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NFL Divisional Round: Saints-Buccaneers preview, live stream, playoff schedule
Note: NFL playoff games on DAZN are available to stream only in Canada.
The NFL's decision to expand its playoff format for the 2020 season is already paying dividends for the league. Super Wild Card Weekend provided fans with six competitive games, a few upsets, and eight teams now remain with hopes of lifting the Lombardi Trophy on Feb. 7 in Tampa Bay.
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The defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs will begin their title defense against the Cleveland Browns, while MVP favourite Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers play host to Aaron Donald and the Los Angeles Rams. After winning their first playoff game since 1995, the Buffalo Bills host the Baltimore Ravens, while Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints square off against Tom Brady and the red-hot Tampa Bay Buccaneers to cap off the divisional round. Although the COVID-19 pandemic remains a threat to disrupt the playoffs, each of the eight remaining teams survived the wild card weekend, with the Super Bowl now in clear view.
Division Round Preview: Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints
Date: Sunday January 17 at 6:40 p.m. ET
How to watch: Live on DAZN Canada
It’s tempting to consider this game as the possible end of an era, as this could be the last time Brady and Brees face off against each other. Brady has shown few signs of slowing down, undergoing a renaissance of sorts, while Brees battled through 11 broken ribs to recover in time for the playoffs. Reducing this divisional rivalry to the sum of their quarterbacks’ accomplishments would be a disservice to both teams, however, as they rightfully carry real Super Bowl ambitions.
It wasn’t the prettiest performance but the Saints still marched all over the Bears in a 21-9 win. Michael Thomas was limited to seven regular season games, but the reigning Offensive Player of the Year is rounding back into top form with seven catches for 73 yards and a touchdown against Chicago. Deonte Harris looks comfortable as a No. 2 option as Emmanuel Sanders struggled on Sunday, while Jared Cook is more than a mere safety valve for Brees. Alvin Kamara is the all-around weapon who could break this game open and on passing downs, the Saints could overwhelm a talented but inexperienced Buccaneers secondary, stacking him with Thomas.
Tampa Bay hardly resembles the outfit that crumbled in both head-to-head games. Lavonte David continues to be one of the best linebackers of his generation and Tampa Bay may receive a boost if second-year rising star linebacker Devin White is activated from the COVID-19 list. Ndamukong Suh and Jason Pierre-Paul are both quietly undergoing renaissance seasons, and the Buccaneers’ pass rush could force Brees into a handful of mistakes.
Mike Evans was hardly slowed by a knee injury with six catches for 119 yards and a touchdown against Washington, Chris Godwin can run every route on the tree, and with every game Antonio Brown is beginning to resemble the player who appeared to be a Hall of Fame lock 22 months ago. Brady has more weapons than he’s had in over a decade and he has the Buccaneers firing on all cylinders.
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New Orleans is the toughest test Tampa Bay has faced all year and forced Brady into a zero-touchdown, three-interception performance in a 38-3 loss on Nov. 8. Trey Hendrickson, Cam Jordan, Demario Davis and the Saints’ front seven will be reinvigorated with the task of neutralizing Brady and shutting down a seemingly rejuvenated Leonard Fournette. Although Tampa Bay’s star-studded receiving trio is a nightmare on paper, Marshon Lattimore is among the league’s best corners and New Orleans has its number.
Saints vs. Buccaneers: Tale of the Tape
Category | NO | TB |
Record | 12-4 | 11-5 |
Head-to-Head | 2-0 | 0-2 |
Points For (per game) | 30.1 | 30.8 |
Points Against (per game) | 21.1 | 22.2 |
Saints will win because
New Orleans’ fifth-ranked scoring defense has enough weapons of its own to keep Tampa Bay’s star receivers in check, and it is getting healthy at the right time. Thomas and Kamara alone command a disproportionate amount of attention on every snap and Brees should be able to calmly go through his reads all day. The Saints have dominated the Buccaneers twice this season, and there’s little reason why they can’t do it again.
Buccaneers will win because
Third time’s the charm, right? Brady is the best playoff performer in NFL history and though the Saints have been the Buccaneers’ kryptonite this season, the GOAT is elevating his game at the right time. Brown was just getting acquainted with the Buccaneers’ offense in the Nov. 8 loss and he’s now beginning to overwhelm corners as an overqualified No. 3 option. Tampa Bay is scorching-hot and would like nothing more to stick it to its rival and biggest foe this season, with a berth to the NFC title game on the line.
NFL Divisional Round Previews
What’s the NFL Playoffs schedule in 2021?
Wild Card games: January 9-10
Divisional games: January 16-17
Conference championships: January 24
Super Bowl: February 7
NFL Divisional Round Schedule
Saturday January 16
NFL Divisional Round Schedule
Sunday January 17
NFL AFC/NFC Conference Championship Schedule
Sunday January 24
NFL Super Bowl 55 Schedule
Sunday February 7
Time | Matchup | Stream in Canada |
TBD | AFC Champion vs. NFC Champion |
