The energy and anticipation is palpable. In a high-stakes December rematch in Week 17, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will strive for a 2023 sweep of the New Orleans Saints and a third-straight division crown on New Year's Eve. If the Bucs win at Raymond James Stadium, they will clinch a playoff spot and sole possession of the NFC South. At 8-7, Tampa Bay has a one-game lead over the Saints and Falcons (both 7-8) and tiebreaker advantages to pull out the "Division Champ" t-shirts with a victory. With a singular playoff focus, the Bucs will vie for supremacy, silencing the doubters once and for all. The Bucs are riding a hot four-game win streak into Sunday's matchup and the Saints are coming off a loss to the Rams via Thursday Night Football. After a week of preparation, here is what Sunday's Week 17 matchup comes down to:

4 Stats That Matter

• Rachaad White is one of three players that have accounted for 65-plus percent of their team's rush yards in 2023, behind Joe Mixon (69.2) and Christian McCaffrey (67.1) at 65.2. The Saints have allowed 151.5 rush yards per game (third-most) and 4.9 yards per carry (second-most) since Week Eight. The Saints allowed just 98.7 rush yards per game and 3.9 yards per carry from Weeks 1-7.
• The Buccaneers defense has 24 takeaways in 2023 (tied for sixth-most in the NFL). Derek Carr has four interceptions over the last five games (had four interceptions in first 10 games of the 2023 season).
• Baker Mayfield leads the NFL with 153 passing attempts and 1,327 passing yards on third down in 2023. The Saints' defense is allowing a 52.8 completion percentage on third down in 2023 (third-lowest in the NFL).
• Demario Davis has allowed 0.5 yards per snap in coverage in 2023 per Next Gen Stats, the fewest among linebackers with a minimum of 250 coverage snaps.

3 Lineup Notes

• The Buccaneers will be without starting outside linebacker Shaquil Barrett on Sunday. They Bucs will likely take a by committee approach, relying on both Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and Anthony Nelson to fill the vacancy. Barrett, who has played 620 defensive plays this season, will be sidelined due to a groin injury he sustained in the Bucs' Week 16 victory over Jacksonville.
• In addition, starting cornerback Carlton Davis III (concussion) and rookie tight end Ko Kieft (shoulder) were ruled out for the Week 17 division matchup. Davis came out of the Buccaneers' Week 16 win over Jacksonville after playing a brief 10 snaps to undergo evaluation for a concussion. He did not return to the game and was subsequently placed into the NFL's concussion protocol. Davis was not cleared for practice to start the week on Wednesday and was ruled out.
• For the Saints, rookie safety Jordan Howden (illness) returned to practice after resting on Wednesday and both starting right tackle Ryan Ramczyk (knee) and veteran safety Lonnie Johnson (knee) were ruled out. In addition, five players were listed as questionable for New Orleans: defensive end Isaiah Foskey (quadriceps), punter Lou Hedley (illness), running back Alvin Kamara (illness), running back Kendre Miller (ankle), and defensive end Payton Turner (toe). Kamara was added to the report on Saturday with an undisclosed illness and his status will be one to monitor.

2 Challenges Presented by the Saints

Quarterback Derek Carr has had an up-and-down season, but he has a talented cast at his disposal with deep threats Chris Olave and Rasheed Shahid, along with dual-threat running back Alvin Kamara. Olave is a smooth route-runner who alters his pace to gain leverage on defensive backs. He can stretch the field vertically, along with Shaheed. Shaheed is lethal in the open field off end-arounds/screens and is electric with the ball in his hands at gaining YAC-yards. The Bucs' defense put the clamps on Kamara in Week Four – the last time these two teams met – however, he poses a unique challenge. Kamara can run a full route tree out of the slot and is adept off angle or wheel routes. He has burst out of his breaks and runs with balance and vision, bouncing off contact.

Defensively, defensive end Carl Granderson leads with the unit with 8.5 sacks while stalwart inside linebacker Demario Davis has accumulated 108 tackles, 6.5 sacks, nine tackles for loss, 11 quarterback hits, four passes defensed and a forced fumble. In 2023, Davis eclipsed the 100-yard tackling mark for the seventh-consecutive season. He has achieved consistency throughout his NFL tenure and sets the standard at the position with a well-rounded resumé. Davis contains sideline-to-sideline with stellar range and is a lethal A-gap blitzer, along with linemate Pete Werner. The Saints will be without star cornerback Marshon Lattimore (injured reserve), but their defense ranks ninth in the league in fewest points allowed. The Saints have forced a three-and-out on 40.9 percent of opponent drives in 2023 (second in the NFL) and the Bucs' offense will have to match that physicality on Sunday.

"Demario is an unbelievable player and I think Pete Werner has come along and it's been a great side-by-side duo with those linebackers there," said Baker Mayfield. "You've got to know where they're at all times. You've got to understand that they're going to understand these patterns. They're going to know how to pass things off. They're going to fill the runs and hit the holes pretty quickly. It's just knowing you've got to do those little details right when you're playing a team like this."

1 Key Quote from Todd Bowles

On winning the division title:

"It would mean a lot. It would be huge for the young guys to get it; it would be huge for the guys to get it that were here because everybody counted them out. I think it'd be huge for the coaches because they're working their tails off and it would be huge for the city because all year, they heard we wouldn't win one-two-three-four games. To have that title, I think everybody would have some sort of satisfaction."