The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will take on the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, October 13 at 1:00 p.m. ET at Caesars Superdome in an NFC showdown. The Bucs relocated on Tuesday, October 8 to New Orleans in preparation for the expected landfall of Hurricane Milton along the Florida coast. In Week Six, the Bucs will be playing for more than football. Tampa Bay has won three of the past four meetings with the Saints and the Bucs will strive to improve their record on Sunday at the Superdome.

Zyon McCollum

Rashid Shaheed, an undrafted free agent out of Weber State in 2022, leads the Saints in receiving yards with 338. He is averaging 17.8 yards per reception in 2024 and since he entered the league in 2022, Shaheed has nine receptions on passes that were in the air for 50-plus yards – the most by any player in the NFL during that span. Shaheed has a lethal double move and is a dynamic threat down the field with his speed. He quickly works over the top of defenses and Bucs' cornerback Zyon McCollum will see a heavy dose of Shaheed on Sunday. McCollum has 4.33-caliber speed to stay with the Saints' vertical weapon and has posted eight passes defensed through five games in 2024. The Sam Houston State product is having a career-high year as a full-time starter opposite Jamel Dean and plays with physicality and phases the route well.

Bucky Irving

Bucky Irving has amassed 293 yards from scrimmage in 2024 and will face the Saints for the first time as a rookie. Irving, a small back with a compact frame, runs with vision and superb contact balance. He has created an effective one-two-punch with Rachaad White. With impressive lateral cuts, acceleration downhill and spin move, Irving adds another dimension to the backfield in Tampa Bay. On Sunday, he will face Demario Davis, a top-tier linebacker in the NFL. Davis, who was a Pro Bowl selection in 2023 and a second-team All-pro after racking up 121 tackles, 6.5 sacks and 11 quarterback hits, is a well-rounded player. He has the speed to meet backs outside of the tackles and has stellar diagnosis skills to keep offenses off-balance.

Baker Mayfield

Baker Mayfield is firing on all cylinders in 2024 as the Buccaneers' commanding officer. His 112.2 passer rating ranks second in the league among all quarterbacks with at least two starts. In Liam Coen's system, Mayfield has thrived, delivering tight window throws and taking advantage of two-high-shell coverage by exploiting the underneath area of the field. He has also made significant plays using his legs, rushing for 107 yards and two touchdowns by routinely keeping drives alive. Mayfield is adept at evading pressure and keeping his eyes downfield to put the Bucs in advantageous field position. With moxie, superb arm talent and understanding of how to exploit certain defensive looks, Mayfield is off to a career-high start to the 2024 campaign. The Saints re-signed do-it-all safety Tyrann Mathieu during the offseason after he allowed the second-fewest EPA among all NFL defenders in 2023. He has tallied 22 tackles, two interceptions, three passes defensed, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in 2024. Mathieu fights through blocks, has rare read-and-react skills paired with outstanding blitz capability. He will be moved all over the defensive backfield and Mayfield will have to be aware of where Mathieu is on every play.

Jordan Whitehead

Jordan Whitehead, the Bucs' all-purpose safety, plays with tenacity and disruptive trigger. With a formidable first step and hard hits, Whitehead's physical prowess energizes the defense. He has been dealing with a groin injury but was a limited participant in practice on Wednesday and Thursday. Whitehead has accumulated 36 tackles and three passes defensed in 2024 and will look to make his mark on Sunday against a rookie quarterback in Spencer Rattler. Whitehead has come close on several near-sacks, closing downhill like a missile and Week Six could be the breakout day. Rattler can extend plays using his legs and is efficient out of RPO looks. Following the loss of Derek Carr to injury, the Saints will turn to Rattler in their meeting in Week Six. A former five-star prospect out of Arizona, Rattler began his collegiate tenure at Oklahoma before transferring to South Carolina after losing his starting job to Caleb Williams. He left Columbia after completing 67.5% of his passes for 6,212 yards, 37 touchdowns and 20 interceptions and was drafted in the fifth round (150th overall) by New Orleans.

Lavonte David

In 25 career games against the Saints, Lavonte David has accumulated 201 tackles (20 for a loss), 142 solo tackles, 5.5 sacks, nine passes defensed and three forced fumbles. The elite coverage linebacker has had a history of success against New Orleans and will look to continue the trend on Sunday at the Superdome. Whether stonewalling Alvin Kamara at the point, blitzing the quarterback or carrying tight ends in man coverage, David will look to disrupt the Saints' rhythm in enemy territory. David rallies the defense with consistent play and sets the tone in the middle. His pursuit against the run and prowess against tight ends/running backs with hip fluidity in man coverage elevates Todd Bowles' defense.