If you want to understand the pure, unadulterated chaos of the NFC South, just look at the New Orleans Saints Tampa Bay Buccaneers matchup. It’s weird. Honestly, it's a bit of a mess. While the rest of the league obsesses over historic rivalries like the Packers and Bears, folks down in the Gulf Coast know that the real "hate" resides in the 400 miles of I-10 connecting these two cities.
Forget logic. Forget "who's better on paper."
The Saints and Bucs have this uncanny ability to make each other look ridiculous. One week, Tampa is hoisting a Lombardi; the next, they’re getting shut out at home by a Saints defense that seems to play with a different level of violence against Baker Mayfield or Tom Brady. It’s a rivalry defined by Mike Evans and Marshon Lattimore basically trying to wrestle in the middle of a live play every single year. You’ve seen the clips. You know exactly what I'm talking about.
The Lattimore-Evans War is the Heartbeat
You can't talk about the New Orleans Saints Tampa Bay Buccaneers series without talking about the "Boxing Match." That’s what fans call the perpetual feud between Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore and Bucs receiver Mike Evans. This isn't just "shutdown corner vs. elite wideout." It is personal.
Since 2017, these two have turned professional football into a street fight. We're talking multiple ejections. We're talking 2022, when a full-scale brawl broke out because Evans decided he’d had enough of Lattimore chirping at his teammates. The league has handed out suspensions, thousands in fines, and enough penalty yardage to fuel a cross-country flight.
Why does it matter? Because it dictates how these teams play. When Lattimore is in Evans’ head, the entire Buccaneers offense stalls. Evans is a Hall of Fame talent—a guy with a record-setting streak of 1,000-yard seasons—but against New Orleans, he often looks human. Sometimes less than human. He looks frustrated. That frustration is the DNA of this rivalry.
Breaking the "Tom Brady" Hex
For a while there, New Orleans had a legitimate claim to being Tom Brady’s Kryptonite. When Brady moved to Tampa, everyone figured the Saints were toast. Instead, Sean Payton and Dennis Allen cooked up a defensive scheme that made the GOAT look like a rookie.
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Think back to that 9-0 shutout in 2021. Nine to zero.
In a league designed for high-flying offenses, the Saints dragged the Buccaneers into the mud and held them there. It wasn't just a win; it was a statement. It proved that in this specific matchup, star power often bows down to divisional familiarity. The Saints knew Brady’s cadence. They knew his release points. They hit him. Hard.
Of course, the Buccaneers got the ultimate revenge in the 2020 playoffs. That’s the nuance of this rivalry. The Saints can sweep the regular season, looking like the best team in the NFC, only for Tampa to walk into the Superdome and snatch a divisional round win on their way to a Super Bowl ring. New Orleans fans still haven't gotten over Jared Cook's fumble in that game. Honestly, they probably never will.
The Post-Brees, Post-Brady Era
We’re in a different world now. No more Drew Brees. No more Tom Brady. But the New Orleans Saints Tampa Bay Buccaneers games haven't lost their edge. If anything, they've gotten more unpredictable.
Derek Carr vs. Baker Mayfield doesn't have the same "legendary" ring to it, but both guys are playing for their lives in this league. Mayfield found a second (or fourth?) wind in Tampa, embracing the "Creed" and the gritty culture of the Bucs. Meanwhile, Carr is trying to prove he can lead a New Orleans franchise that is stuck in a weird salary-cap purgatory while still demanding playoff appearances.
The stakes are actually higher now because the NFC South is often the "Island of Misfit Toys." Usually, only one team is getting out of this division alive to make the playoffs. Every game between these two feels like an elimination match.
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Tactical Breakdown: How These Teams Actually Match Up
If you're betting on these games or just trying to sound smart at the bar, you have to look at the trenches.
Tampa Bay usually builds through the defensive line. Vita Vea is a literal human mountain who eats double teams for breakfast. When the Buccaneers win, it’s because Vea is collapsing the pocket and forcing the Saints into quick, bad decisions. New Orleans, conversely, relies on a "bend but don't break" secondary and a pass rush that comes in waves.
- The Turnover Margin: In the last ten meetings, the team that wins the turnover battle has won nearly 80% of the time.
- Third Down Conversions: The Saints’ defense historically ranks in the top 10 for third-down stops against Tampa.
- The "Evans Factor": If Mike Evans has more than 5 catches, the Bucs win. If he has 3 or fewer, the Saints usually walk away with it.
It's a simple formula that produces incredibly complex games.
Why the National Media Ignores This Rivalry
It’s easy to focus on the Cowboys or the Eagles. Those are the "prestige" brands. But the New Orleans Saints Tampa Bay Buccaneers rivalry is more representative of what football actually is: a grinding, emotional, and often ugly struggle for territory.
There’s a cultural clash here, too. New Orleans is the "Who Dat" nation, a city that treats the Saints like a religion. Tampa is a bit more nomadic, a "Champa Bay" identity built on recent success but often fighting for relevance in a town with a lot of transplants. When Bucs fans travel to the Dome, it’s loud. When Saints fans take over Raymond James Stadium—which they do, frequently—it’s a party.
Real Stats You Should Know
The all-time series is remarkably close. As of the 2024 season, the Saints held a slight edge, but the gap has narrowed significantly.
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- Total Games Played: 65
- Largest Margin of Victory: Saints 38, Bucs 3 (2020)
- Most Consecutive Wins: Saints (7 straight from 2011-2014)
What these numbers don't show is the "weirdness" factor. Like the game where Jameis Winston—then playing for the Saints—came off the bench to beat his former team, only to suffer a season-ending injury in the process. Or the "Finger Lickin' Good" pre-game speech that became a meme for years. This series is a factory for NFL oddities.
What to Watch for in the Next Matchup
When these two meet again, don't look at the scoreboard first. Look at the sidelines. Watch the jawing between the defensive backs and the wideouts.
The Buccaneers are leaning heavily into a post-Brady identity that is surprisingly resilient. They aren't the "Pats South" anymore; they're a balanced team with a chip on their shoulder. The Saints are trying to keep their window open with a veteran roster that knows it’s running out of time.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
- Monitor the Injury Report for Offensive Tackles: Both teams rely on edge pressure. If Ryan Ramczyk or Tristan Wirfs is out, the game plan changes entirely.
- Watch the First Quarter Penalties: This rivalry gets emotional fast. Early "Unnecessary Roughness" calls are a leading indicator that the game is going to devolve into a flag-fest.
- Check the Weather in Tampa: Early-season games in Florida involve crushing humidity that favors the home team’s conditioning. Late-season games in New Orleans favor the Saints’ fast turf.
- Bet the "Under" on Evans Yardage: History suggests the Saints' scheme is designed specifically to erase him, even if he’s the best player on the field.
The New Orleans Saints Tampa Bay Buccaneers rivalry isn't just a game on the schedule. It's a barometer for the NFC South. Whoever wins this series usually wins the division. And whoever wins the division gets a home playoff game. In the NFL, that's everything.
Don't expect a clean game. Expect flags, expect trash talk, and expect at least one moment that makes you say, "I can't believe that just happened." That’s just NFC South football. It's not always pretty, but it's never boring.
To stay ahead of the curve, keep an eye on the defensive coordinator shifts in New Orleans. The departure of long-time staffers can disrupt the "magic formula" they've used to stifle Tampa's offense for years. Conversely, watch how Tampa integrates younger speed at receiver to pull Lattimore away from his traditional one-on-one matchups. The chess match is constantly evolving, even if the animosity stays exactly the same.