TAMPA Tampa Bay Buccaneers Hoodie , Fla. (AP) beating the Saints in a high-scoring shootout. Three months later, neither team is looking back.New Orleans (10-2) is on the verge of clinching another NFC South title. Tampa Bay (5-7) is trying to escape a deep hole and climb back into playoff contention."It does feel like it's been quite a while," Saints coach Sean Payton said, reflecting on his team's 48-40 loss to the Bucs in Week 1."Obviously, a lot's taken place since then. We will be seeing a different quarterback in this game," Payton added. "I think there are some similarities relative to what the teams do scheme-wise and yet through the course of the season, there's been injuries, new players playing at different positions for both sides and a big enough gap to where you're watching a lot of other tape, not just the tape of your past game."That's life in the NFL, which doesn't afford much time to dwell on wins or losses.When the division rivals meet again Sunday, the Saints will be eager to rebound from a 13-10 road loss to Dallas that stopped a 10-game winning streak.The Bucs beat Carolina 24-17 last week, improving to 2-0 since Jameis Winston regained Tampa Bay's starting quarterback job."You don't win 10 straight in this league if you're not pretty good," Bucs coach Dirk Koetter said, cautioning against reading too much into New Orleans' only loss since Ryan Fitzpatrick led Tampa Bay past the Saints on Sept. 9."As we've said many times, this is a week-to-week league and there's good players on both sides," Koetter added. "I don't think the Saints are going to be losing too much sleep over losing (and) being 10-2."New Orleans can clinch its second straight NFC South title with a win Sunday or a Carolina loss or tie.The Bucs, who haven't made the playoffs since 2007 Cheap Customized Tampa Bay Buccaneers Jerseys , have won the past two meetings in the division rivalry."We're playing for a lot, in the position we're in. I think our team knows that," Payton said."The bottom line is we control our destiny right now," quarterback Drew Brees said. "We win this game, we win the division and that's the first step, first goal that we set for ourselves this season. … Then, we'll worry about the next goal."Some things to know about the Bucs, who won two straight after a stretch in which they dropped seven of eight games, and Saints:PERSONAL RIVALRYTop Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore could be seeking a measure of redemption when he lines up against receiver Mike Evans.A year ago, Lattimore memorably frustrated Evans to the point that the big Bucs receiver leveled the cornerback along the Tampa Bay sideline as Winston and Lattimore exchanged words. Yet, in Week 1 of this season, Evans had a huge day in the Superdome against Lattimore, catching seven passes for 147 yards, highlighted by his 50-yard touchdown catch.But Lattimore, the 2017 defensive rookie of the year, has come back strong from that game and Payton was highly complimentary of his play this season while, to some extent, also excusing his Week 1 performance."Marshon White Demar Dotson Jersey , we feel like, is one of the better corners in this league," Payton said, "and I'm glad we have him."IMPROVED PASS RUSHSince Week 7 when Tampa Bay fired defensive coordinator Mike Smith and promoted linebackers coach Mark Duffner as his replacement, the Bucs have the second-most sacks in the league with 24. The only team with more over that stretch is New Orleans with 25.RAIN READINESPayton tends to be very particular about reviewing weather forecasts for outdoor games and particularly so this week, where the forecast is calling for rain and some wind."It doesn't ‘look like' it's going to rain. It's going to rain 鈥?95 percent chance of rain. There'll be some wind 鈥?10 to 12 miles an hour. We know the direction; it'll head from their locker room toward the pirate ship. I think the footing is going to be important relative to the shoes that we're wearing."To that end, the Saints were practicing outside Thursday, when Payton said their work included "wet ball drills, the whole 9 yards. It's just understanding ball security, understanding the conditions."Payton recalled that in September 2013, a Saints game at Tampa Bay was delayed by weather."We've been there before when we were sent in … to go eat oranges for half an hour and then stretch and come back out and play," he said.BALL SECURITYWinston, who sat out the season opener while serving a suspension for violating the NFL's personal conduct penalty, has not turned the ball over since regaining his starting job two weeks ago. In his past three games, including starts vs. the 49ers and Panthers, the fourth-year pro completed 61 of 84 passes (72.6 percent) for 760 yards and six TDs vs. one interception for a 