Demar Dotson deactivated, Bruce Carter to start at middle linebacker

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints will be mostly healthy when they face each other, as both teams only have a few inactives due to injury. For the Bucs, Jacquies Smith and George Johnson are the only injury-based inactives. Gerald McCoy and Lavonte David will play today, with McCoy having his hand in a cast.

The Bucs did make on interesting decision: they're keeping Demar Dotson inactive. The veteran tackle got his first start of the season last week filling in for the injured Gosder Cherilus, and looked better than Cherilus -- especially in the passing game. But Cherilus is healthy now, and apparently the Bucs really don't like going away from people they've started all season on the offensive line -- an attitude that led to a lot of problems last season, too.

Bruce Carter will start at middle linebacker, though Danny Lansanah may see some playing time there too. Howard Jones will start at defensive end for Jacquies Smith.

Buccaneers inactives: QB Ryan Griffin, DE Jacquies Smith, DE George Johnson, LB Jeremiah George, T Demar Dotson, TE Brandon Myers, DE Josh Shirley

Saints inactives: DT John Jenkins, G Jahri Evans, WR T.J. Graham, QB Garrett Grayson, DB Chris Owens, LB David Hawthorne, DE Philip Hunt