Saturday, 4 a.m.
Their first-year head coach has lost twice as many games as he has won.
They have lost three of their last four games, five of their last seven.
They didn't score a point last week.
And still, if you follow the Tampa Bay Bucs, they make you nervous. They are the New Orleans Saints, a team that seems to have been designed with the Bucs in mind, and for a long time, they have been your kryptonite.
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In other words, it doesn't matter that the Saints are having a perfectly miserable season. The Bucs are struggling themselves. But against each other, that won't matter.
The Saints lost to the Bucs earlier this year. They lost the big game between the two of them, a. playoff game after the 2020 season.
But too often, the Saints have spanked the Bucs. They beat the Bucs twice last season. Marshon Lattimore has been hurt, but indications are he'll be back to renew his blanketing of Mike Evans. Cameron Jordan has made a career of wearing out the Bucs' offensive line.
As for the quarterback, who knows. After Andy Dalton got no points last week, could Jameis Winston be far from the field?
Last week, against Cleveland, showed that the Bucs still have confusion on their offense. They play slow and deliberate, and their touchdowns often take too many plays to complete.
Yeah, the Saints have been even more disappointing than the Bucs this year.
But this one could be tough for the home folks.
Prediction: New Orleans 27, Tampa Bay 21.
In other NFL games:
Atlanta 20, Pittsburgh 17.
Minnesota 30, N.Y. Jets 23.
Tennessee 21, Philadelphia 20.
San Francisco 27, Miami 24.
Kansas City 30, Cincinnati 21.
And in the college game:
TCU 21, Kansas State 14.
Georgia 34, LSU 17.
UCF 24, Tulane 21.
Michigan 30, Purdue 10.
Clemson 27, North Carolina 17