This has been a disappointing season for both the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and they'll merely play out the string when they face off in Week 17. The 6-9 Saints were in control of their own destiny in the putrid NFC South for much of the year, but their 30-14 home loss to Atlanta last Sunday eliminated them from playoff contention.
NFL picks and predictions, Saints vs. Buccaneers 2014: Tampa favored to clinch top draft pick
The Buccaneers can secure the No. 1 pick in the 2015 NFL draft with a loss to the Saints.
As for the 2-13 Bucs, the No. 1 overall draft pick in the 2015 NFL Draft will be on the line at Raymond James Stadium. Tampa has assured itself a top-two pick in the 2015 draft, and a loss to the Saints would secure the No. 1 choice. Tennessee is also 2-13, but Tampa Bay holds the strength-of-schedule tiebreaker.
A Bucs win and a Titans loss would send the top pick to Tennessee, so a loss may be the best thing here for Tampa. That might be why the experts are so high on New Orleans.
The CBS Sports eight-man panel favors New Orleans, with seven picks for the Saints. At ESPN, all but one of the 13 experts picked the Saints to win at Tampa.
Here at SB Nation, all of our experts are leaning toward the Saints.
| Ryan Van Bibber | Stephen White | Joel Thorman | David Fucillo | Danny Kelly | PFT Commenter | Matt Ufford | OddsShark | |
| NO vs. TB | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO |
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