Two NFC South division rivals will face each other in week 17 in what could decide the division title in the NFC South when the New Orleans Saints travel to Tampa, Florida to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday afternoon with kickoff scheduled for 1:00 PM ET and will air on Fox.

The New Orleans Saints enter this game with a record of 7-8 following a 22-30 loss on the road against the Los Angeles Rams in week 16 which also ended their two-game winning streak. The New Orleans Saints trail the Tampa Bay Buccaneers by a game for 1^st place in the NFC South and are tied with the Atlanta Falcons for 2^nd place in the division. The Saints have one of the best scoring defenses in the league this season as they are allowing an average of 19.8 points per game which ranks 9^th in the NFL. They have also been a slightly above-average scoring team as they are averaging 22.07 points per game which is more than the league average of 21.91 points per game and feature one of the better passing offenses in the NFL as they are averaging 236.13 passing yards per game which ranks 12^th in the league. Derek Carr has had a solid season in his first season with the Saints as he enters this game having completed 329 of 488 attempts for 3,417 yards with 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions while Chris Olave has been the main beneficiary of the passing offense as he leads the team in receiving with 81 receptions for 1,041 yards and four touchdowns. The New Orleans Saints will look to bounce back following the loss against the Rams when they travel to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Tampa Bay enters this game with a record of 8-7 and is in 1^st place in the NFC South while having a one-game lead over the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons and is on a four-game winning streak following Sunday’s 30-12 win at home against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Baker Mayfield has had a phenomenal season in his first season with Tampa Bay and enters this game having completed 322 of 501 attempts for 3,598 yards with 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions while rushing for 157 yards and a touchdown. Mayfield’s play has led the Buccaneers to be an above-average passing offense as they enter this matchup averaging 227 passing yards per game which is above the league average of 219.88 passing yards per game. The Buccaneers have an above-average scoring defense as they are allowing the 11^th fewest points per game with an average of 20.13 points per game. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will look to eliminate the New Orleans Saints from playoff contention and extend their winning streak to five games when they host New Orleans on Sunday afternoon in week 17 of the NFL season.

BookMaker has the Tampa Bay Buccaneers listed as 3-point favorites at home against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday afternoon in week 17 of the NFL season. New Orleans has won six of the last ten while Tampa Bay has won the previous three meetings including a 26-9 win on the road earlier this season. The Saints are 7-3 ATS in the last ten while the Buccaneers are 2-1 ATS in the last three games in the series. The New Orleans Saints are 4-10-1 ATS overall, 2-5-1 ATS on the road, 1-2 ATS as an underdog, and 1-2-1 ATS in division games this season while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are 10-5 ATS overall, 3-4 ATS at home, 2-2 ATS as a favorite, and 2-2 ATS in division games this season on the year.

Tampa Bay has been the better team this season and has won the previous three meetings in the series while going 2-1 ATS in those matchups. The Buccaneers have also been the better team at covering the spread this season as they are 10-5 ATS overall while the Saints are 4-10-1 ATS overall. As a result, I am laying the points with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when they host the New Orleans Saints.