The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have fared well against the New Orleans Saints over the past three seasons, winning four of the last six meetings between the division rivals.
Still, it's not likely anyone outside the Buccaneers’ locker room expected the defending Super Bowl champions to be looking up at Tampa Bay in the NFC South standings when the teams meet at Raymond James Stadium for the first time this season Sunday.
The upstart Bucs can solidify their standing in second place in the division and improve to 4-1 for the first time since 2005 by continuing their strong play against the Saints - they have won four of the past six meetings. The teams split last season, with the road team winning each game.
The Super Bowl defense has not gone according to plan so far for New Orleans. The Saints (3-2) are coming off a disappointing 30-20 loss at Arizona in which rookie quarterback Max Hall made his first start for the Cardinals. They needed a late field goal the previous week to beat winless Carolina.
The passing game hasn't been the problem - Drew Brees leads the NFC with 1,410 passing yards and nine touchdowns - but the offense has been far less explosive than a year ago and the running game has been particularly punchless, ranking 31st in the league.
Injuries have depleted the Saints' backfield, with Reggie Bush still out with a broken fibula and Pierre Thomas in danger of missing a third consecutive game with an ankle injury.
That means it’s likely to fall upon Ladell Betts, rookie Chris Ivory and veteran Julius Jones, who was signed Tuesday, to try to take advantage of a Tampa Bay defense that ranks last in the league against the run.
In spite of the difficulty stopping the run, Tampa Bay (3-1) keeps winning in large part because of its plus-five turnover margin. The Bucs have forced 12 turnovers - nine interceptions - and cornerback Aqib Talib has interceptions in each of the past three games.
The Bucs have already matched last season's win total after a 24-21 comeback win at Cincinnati last week in which quarterback Josh Freeman completed 20 of 33 passes for 280 yards and a touchdown to earn NFC offensive player of the week honors. Freeman has won five of his past seven starts.
Freeman has a new favorite target in rookie Mike Williams, who set career highs with seven catches and 99 yards last week, and has scored a touchdown in three of his first four games.
The Bucs would still like to get more out of the running game, though. Starter Cadillac Williams has averaged only 2.6 yards per carry and doesn't have a rushing touchdown. Williams rushed for 129 yards and a touchdown in Tampa Bay's 20-17 overtime win in New Orleans last Dec. 27.