New Orleans Saints vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers NFL Predictions: Sunday it’s the NFL’s opening day around the nation for most teams, but the city of New Orleans has a lot to smile about, as early as Tuesday. Not only were meteorologists’ prognosis innacurate about Gustav becoming a Category 5 hurricane, but also there will also be football in New Orleans on Sunday at the Louisiana Superdome.

In the NFL’s Week 1 opening day, the New Orleans Saints are betting odds favorites by just over a field goal (-3½) against the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+3½).

Last week, the New Orleans Saints were forced into mandatory evacuation as hurricane Gustav posted a series threat to states in the Gulf Coast. On Tuesday, the team announced that the 2008-2009 NFL season will start according to schedule, and at the anticipated venue.

The fleeing Saints retuned home after spending the week preparing for the Bucs’ visit, at the Colts’ new facility, Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. After the devastation left by hurricane Katrina three years ago, the Saints since then have served as sort of a refuge for people to go, to forget about their cruel reality for a couple of hours.

Saints owner Tom Benson, expressed his desire provide that cushion, once again: “We will once again showcase to a national audience that the city of New Orleans id made up of resilient people and that we are ready to stand our city back up as quickly as possible, put this storm behind us and move on with our lives.”

Despite what N.O. residents anticipated, hurricane Gustav weakened, and stayed far enough west of New Orleans, to spare that delicate population more catastrophic damages. The OVER/UNDER for this New Orleans Saints vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers NFL Predictions has been set at a total of 42½ points.

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