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KICKOFF: Sunday, 1:00 ET
SURFACE: Grass
TV: FOX (Dick Stockton, Brian Baldinger, Laura Okmin)
SERIES: 34th regular-season meeting. The Saints lead, 20-13, after winning three of the past five matchups, including a season-opening 24-20 decision over the Buccaneers in the Superdome on Sept. 7. The Bucs, however, have won two of the past three games in Raymond James Stadium.
PREDICTION: Bucs 23-21
KEYS TO THE GAME: The Saints are coming off a 51-point game and get RB Reggie Bush back this week. That's a scary combination for the Bucs, who were helpless to stop QB Drew Brees from throwing for 343 yards in the season-opener. Bush won't add much to the 27th-ranked running game, but his dynamic presence coming out of the backfield forces Tampa Bay to account for yet another big playmaker. The Bucs hope the difference this time around is more depth in the secondary with the emergence of rookie CB Aqib Talib in the nickel spot. ... While the Saints throw the ball all over the field, the Bucs will be focusing on efficiency. QB Jeff Garcia is completing better than 70 percent of his passes since regaining the job six games ago and the Saints' secondary is certainly attackable. Coach Jon Gruden also expects RB Cadillac Williams to be more effective backing up Warrick Dunn after seeing his first game action of the season last Sunday. New Orleans isn't afraid to blitz from any position, and it will be up to Garcia to recognize where the pressure is coming from and get rid of the ball quickly.
KEY INJURIES: Bucs: TE Alex Smith (ankle) hopes to play after missing two games. Saints: Bush (knee) is "going to play" according to coach Sean Payton; FB Mike Karney (knee) is uncertain.
FAST FACTS: Fourteen of the past 19 meetings have been decided by a touchdown or less. ... Bucs CB Ronde Barber has scored 11 regular-season touchdowns on fumble and interception returns, the most among active players and third all-time, behind Rod Woodson (13) and Aeneas Williams (12).
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