Saints at Bucs

It's mid-October, and Tampa Bay (3--1) is a half-game ahead of Super Bowl champion New Orleans (3--2). The Saints' two top running backs, Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas, are injured, and Drew Brees isn't throwing downfield as well as he did a year ago. That could spell trouble: Last week Tampa's defense tormented Cincinnati's Carson Palmer into three interceptions, which led to 17 points. And there's no love lost between these teams. "Nasty rivalry," says Bucs wide receiver Micheal Spurlock. "They don't care for us, and we really don't care for them." No question the Bucs are rising but the Saints should prevail. Saints 20, Bucs 12

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KIM KLEMENT/US PRESSWIRE (SPURLOCK)