Don’t’ expect there to be any love lost Sunday when the Bucs take on the struggling New Orleans Saints – at least not as far as quarterback Baker Mayfield is concerned.

Asked this week what makes the rivalry between the two NFC South Division foes so intense, Mayfield told the media, “It hasn’t exactly been clean play from their part when we play them. It’s a physical game. It is what it is – division rival. Yeah, not much else to say except that I don’t like them.”

Whether his assessment adds any fuel to the rivalry remains to be seen, but neither team needs any added incentive this Sunday at 4:05 p.m. in the Superdome.

The Bucs are eager to get back on the field and on a winning track after suffering a bruising 24-9 loss to the Detroit Lions on Monday night, but still lead the division at 5-2. And the Saints are mired in last place in the division at 1-6, with their only victory a 26-14 win over the 2-5 New York Giants Oct. 5 in the Superdome. The fact is, the two teams have a fierce, long-standing rivalry and play each other hard.

Consider this: The Bucs and Saints have combined for the last eight NFC South title, with .New Orleans winning four straight NFC South titles from 2017-20 – the first division team to do so. Since then, Tampa Bay has dominated, winning the last four titles, with a chance to become the first team to win five straight division crowns.

Head to head, Tampa Bay has won three of the last four contests – winning both games last year, including 51-27 in New Orleans, splitting the series in 2023, and prevailing 17-16 at home in 2022. So Bucs head coach Todd Bowles expects a battle, regardless of the discrepancy in won-loss marks.

"Records are thrown out every game, no matter who we play,” he said.

“It’s a division rival. All our division games are tough – all the games, period,” he added. “It’s hard to win in this league. We know it’s a tough place to play. They’ve beaten us before plenty of times (and) we’ve beaten them some, so we’re preparing for a battle.”

Asked about his quarterback’s comments about the Saints, Bowles seemed unconcerned.

"He [is the one who] has got to play the game,” Bowles said. “It is a rivalry game; it is going to be a tough game either way. Both sides can say the same thing. … We know it’s going to be a blood bath, (but we just have) to play the right way and try to do all the small things to win."

The Bucs set out on that mission with a host of injuries new and old. Tailback Bucky Irving (foot and shoulder), wide receiver Chris Godwin (fibula) and offensive guard Luke Haggard (shoulder) remain sidelined. Star wideout Mike Evans is a new casualty, placed on injured reserve this week after suffering a broken collarbone in Detroit and expected to be out the rest of the regular season. And now there are new issues – with linebacker Haasan Reddick out with a knee injury and ankle sustained Monday and nose tackle Vita Vea questionable (foot).

The Saints are guided at quarterback by second-year pro Spencer Rattler, who took the reins following the unexpected offseason retirement of veteran Derek Carr. Rattler has displayed good mobility and accuracy so far, amassing 1,450 passing yards, eight touchdowns and four interceptions (including three last week in a 26-14 road loss to the Bears). He faced the Bucs twice last season subbing for the injured Carr, and fared solidly in spite of the two losses – racking up a combined 483 passing yards, two TDs and two picks.

“He’s definitely moving around the pocket a lot more – he’s running a lot more, using his legs,” Bowles said. “He has a strong arm. We had a rough one last week as well, so we’re trying to get over that part of it…He’s playing good football for them. He’s throwing the deep ball well. He’s connecting with (Chris) Olave and (Rashid) Shaheed very well, and they’ve still got (Alvin) Kamara, so he’s got a lot of weapons around him.”

Olave has 44 receptions this season for 440 yards and represents a deep threat, along with speedster Shaheed (30 catches for 356 yards). Kamara has helped power the Saints running game since coming into the league in 2017, and remains a factor with 342 rushing yards for a 3.6-yard average (down from his 4.4 career average over).

A key focus for the Buccaneer defense will be limiting the big plays to which they have been so suspectable this season.

"Easily. It's been three a game – at least three or four a game – and then they play great defense," said Bowles. "We've talked about that as a group. It's just one thing, but it can't be one thing on the defensive side of the ball for you to play great defense. We give up about three plays for 150-plus yards, and the rest of the game you look solid – (it) can't happen. We've got to be better there. They understand that, coaches understand that, and we've got to get that fixed."

The Saints defense, meanwhile, still can pose a threat that’s not representative of their record. The unit is led by linebackers Demario Davis (61 tackles) and Pete Werner (44 tackles and two sacks), along with defensive ends Cameron Jordan (2.5 sacks) and Carl Granderson (4.5 sacks).

"When you have the linebacker duo of Pete (Werner) and Demario (Davis), that is really where it starts,” Mayfield said. “Being able to communicate based on formation and motions, those guys get everybody going and you definitely have to always know where (Davis) is."

The Bucs are going to strive to establish their running game Sunday, after getting away from that in Detroit while playing catch up with the Lions. That means not only more of tailback Raachad White but likely a bigger role for backup Sean Tucker, who had a big game last year in the Superdome, rushing for 136 yards and one touchdown, and adding 56 receiving yards and another score. That output earned him NFC Offensive Player of the Week.

One of the bright spots for the Bucs has been the play of rookie Tez Johnson, who has helped fill the void left by Evans, who missed three games with a hamstring pull prior to his devastating injury Monday. Johnson has turned in a pair of highlight-reel touchdowns in two straight games, and figures to remain in the mix now.

"(It is a) long season,” he said. ”We never look at anything like a loss, we always learn from those mistakes that we make in the game. (We) just go back to work and keep pushing.”