After racing out to a 5-1 start and looking like a team that had a claim to being one of the outright best in the NFC, the Buccaneers were handed a humbling 24-9 defeat by the Detroit Lions in Week 7,

The Saints have dominated the Buccaneers for most of their history, but in recent years the series turned into a real rivalry. Let's look back:

The New Orleans Saints (1-6) return home Sunday to play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-2). It's the first division game of the season for the Saints. Here are four factors it will take for Saints to win their division opener.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers enter their divisional showdown with the New Orleans Saints facing both adversity and opportunity. With star receiver Mike Evans on injured reserve, the Bucs’ offense must evolve quickly and find new ways to move the ball. Their offensive execution will be critical. Here are the three biggest keys to success.

The Saints shared perfect attendance on the final Week 8 injury report, while the Buccaneers ruled out four players, with a fifth questionable:

The Saints, meanwhile, have been more competent than expected offensively, but their defense is a problem — allowing nearly 27 points per game and constantly digging early holes. They’re 2–5 ATS in first halves, which makes Tampa Bay -2.5 in the first half my best bet for the game.