Oddly, the Buccaneers and the Saints are heading in opposite directions after last week. The Buccaneers, to everyone’s dismay and sadness (sorry, it’s all about the 2010 Draft now), beat the Seattle Seahawks and are riding a 1 game win streak. The Saints fell from perfection with their loss to the Cowboys and are riding a 1 game losing streak. Look for everything to get back to normal after the week 16 dust settles.

The Saints have plenty of motivation to win this weekend against the Buccaneers. First off, if the Saints can win this weekend, they wrap up home field advantage throughout the playoffs. A victory also gives the Saints an opportunity to rest players in the final week, if necessary. It will put the Saints in a good position going into the playoffs, because Reggie Bush, Jabari Greer, Darren Sharper and Jeremy Shockey can get 2 weeks to rest up before the playoffs start.

I don’t expect the Bucs to just rollover on Sunday. Even though the Bucs don’t have anything to play for as a team, individual players are playing for their livelihood and careers. The NFL also means Not For Long, because there is always someone hungrier and talented wanting to take your roster spot. Fringe players and free agents to be need to play hard and well if they expect to be brought back or picked up by another team. Plus, NFL contracts aren’t guaranteed for the most part, so you can be cut, restructured or waived anytime a team feels you’re not worth what they are paying you.

The Saints will march and roll the Bucs this weekend. I’m not sure if they will cover the 14 points they are favored, but they have too much at stake to lose, so I expect them to come out in the first half and expose all Bucs defense for the terrible unit it is. Last week Freeman finally had a game where he didn’t kill his own team and hopefully Josh Freeman can put together back to back decent games. Unfortunately, last was against a horrible Seahawks team and this week it’s against the best team in the NFL (Screw you Colts fans, you’re not the best team). I personally expect Freeman to take a step back and not forward, but he’s a rookie and I can’t really set the expectations too high. Since the Bucs dumped defense coordinator, Jim Bates, they have been playing better, but the Saints bring too much fire power for the young and not so talented Bucs unit.