Home NFL Skeleton Keys To Victory: Week Eight – Buccaneers vs Saints

Skeleton Keys To Victory: Week Eight – Buccaneers vs Saints

October 24, 2025

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are licking their wounds after a tough Monday night loss. Now they go on the road again, this week to play the New Orleans Saints in a divisional rivalry. Unfortunately, the Bucs will not be at their best as they enter this game very battered and bruised.

With that said, there is still every reason to expect a win on Sunday. The Bucs enter this game 5-2 whereas the Saints are a lowly 1-6. Even with a shocking amount of significant injuries, this is a game you expect to win.

For this shorthanded krewe to do that, the Bucs will have to follow my week eight Skeleton Keys to victory.

ALVIN!!!!

The Saints don’t have any dynamic playmakers. Chris Olave and this wide receiver group have a lot of speed, but it hasn’t really translated to on field success. There isn’t anything special this team has to do to defend them.

The same applies to running back Alvin Kamara. While Kamara has had an excellent career, I question how much he has left in the tank. Only one thing about this matchup scares me.

The Bucs have been bad defending running backs in the passing game. And regardless of how much Kamara has left, it’s still enough that he’s a legitimate pass catching threat out of the backfield. Getting the linebackers in position and making clean tackles after the catch will be key in this game.

Pound the Rock

The Saints rank 26th in rushing yards allowed. However, they are better in terms of rushing yards allowed per carry at 16th. Either way you look at it, this isn’t a great run defense.

After abandoning the running game on Monday night, offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard has to find a way to incorporate the run into the game plan more. After this was a strength of the team last year, they only rank 22nd in rushing yards this season. That needs to improve.

This is a perfect time to run the ball. It takes pressure off a banged up Baker Mayfield who threw the ball 50 times last week and it takes pressure off this patchwork offensive line. I’d love to see 30+ rushing attempts in this game.

Keep it Clean

There is no doubt that the Buccaneers are a better team than the Saints. Even this depleted injury riddled version of the Bucs will roll more talent into the field this weekend. There really is no excuse for Tampa Bay to lose this game.

The only thing that can really derail them is turnovers. Whether it be blocked kicks on special teams or the occasional fumble or interception, turnovers have flipped some key games for the Bucs this year. They will have to avoid that to win this week.

I am also focused on the game being clean in terms of how the players conduct themselves within the lines. Mayfield came out this week and said that the Saints have not been a clean team during his tenure in Tampa. To avoid injuries, Bowles needs to make sure that this is on the officials radar.

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