bravado to throw into tight coverages, providing defenses with opportunities.
In Tampa Bay’s 26-20 home victory against New Orleans this year, the Bucs posted four takeaways and did not turn the ball over. The Bucs registered three takeaways in New Orleans during last year’s regular-season finale, wlaking out of the Superdome with a 23-13 win.
In their three wins against the Saints under Morris, the Bucs are plus-4 in turnover ratio, accumulating eight takeaways. In their two losses against New Orleans since 2009, the Bucs are minus-4 in turnover differential, with only one takeaway.
The way the Lambs pummeled Brees last Sunday and embarrassed the Saints offensive line bodes well for the Bucs.
Joe is still convinced the Saints were looking past the Lambs and forward to the Bucs and got burned. Joe doesn’t believe for one second the team that got tossed out of the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis Sunday will be the same team the Bucs will face in the Superdome.
November 1st, 2011 at 8:06 am
Anyone going to the game on Sunday? I’m making the trip and would be looking for a Bucs tailgate…
November 1st, 2011 at 8:44 am
Heard an interesting fact this morning, of all teams that have ever scored 60 or more points in a game, only one has won the next week.
November 1st, 2011 at 9:23 am
If the Bucs come out and hit these guys in the mouth on offense and defense I think we’ll see the same team that we saw last Sunday soon enough.
November 1st, 2011 at 10:01 am
@KD
The Saints issues start and end with their lines, their O-line cannot protect Breesus nor can they run block, their tackles are horrible. I understand they may get their starting RT, Strief back this week, but Bennett owned him last game so, not much relief there for them. So in order to protect Breesus they are going to have to keep at least one tight end in and probably a back as well, which cuts down on the weapons in the field. Then in their run game they have the same issue they had last season, and this goes to the body type of the backs they like. NO likes little quick shifty backs who after getting pounded on by guys who could be as much as 150 lbs more than them wear down quickly and generally end the season on IR. Pierre Thomas looks like his legs are going after just what 5 seasons, Ingram is already injured, Ivory is just coming back from injury, they have literally one top line back left in Sproles and if you stop him you’ve stopped the Saints, b/c if they cannot run they cannot throw. Their other issue is they cannot stop the run, we need to start fast and pound the **censored** out of them on the ground, just keep pounding LGB up the middle, gain one, gain two, gain 5, eventually you will just beat them down and then the running lanes will open up which will also open up the throwing lanes b/c they will have to bring down 1 or maybe 2 DBs into the box because they cannot stop the run. The Saints are becoming reminiscent of the last season or two of the Greatest Show on Turf, where the Rams could still put up 45 any game but they couldn’t stop you from doing the same.
November 1st, 2011 at 10:21 am
did you see yasinskas’s article on how ‘unfair’ it is that tanard is on the pro bowl ballot joe?
clearly he doesnt understand cheating/vs a pr move.
is he always a saints fanboy?
November 1st, 2011 at 10:37 am
Jackson for comeback player of the year if he keeps this up…don’t think he’ll go to the pro bowl this year but perhaps next year w/ a full offseason of his teammates gettin’ better around him.
Btw, Raheem Morris is undefeated in the Superdome…
GO BUCS!
November 1st, 2011 at 10:47 am
Slipp… I will be at the game but with my with Saints friends, as I am the only Buc that will attend:( Saints fans are usually the coolest to visiting teams fans as any stadium I’ve been to in the past.
There will be lots of tailgaters off of Poydros; I’m sure some Bucs ones as well. Sucks the game is at noon though.