NFL Predictions Week 6: Drew Brees Will Have His Way with Buccaneers

We've talked a lot this season about Aaron Rodgers, we've talked a lot about Tom Brady and we've talked a lot about Cam Newton.

Oh, there's also that Drew Brees guy. As per usual, he's doing his thing.

Brees' thing, by the way, involves an NFC-high 1,769 yards passing, 12 touchdown passes and a 102.3 QB rating that is tied for fourth in the NFL.

I'm not much for the whole "total QBR" thing, but Brees is doing well there too. His is 77.3, which ranks fourth in the NFL.

Long story short, Brees is good. Again.

This could change at some point in the future, but I don't think it will in the near future when Brees and the Saints take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Saints are favored to win, and Brees' right arm is a big reason why.

Now, it should be noted that the Buccaneers have respectable numbers against the pass. They're allowing just over 250 passing yards per game this season. While not elite, that's not exactly awful either. You also have to give them props for their much-improved pass-rush, which has racked up 10 sacks a year after racking up just 26 all season.

These things being said, the Buccaneers are hardly invulnerable to opposing passing attacks. Matthew Stafford got them for over 300 yards, as did Matt Ryan. Alex Smith didn't rack up many yards against the Bucs, but he did throw three touchdowns against them.

If they can beat the Bucs, so can Brees.

Helping matters is the fact the Brees has settled into a nice groove. He's thrown at least 44 passes in each of the last three weeks, and has completed over 70 percent of them. He has thrown some picks, but that doesn't worry me too much going up against a Bucs defense that has picked off just two passes this season.

For what it's worth, I do think Sunday's contest is going to be a close, hard-fought game. The Buccaneers are fresh off a blowout at the hands of the San Francisco 49ers, but they're a much better team than they showed. The Saints, on the other hand, have tended to keep things interesting this season.

The reason they win is because they have Brees. That will not change on Sunday.

Prediction: 340 yards passing, three TDs, one INT.