HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Raymond James Stadium's felt like the New Orleans Saints home away from home since 2018.
The Saints have won four straight games in Tampa Bay- the last two by a combined score of 47-3. Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady knows his entire team will have to execute on offense, defense, and special teams if they want to stop the Saints' streak.
"We’re gonna have to take care of the ball. We’re going to have to make the plays when they’re there. Gotta stay balanced," Brady said after Friday's practice. "We’re going to have to play a great game in all three phases against a good football team that’s been a tough team for us, no doubt. We’re not winning, scoring zero points. We’re certainly not winning, probably scoring three points. So we’re gonna have to do a good job and hit the ones that are there."
The entire plan on offense begins with keeping Brady, 45, upright.
That task got harder this week after learning Pro Bowl right tackle Tristan Wirfs is out 3-4 weeks with an ankle injury he suffered against the Cleveland Browns.
"It’s tough when you lose a guy like that. He means so much to us," said offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich. "But, it’s football. No one’s feeling sorry for us. We gotta go out there and do what we gotta do to try and find a way to win a football game."
The Bucs are 5-6, which puts them in first place in the NFC South. But Tampa Bay's not satisfied with their record or simply being in the first place. They want to turn things around during the stretch run so they can make another push in the postseason.
"Hope’s not a strategy. You gotta go out there and you gotta earn it. You gotta do it," Brady added. "No one likes the fact that we’re 5 and 6. Believe me; we’re not celebrating any of that. We have not played the way we’re capable of playing. I think the thing we can do about it is this week; we can try and go out and play the way we’re capable of playing. But we’re going against a team that’s a very good team. And they’re not going to let us off the hook."
The Bucs host the Saints (4-8) for a prime-time date on Monday Night Football. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:15.
