The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are one win away from booking their playoff spot, with the New Orleans Saints standing in their way in Week 18.
After beating the Carolina Panthers in Week 17 and the Atlanta Falcons losing to the Washington Commanders, Tampa Bay now faces a rather simple scenario.
Win and playoffs are secured. But lose, and if the Falcons beat the Panthers, Raheem Morris' team will be postseason-bound, not the Buccaneers.
However, CBS Sports thinks this will be a game where Baker Mayfield lights up a lowly Saints team.
"The Saints are playing for nothing, while the Bucs are playing for the division title," CBS Sports writes. "That will matter. The Saints aren't playing well either. This one will get ugly. Baker Mayfield lights up the Saints as the Bucs take the NFC South."
Mayfield did have his way with the Saints in their Week 6 matchup, winning 51-27 off the back of 325 passing yards and four touchdowns, while Bucky Irving and Sean Tucker combined for 217 rushing yards and two touchdowns in the rout.
But this game will have a lot riding on it, with the Buccaneers knowing the ramifications of what a loss would do to their playoff hopes.
New Orleans is 5-11 and has lost four out of its last five games, so the Buccaneers won't be facing a team in form. Still, Darren Rizzi's team can't be overlooked, and Tampa Bay must attack the Saints with the same venom it did against Carolina.
Put this game out of reach early, and the way to do that is to have Mayfield "light up" a poor Saints defense.
