The match between New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be taking place at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, LA. The game will go down on 9th September 2018at 1:00 PM ET. FOX has been given the rights for the match coverage. There are however other ways you can be able to stream the match live and watch without cables. We shall look at such ways later.
Saints vs Buccaneers Preview
This is not the first time that the two teams are meeting. Previously the Saints had won the NFC South last season and they actually made it to the divisional round of the 2017 playoffs that wherefore they lost to the Minnesota Vikings with 29-24. They closed the regular season with an 11-5 record which included eight-game winning streak at the middle of the season. At some point, they had a chance to clinch the division against Tamp Bay in the last game of the year. The Buccaneers were, however, able to able to get a secured win in their home to close out their season on a very high note.
The Saints and the Buccaneers first met in 1977 where the Bucs won with a score of 33-14. They snapped the infamous 0-26 losing streak having suffered through the club in the first 2 season. Archie Manning, Saints quarterbacks at that time was the father to Peyton and Eli.
Through the aforementioned Tampa Bay Victory, the teams have recently split the season series for the past three years. The victory was during the last game of the regular season for the two teams on December 31. Buccaneers got the 100th victory in 2008 after the defense intercepted the Saints QB Drew Bree’s three times through a 23-20 defeat of the New Orleans.
This year’s season marks the third time in the history of the two clubs where they will open the season against one another. It will be the second time they open the match together in New Orleans.
In 2002, the Bucs opened the match from their home in the start of the Super Bowl-bound season. In 2008 the two teams also opened the season together in the Superdome.
The New Orleans Saints have already officially reported for their training camp. The practices as well have already commenced. There are special team battles through the training camp and through preseason games.
There were three losses in the New Orleans in 2016 season which was a direct result of special team errors. It was wound up as a major difference between the 10-6 season with a playoff berth or the third straight 7-9 finish which the team endured. The saints were strikingly enriched in some areas during the 2017 season.
How to watch the Saints vs Buccaneers without cable
DirecTV Now
This comes with a DVR and the bases packages cost $35 on monthly basis. In this package, you get to have ESPN, ABC, FOX, and NBC. With DirecTV, you can watch Sunday Football the moment it airs on the NBC. Due to the highly competitive price point and also the extensive list of the channels that you get, DirecTV is now one of the best streaming services in the market.
It comes with a free trial giving you a chance to take advantage of watching free channels and games that are will the free timeline.
PlayStation Vue
This is now available across the US. The PlayStation Vue is now offering nearly 50 channels for $39 every month. It has been dubbed as the Access plan. They have a core plan which you get which you get to have at only $5 extra in the month. This plan has additional networks including the NFL networks.
HULU Live TV
This package is often accessible to select areas and is usually technically in beta. With $40 a month, you get to access over 55 channels inclusive of the ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, and ESPN.
Saints vs Buccaneers Game Prediction
If the Saint is going to make a serious run this year, they ought to start fast. They are the bona fide Super Bowl contenders again after they finally ended a three-year playoff in the last season. They are open with back to back in the home games for the first time since it last happened in 2004. Four of their five opponents had losing records last year. On the other side, they had in the final. 11 opponents, 9 of which had winning records in the previous season.
The 2017 season was a disappointing one with the Tampa Bay getting to the boiling point while at New Orleans last year where there was a fight breaking out on the sidelines after the QB, Jameis Winston and the receiver Mike Evans got overly frustrated by the cornerback Marshon Lattimore’s shutdown performance.
The Buccaneers failed to live up to lofty expectations as they finished last in the NFC with 5-11. The Saints are cannot give them space to breathe this season. The Bucs, therefore, have a very hard time coming against the last years’ divisional winners. The Saints gave the NFL a surprise with the resurgence of their offense behind the rookie back Alvin Kamara and a much stouter defense.
It is, however, a tough way to start a season but either way the Bucs can still make to. In the previous season, they even closed the season with a win against the Saints. As they play in the New Orleans, the Bus could get a jump on the divisional race and get a win against the Saints.
Our prediction is Bucs win over the Saints with scores of 24, 20 respectively.
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Final words
Saints like any team in the league have a punter combination which is great. The team added more athleticism to its coverage units through the offseason. Someone will, however, need to step forward and make the difference through the open competition. The league is a tight race where the Saints will have to use special teams to add another trophy to their award case. Bucks will as well have to do extensive training to bring the best skills in the league. They are in a great position to take the trophy home having function well in the previous season.