The NFC Divisional Playoff showdown between the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers has plenty of interesting parallels.

Both teams hail from the same division and are spearheaded by future Hall of Fame quarterbacks. There are superstars on both sides of the ball, with the likes of Alvin Kamara (single-game rushing touchdowns) and Mike Evans (consecutive 1,000-yard seasons to start a career) making history this season. Not to mention, the Saints and Bucs are reliant on strong performances from the front seven on the defensive side of the ball.

How will all the parallels bear out on Sunday?

New Orleans won the first matchup in Week 1, as Tom Brady struggled to adjust to a new scheme and new set of teammates in his first game with the Bucs. The Saints then dominated the second contest in Week 9, stampeding Tampa Bay en route to a 38-3 victory.

However, Brady has since found quite the rhythm down the stretch and should pose a far tougher test for the Saints defense. He has thrown for at least 348 yards in the team's last four games—including last weekend's win over the Washington Football Team—with 12 touchdowns against just one interception.

Can New Orleans slow down Brady and Co. and improve to 3-0 against Tampa Bay? Here are four bold predictions for the Saints against the Buccaneers.

Cam Jordan, Tom Brady, Saints

1. Saints intercept Brady twice

Brady has thrown five combined interceptions in two games against the Saints this season. As previously established, this is a far different TB12 than New Orleans saw earlier in the year.

Still, it is fair to assume the Saints will send heavy pressure after the veteran signal-caller, and they will be hungry for turnovers.

The Bucs will certainly be throwing the ball. New Orleans has one of the best run defenses in the league, having just held the Bears to under 50 yards this past weekend. In fact, the Saints have not given up 100 yards rushing since Week 15. Tampa Bay, meanwhile, has had mixed success running the football throughout the year.

So, the stage will be set for Brady against New Orleans' front seven. Trey Hendrickson and Cam Jordan are going to come hard off the edges, with Demario Davis and David Onyemata applying pressure from the inside.

Bruce Arians will likely have to scheme for more quick-hitters. But the Bucs have been at the best taking shots down the field and in the seams. Can Brady get the ball off quick enough to avoid constant pressure?

Washington had the best pass defense in the NFL during the regular season, and Brady shredded Washington to pieces last weekend. But the Saints arguably have the more talented personnel to make things difficult for Brady, and they will do that by applying pressure and generating takeaways.

2. Alvin Kamara goes over 170 total yards

Alvin Kamara's game log is quite fascinating, upon further examination. Why is it so interesting? Well, the Bucs mostly held the Pro Bowler in check during the first two matchups.

Kamara had just 67 yards from scrimmage in Week 1, including 12 rushes for just 16 yards. He was even less successful in Week 9, with a mere 49 total yards (though he played just 51 percent of total snaps). However, the Saints have pretty steadily dialed Kamara's number in the last few weeks.

The 25-year-old had a season-high 22 carries against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 16. After missing Week 17 due to COVID-19 protocols, Kamara surpassed this season-high by notching 23 carries against the Chicago Bears last weekend.

New Orleans has made it a point of emphasis to control possession, a trend likely to continue against the Bucs. That should mean more of Kamara, though the Saints will also have to find more ways to spring him in the passing game, even if the Bucs are bringing pressure.

Kamara is unequivocally New Orleans' most important offensive player, and he will produce as such on Sunday.

Drew Brees, Saints

3. Drew Brees throws 3 TD passes

Do you know what else you can expect Sunday? A lot of play-action, probably from both teams.

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Spencer See ·

Tampa Bay's defense has really struggled to stop play-action this year. In Week 15, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan went 14-for-16 for 215 passing yards and a touchdown off play-action looks. Through the first 15 games, the Bucs' defense had given up the eighth-most passing yards in play-action, per ESPN's Jenna Laine.

Brees was extremely proficient on third downs against the Bears last weekend, with the Saints converting 11-of-17 chances on third down. However, New Orleans would probably like to avoid long-yardage situations, when the Bucs are likely to send added pressure. This suggests the Saints will run play-action to try and get chunks on the early downs.

The Saints could also use plenty of shotgun or play-action looks in the red zone, where Brees excels in making on-time throws especially to slot receivers running digs and settling into soft spots in zones.

Brees dissected Tampa Bay in Week 9, and more varied play-calling could lead to him exploiting red zone opportunities by way of play-action or quick-hitters.

4. Saints win the trilogy, 31-27

As good as Brady and the Bucs have been on the offensive side of the football, and as dangerous as their pass rush can be, it is tough to pick against the Saints.

New Orleans has handily dominated opponents. The Saints' last test was really a narrow loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 15, a game in which Brees completed just over 44 percent of his pass attempts and looked out of sorts.

Ultimately, the Saints already have a psychological edge after dominating the Bucs in the first two matchups and they are the more well-balanced of the two teams.

It is possible this one could turn into more of a shootout, but New Orleans will make the big plays at the right times to advance to the NFC Championship Game.