NEW ORLEANS — New Orleans Saints Head Coach Sean Payton breaks down the Tampa Bay Buccaneers days ahead of their NFC Divisional Round playoff game Sunday.

Payton says that the Buccaneer are “playing well down the stretch.”

“I think they’re operating as efficiently as I’ve seen yet this year. They’re getting the ball down the field. Antonio (Brown), you can see the deep shots to him, the posts, the go’s, the seams. I think Tom (Brady) is throwing it outstanding,” added New Orleans Saints Head Coach Sean Payton.

Tom Brady finished the 2020 regular season 3rd in the league in passing yards with 4,633 and 3rd in touchdown passes with 40.

This will not only be the third time that the Saints and Buccaneers will meet this season, but the third and maybe final time that future Hall of Fame Quarterbacks Drew Brees and Tom Brady will duke it out on a football field.

In eight career matchups, Brees has bested Brady five times.

While Quarterbacks make the headlines in this matchup, Payton says that games like this are going to have to be won in all three phases.

“History would tell you that the offensive and defensive lines of both teams are going to be important. It’s generally where you’re going to win or lose these games and then the ball security. We talk all of the time about that. I think that the kicking game is big too,” says Payton.

Payton stressed the importance of the New Orleans Saints Defensive line and their ability to get to Tom Brady in their previous two matchups.

This season, the Saints pass rush has sacked Brady 6 total times, forcing him to throw 5 interceptions.

The Saints and Buccaneers play for the third time this season Sunday night at 5:40 p.m. in the Superdome.

For full coverage of the New Orleans Saints NFC Divisional Round matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, don’t forget to tune into our Road to Tampa: Divisional Round Special Friday at 6:30 p.m. on WGNO.