New Orleans Saints vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers Inactive and Injury Reports for Monday Night Football
By Robert Duff in NFL Football
Published:
- In the New Orleans Saints vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers inactive and injury reports for Monday Night Football, Buccaneers starting LT Tristan Wirfs is out
- The Saints will be missing starting TE Juwan Johnson (ankle)
- Tampa Bay SS Antoine Winfield Jr (ankle) and FS Mike Edwards (hamstring) are both listed as doubtful
Normally, a game between the 5-6 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-7-1 ATS) and 4-8 New Orleans Saints (4-8 ATS) wouldn’t be billed as a contest with huge playoff implications. But we’re talking about the NFC South here and in 2022, the NFC South doesn’t do normal.
The 5-8 Atlanta Falcons and 4-8 Carolina Panthers aren’t out of the reckoning when it comes to which team might win the division. And on Monday, the Panthers released former #1 overall pick Baker Mayfield, who was their opening-day QB1.
There’s been a lot of pain in the NFC South this season and that includes the injury lists for the Saints and Buccaneers as they ready for their Week 13 MNF game. Between the two teams, there are 29 players on this week’s injury reports.
Oddsmakers are going with Tampa Bay as a 3-point home favorite over New Orleans in the Saints vs Buccaneers picks. New Orleans is 4-1 ATS in the past five games at Tampa Bay.
Kickoff at Raymond James Stadium is set for 8:15 pm ET on Monday, December 5. ESPN is carrying the broadcast of the game. The public is leaning strongly toward the favored Buccaneers in both the moneyline and point spread in the New Orleans vs Tampa Bay betting splits.
New Orleans Saints Injury Report
The Saints are ruling out tight end Juwan Johnson (ankle) after he was missing from practice all week long. This is a double whammy for New Orleans. Firstly, Johnson is proving to be the team’s most dangerous offensive threat of late. He’s caught five touchdown passes over the past six games. But Johnson was limited to a season-low 47% of offensive snaps in last week’s loss to San Francisco.
Making matters worse, reserve TE Dylan Soehner has been transferred to the reserve/PUP list with an undisclosed injury.
On defense, LDT Malcom Roach (concussion), WLB Pete Werner (ankle) and RCB Marshon Lattimore (abdomen) are all listed as questionable. Backup strong safety PJ Williams (knee), backup free safety JT Gray (hamstring) and backup RDE Payton Turner (ankle) are out.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Injury Report
Already dealing with a bothersome ailing knee, Tampa Bay All-Pro right tackle Tristan Wirfs was seen leaving last week’s game on the back of a golf cart with an ankle injury. Expectations are his latest ailment will be putting him on the shelf for 3-4 weeks.
The Buccaneers were holding both free safety Mike Edwards (hamstring) and strong safety Antoine Winfield Jr (ankle) out of practice all week. They’re listed as doubtful starters.
Bucs S Antoine Winfield Jr. (ankle) listed doubtful for Week 13.
— Underdog NFL (@Underdog__NFL) December 3, 2022
Also on defense, two other starters – NT Vita Vea (foot) and LDT Akiem Hicks (foot) are listed as questionable. Backup LCB Sean Murphy-Bunting (quadricep) is doubtful.
On offense, TE Cameron Brate (illness), WR Russell Gage (hamstring) and LG Luke Goedeke (foot) are starters listed as questionable.
How Could Injuries Affect Saints vs Buccaneers Lines?
Fournette, Goedeke, Gage and Brate were full participants in practice later in the week and it’s expected that both will be playing in the MNF game.
As for Edwards and Pro Bowl player Winfield, both are going to be game-time decisions. However, it’s appearing that veteran Logan Ryan (foot) is going to be activated from injured reserve. He hasn’t played since October 2.
Beyond Ryan, seven-year veteran Keanu Neal and undrafted rookie Nolan Turner, who’s played four NFL games, all on special teams, are the only other safeties on the Tampa Bay roster.
Minus Johnson, the pressure will be on TD Adam Trautman. The only other healthy TE listed on the New Orleans depth chart is backup QB Taysom Hill, the Swiss Army knife of the club’s offense. He could be one to consider in the Saints vs Buccaneers player props.
I rarely recommend him but the best "tight end" option in tonight's game for fantasy is Taysom Hill.
🔸Juwan Johnson is out
🔸Adam Trautman blocks on too many pass plays and runs low aDot routes
🔸Cameron Brate and Cade Otton split the work and are facing the #1 DEF vs the TE
— Andrew Cooper (@CoopAFiasco) December 5, 2022
Williams is proving to be a valuable performer as a role player in the New Orleans secondary this season. Meanwhile, Gray is a top special teams performer for the Saints. Both will be missed. It’s been weeks since Payton practiced, so the chances of him returning this season appear to be unlikely.
The Saints are limiting Lattimore over each of the past three weeks, yet he’s still managing to play in all the games. Saints head coach Dennis Allen’s answer was “we’ll see” in regards to whether Lattimore will be playing in the MNF game.
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Sports Writer
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
