Following a four-game win streak, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are on the cusp of their third-consecutive NFC South title, courtesy of a New Orleans Saints' loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday Night Football. The 7-8 Saints will travel to Raymond James Stadium on New Year's Eve for a rematch of the Week Four contest against the (now) 8-7 Buccaneers. The Bucs won that meeting by a decisive 26-9 margin and will battle for a 2023 sweep on December 31. With a playoff focus, Tampa Bay is playing its most complementary football in December and the team will strive to lock up the NFC South crown by defeating the visiting divisional nemesis. Here are five Buccaneers to keep an eye on come Sunday afternoon:

Rachaad White

Prior to the game against Jacksonville, Rachaad White had strung together three games of over 100 yards from scrimmage, serving as a focal point of the Bucs' offensive attack. White's smooth route-running, prowess in the open field by making the initial defender miss, patience and ability to stack cuts has made him one of the NFL's best dual-threats. The progression of the Bucs' ground attack with mid-zone and gap schemes, has opened up play action and RPOs. On Sunday at Raymond James Stadium, White will face one of the upper echelon linebackers in Demario Davis. The 12th-year pro is the Saints' leading tackler (108) and still one of the best coverage linebackers in the league. Davis has surpassed the 100-tackle mark for the seventh-straight season in 2023 and possesses short-area burst. The rangy athlete makes plays sideline-to-sideline and collapses the pocket on A-gap blitzes. He has 6.5 sacks and 11 quarterback hits this season and is proficient at blanketing tight ends/running backs. Prior to last week's game, Davis had allowed -19.5 EPA as a targeted defender in the passing game in 2023, the best mark by any off-ball linebacker in the league.

Yaya Diaby

Against the Jaguars in Week 16, Yaya Diaby concluded the game with five tackles (two for loss), 1.5 sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and one quarterback hit. He became the first rookie in 2023 to record a game with at least one sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. On the season, Diaby is tied for first in sacks by a rookie (6.5) and is second in tackles for loss among rookies (nine), behind only Bucs' teammate Calijah Kancey who has produced 10. Diaby has the first-step quickness to knife through gaps and possesses outstanding speed in pursuit. In the second quarter on Sunday, the Jaguars dialed up an end-around featuring Calvin Ridley. Diaby immediately sniffed out the play, drove downhill and dropped Ridley for a loss of 12, setting up second-and-22. He showcased his physicality against the run and power/bend around the edge to close. In Week 17, Diaby will play a vital role in containing Saints' Rashid Shaheed. Shaheed is the go-to on sweeps, screens, end-arounds and misdirection with his speed and shiftiness in the open field. He is averaging 15.6 yards per reception in 2023 and for the Bucs, putting the clamps on Shaheed's effectiveness out of the backfield/in the flat will be a key focal point for the home team.

Zyon McCollum

Zyon McCollum, dubbed the "unsung hero" of the defense by Head Coach Todd Bowles, has been one of the team's most improved players in 2023. Injuries to both Jamel Dean and Carlton Davis III thrust the second-year player into action, and he has thrived on the field when his number has been called. McCollum even lined up at safety against the Jaguars, showcasing his versatility on the back end.

"Depending on who we play and what the matchups are, he could be anywhere from safety, nickel, [cornerback] or linebacker," said Todd Bowles of McCollum. "The matchups will determine that – what we can or think we can or can't do with him will determine that. [I am] not sure at this point in time."

McCollum has racked up 58 combined tackles (41 solo) and nine passes defensed in 2023. He plays with physicality in coverage, has the footwork to match the release and the coveted combination of patience/balance to phase routes. With rare athletic traits, including 4.33-speed, McCollum has bolstered the Bucs' secondary and will face Chris Olave on Sunday. In 2023 for New Orleans, Olave has eclipsed the 1,000-yard marker (1,041) on 81 receptions. Olave is a route-running technician with body control and balance. He can quickly get vertical on defenders with north-south speed and can generate separation at all three levels of the field. With natural hands and spatial awareness, Olave plays a significant role in the Saints' offense. This will be a speed-on-speed battle to monitor on Sunday in a high-stakes environment.

Lavonte David

Lavonte David has continued his reign of terror on NFL offenses in 2023, notching a team-high 113 tackles. In addition, David has amassed 17 tackles for loss, five quarterback hits and 4.5 sacks. Against the Jaguars, David finished with a team-leading eight tackles (one for loss), a sack and one quarterback hit. He has been the heart and soul of the Bucs' defense over the last decade, with a rare trigger and instinctual play. David is a tackling-technician and knows how to gain leverage when taking on blocks. With fluidity in transition and lateral agility, David is one of the best coverage linebackers in the NFL. On Sunday, he will face Saints' Alvin Kamara. The five-time Pro Bowler is regarded as one of the best pass-catching backs in the NFL, adept at running an expanded route tree out of the slot. He is explosive in the open field and runs with balance and vision. He leads the Saints in both rushing yards (649) and rushing touchdowns (five). Containing Kamara and forcing the Saints to become one-dimensional is at the top of the Bucs' priority list on Sunday.

Antoine Winfield Jr.

The last time the two teams met, the Buccaneers won the turnover battle, 3-1, which sparked the visiting team's victory. The Bucs scored 10 points off the Saints' takeaways in the 26-9 trouncing in the Superdome. In 2023, Tampa Bay holds a 5-2 record when produces a positive turnover ratio. The Bucs will certainly be hopeful that the old football adage, "turnovers come in bunches," rings true against the Saints in Week 17. The Bucs forced a season-high four takeaways against Jacksonville, which resulted in 21 points. Following the 30-12 victory, the Bucs moved into a tie for first in the NFL in turnover ratio, at +10. Bucs' safety Antoine Winfield Jr. has been the defensive catalyst, with a team-high three interceptions. Against Jacksonville, Winfield finished with three tackles (one for loss), 1.0 sack, one interception, one fumble recovery, one quarterback hit, and one pass defensed. He became the second player in the NFL this season to record a game with 1.0-plus sacks, an interception and a fumble recovery. On the season, Winfield has amassed 110 tackles (five for loss), 12 passes defensed, seven quarterback hits, 5.0 sacks, five forced fumbles and four fumbles recovered. He takes effective angles to the ball against both the run and pass, bolstering the Bucs' defense with high-effort play. Winfield's recognition of play designs is second to none and he will likely play an integral role in spearheading the Bucs' opportunistic defense against the Saints.