119.1rating. "He's playing with a lot of confidence," Payton said."I'm sure we haven't seen the last of turnovers. … (But) I think as long as Jameis continues to make good decisions, then he's going to play good football http://www.authentic...ny-curry-jersey ," Koetter said. "That's really all we're worried about." Von Miller went bonkers when Bradley Chubb fell to the Denver Broncos with the fifth pick in the NFL draft.Chubb not only takes pressure off Miller, who hasn't been back to the playoffs since winning Super Bowl 50 MVP honors. He bolsters what was already a dynamic Denver pass rush that gives opponents fits and covers a whole lot of warts in the Broncos' beleaguered secondary.Rather than grab another quarterback in the first round 鈥?his last one didn't work out so well 鈥?general manager John Elway selected the North Carolina State edge rusher who was widely regarded as the best defender in the 2017 draft class.Now, the Broncos can send Miller, Chubb, Shane Ray and Shaq Barrett at quarterbacks from the outside while locking down the interior with a revitalized Derek Wolfe , a beefed-up DeMarcus Walker, a rejuvenated Adam Gotsis and free agent acquisition Clinton McDonald at defensive end.Then there's nose tackles Shelby Harris and the Peko cousins, Domata and Kyle, to provide inside push and help thwart the run.Of course, it will only matter if Denver's refurbished offense buttressed by free agent QB Case Keenum, rookie receivers Courtland Sutton and DaeSean Hamilton and rookie running back Royce Freeman, starts scoring points like it did when Peyton Manning was hollering out, "Hurry, hurry!"In the two seasons since Manning retired, the Broncos haven't played with a lead often enough to capitalize on their pass rush prowess or what had been a stellar secondary.Cornerback Chris Harris Jr., was pleased to finally face an offense in training camp that held its own."Our offense is way better than they were last year," Harris said. "I see them putting up points, at least 30 a game. ... because we have Bill Musgrave http://www.authentic...n-jensen-jersey , a great offensive coordinator. We used to hate going against him. We used to call him 'Mad Scientist' when he was in Oakland, so they have a great offense. It fits Case well. He has great weapons. I don't see why they can't average 30."NO MORE NO FLY ZONE : A prolific offense will help a defense that went through a spate of injuries in the secondary, then lost a second member of the original "No Fly Zone" with the trade of cornerback Aqib Talib to the Rams this spring.The Broncos had their share of growing pains after safety T.J. Ward was waived last year. Now the original "No Fly Zone" is down to safety Darren Stewart and Harris, who said the chemistry with cornerback Bradley Roby was slow to develop this summer after never needing to consider it with Talib."It was so easy that you never realized that you have to work for that with someone else," Harris said. "Me and 'Lib used to come out on the field 鈥?Bam! If he sees something, I see it."Asked when he thought that would come together with Roby, Harris said, "as soon as Roby gets it. It shouldn't take long as long as he gets it. Once he gets it, we'll be on the same page."REFRESHED RECEIVERS : It didn't take long for Emmanuel Sanders to get on the same page with Keenum. Finally healthy after an injury-marred 2017 season, Sanders was the star of training camp even as rookie Sutton, another SMU alum, was entertaining the crowds with daily highlight reel catches.Sanders said his enthusiasm isn't just a byproduct of his return to health but of Keenum's arrival. For the first time since 2015, Sanders worked exclusively with the starting QB and didn't have to endure a prolonged quarterback competition that siphoned chemistry and rhythm from the offense once the regular season rolled around.He and Demaryius Thomas also were pushed by the rookies."This is one of those wide receiver groups that can definitely carry this team," Sanders said. "Elway has his pick of the litter in that room."BOUNCE BACKS : The Broncos haven't had back-to-back losing seasons since 1971-72 and several players need bounce-back seasons to keep that streak alive. So do the coaches.Elway contemplated firing Joseph following his 5-11 rookie season but decided to give him another chance, then provided him with a massive roster upgrade rather than going on another coaching search and starting over.Joseph realizes he won't get another chance if things don't change, however."Winning football games is a must this year," Joseph said. "We have to do that. That's why they hired me."
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The Buccaneers pulled off the biggest upset of the opening week of the NFL season
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