The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are set to face off against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night, and it will be no easy task to get the win at home.
The last time the Bucs played the Eagles in Raymond James Stadium saw Tampa Bay net a dominant win during Wild Card Weekend, but both teams have changed drastically since then. The Bucs went from the GOAT in Tom Brady to quarterback Baker Mayfield, who has played well in his first two starts with the team, and quarterback Jalen Hurts has markedly improved with some new weapons around him for the Eagles.
See how Bucs Wire staff predicts Monday’s matchup will go down below:
I genuinely believe this Bucs team is good after having my doubts in the offseason, and I do think this will be a close game. That being said, the defending NFC champions may be a bit too much to overcome at this stage with Tampa Bay’s young roster and I expect any close contest with the experience of Philadelphia to tilt in favor of the Eagles.
Eagles 28, Bucs 23
The Eagles represent the Bucs’ biggest challenge this season. Though they have not been as dominant to start this season as they ended the last, the defending NFC Champions are still the class of the division. Philadelphia is dominant in the trenches on both sides of the ball. While the Bucs have been good up front defensively, the offensive line remains a work in progress. Tampa Bay’s best chance to win is to exploit a depleted Philadelphia secondary, but this could be the game where Baker Mayfield finally succumbs to the pressure leaking from the middle of his offensive line.
Eagles 24, Bucs 14
The Tampa Bay defense is competent enough to keep itself in the game, but will Baker Mayfield be able to pull off a potential upset and lead the Bucs to victory? Mayfield faced two of the five worst defenses from last season in his first two starts, and Philadelphia will present a completely different challenge for the former Heisman winner. However, I believe he can get the job done against the defending NFC champions as long as he continues to steer clear of his turnover tendencies.
Bucs 24, Eagles 21
