The 65-2 Tampa Bay Buccaneers are coming off their bye week and will immediately be tested by another first-place team on their schedule. This time, it was the Patriots, 7-2, who used a six-game winning streak to leapfrog Buffalo in the AFC East. Drake Maye has been a revelation in his second season for the Patriots, but the Bucs are hoping Baker Mayfield revives his MVP candidacy after a week to rest and heal. To find out how to watch, listen and stream the match live, click here.
Several NFL analysts have called the Patriots’ visit to Raymond James Stadium the “game of the week,” and there is real excitement surrounding this Maye-Mayfield battle. The Bucs’ run defense was expected to make New England’s offense one-dimensional and thus make things more difficult for the Patriots’ young passer. Those who sided with the Bucs often cited the team’s improved health after the bye week and the importance of home-field advantage in a close competition. Another noted that so far this season, teams coming off a bye week are 6-0 against opponents who aren’t.
Dan Parr of NFL.com was hesitant to face the home team in an even contest, but decided to go with YOLO, explaining it this way:
“The bye week gave the Buccaneers a chance to rest. Yet they are still far from full strength due to injuries, and Baker Mayfield wasn’t playing his best before the break. Meanwhile, the Patriots have won six straight and are making history on both sides of the ball. Despite up-and-down pass protection, Drake Maye posted over 200 passing yards and a passer rating of 100 or better in each of his eight last games, which is tied for the longest such streak in a season in NFL history. On defense, New England hasn’t allowed a running back to reach 50 rushing yards in a game, the longest streak to start a season by a team in the Super Bowl era. I respect Tampa Bay’s grit, but I’m not sure they have enough firepower on offense to prevail in this one.
The Buccaneers are 2.5-point favorites at home and there is little consensus among experts as to who will prevail. Here’s what some of them predict will happen Sunday afternoon at Caesars Superdome:
NFL.com – In a battle of two losing teams for first place, the Bucs get a slight 3-2 edge from five analysts
ESPN.com – 11-person panel can’t split down the middle, so Bucs get the nod, 6-5
CBSSports.com – Pete Prisco predicts Bucs will end New England’s six-game winning streak
USA Today – It’s an even split between six experts
Bleacher Report – Faced with the spread, five out of seven analysts choose Tampa Bay
Pro Football Talk – As is often the case, Mike Florio goes with the Bucs, Chris Simms goes against them
Sports Illustrated – Continuing the theme, Bucs tip the scales among seven experts, 4-3
Sports News – Bill Bender keeps Bucs ahead of Patriots in ‘Tom Brady Bowl’
