Weeks 15 and 18 of the NFL season will see the renewal of a recently heated rivalry between the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Saints will travel to Tampa Bay on Sunday, Dec. 20. They'll host the Buccaneers in the regular season finale on either Jan. 9 or Jan. 10. Each team is hoping that 2026 brings them a return to the postseason.
New Orleans hasn't been to the playoffs since 2020, when a divisional round loss at home to Tampa Bay ended their season. However, the Saints come into 2026 with increased optimism despite a 6-11 record last year thanks to the promise of quarterback Tyler Shough and several new additions on offense. The Buccaneers finished last season at 8-9, snapping a streak of five consecutive years with a postseason berth. Tampa Bay may be a team in transition, especially after watching franchise legends like Lavonte David and Mike Evans along with other key veterans depart this offseason.
Prior to last season, the last eight NFC South championships belonged to either the Saints or Buccaneers. Over that span, their two showdowns usually determined the fate of the division. Until the last three seasons, New Orleans had a firm stranglehold on this series. Here's a look back at some of the numbers.
Overall: 41-28
Home: 21-17