NFL Week 17: Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs New Orleans Saints | Buccaneers win 23-13

Sunday Football Week 17 – Watch Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs New Orleans Saints Live on FOX

Week 17 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs New Orleans Saints
When: Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, January 2, 2011
Venue: Superdome, New Orleans, LA

Buccaneers (9-6) vs Saints (10-4) Preview

A week after not even being assured a postseason berth, the New Orleans Saints could earn home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs if things fall their way in Week 17.

While the Saints go into Sunday’s meeting at the Superdome with an outside shot of capturing the NFC’s top seed, the Buccaneers need to defeat an opponent with a winning record for the first time all season and have two more outcomes go their way to simply make the playoffs.

Facing a red-hot Atlanta team that was undefeated at the Georgia Dome and poised to lock up home-field advantage in the NFC, New Orleans (11-4) rallied for a 17-14 victory over the Falcons on Monday night to clinch a return to the postseason. The Saints, winners of seven of eight, are hardly satisfied, however, after winning the Super Bowl last February.

While making the playoffs isn’t the ultimate goal for the Saints, a postseason berth would be a significant accomplishment for Tampa Bay (9-6) after winning just three games last season.

To earn the NFC’s final wild-card spot, the Buccaneers must beat New Orleans and have Green Bay lose to Chicago and the New York Giants fall to Washington. Although a win over the defending Super Bowl champions doesn’t guarantee the Bucs a playoff berth, a loss automatically eliminates them.

In the unlikely scenario that the two-win Panthers win in Atlanta on Sunday and New Orleans beats Tampa Bay, the Saints would win the South and the road to the Super Bowl in the NFC would go through the Superdome. If that doesn’t pan out, the Saints would have the No. 5 seed and play a wild-card game on the road against the NFC West champion, which will be the winner of Sunday night’s St. Louis-Seattle game. (Source preview: ESPN)

So, let’s all wait and watch Buccaneers vs Saints live Sunday Afternoon.

You can watch Sunday Football Week 17 Game Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs New Orleans Saints Live on FOX.

UPDATE: Buccaneers beat the Saints, 23-13. Tampa Bay stay alive in playoff hunt

1 2 3 4 Total Tampa Bay 3 7 10 3 23 FINAL New Orleans 7 0 3 3 13

GAME RECAP

Josh Freeman passed for two touchdowns, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the New Orleans Saints 23-13 on Sunday to stay alive in the NFC playoff race.

The Bucs (10-6) entered the game needing a victory and losses by both the New York Giants and Green Bay Packers, who played later Sunday, to make the playoffs.

Freeman passed for 255 yards, including a 2-yard scoring strike to Dezmon Briscoe in the back of the end zone, and an 18-yard TD to Mike Williams on fourth-and-short.

Connor Barth hit three field goals, the third from 48 yards to give the Bucs a two-score lead with 4:01 to go.

Reggie Bush had 70 yards rushing and 55 yards receiving for the Saints (11-5), who were locked into the fifth playoff seed in the NFC by the Atlanta Falcons’ 31-10 victory over the Carolina Panthers and pulled several starters in the fourth quarter. (Source)