Your “And An Old Man Shall Lead Them” NFC Divisional Round Playoff Game Open Thread

Forty plus year old quarterbacks-next thing you know there’ll be running backs in their mid-to-late 30’s playing! [Frank Gore swings his cane futilely in my general direction] Right, right. Anyway…

TO THE GAME!

Bucs/Saints:

-The math monkeys locked in my basement inform me that the Saints’ odds of beating the Bucs for a third time this year come in at an unholy 66.6%. Of course Packer haters are cheering for T.B./TB because of the 38-10 shellacking they gave Green Bay many, many weeks ago.

-Versus the Saints the Bucs averaged -0.17 expected points per play. Against the rest of the league that number was +0.16.

-Keep an eye out for Saints secondary wr’s Sanders and Humphrey because Tampa has been burned by Cam Sims (104 yards) and Russell Gage (91) the last two weeks.

-Speaking of Saints wr’s, Ball Dropper Extraordinaire Tre’Quan Smith has been activated for this game. My prediction? He will drop a ball.

-Are we still talking wr’s? Yes, yes we are because Mike Evans averages a paltry three catches for 34 yards per game when shadowed by Marshon Lattimore.

-Paging Mr. Noodly Arm: The Bucs pass D ranks a middling 21st in the league. Their run D is another story, morning, er, evening glory.

-As a matter, both run D’s allow runners about 3.6 yards per carry. In what should be a close game, if either team’s rb’s can get into the 4.5, 4.8 range that should be a distinct advantage.

Nugget Time: Tampa guard Ali Marpet last allowed a sack in week 6… of the 2019 season.

-RoJo is designated as a ‘questionable’  game-timer but did practice on Thursday so he’s likely a go.

Have you considered typing your thoughts in the comments?