Buccaneers vs. Patriots for NFL ‘Sunday Night Football’
When the Buccaneers travel to take on the New England Patriots on « Sunday Night Football » in the penultimate NFL Week 4 game, all eyes will be on Tom Brady vs. Bill Belichick in the game. ultimate revenge. But don’t forget Brady’s best tight end Rob Gronkowski and third wide receiver Antonio Brown, who also didn’t have Belichick’s most comfortable starts.
Beyond the individual drama, the Buccaneers are the reigning Super Bowl 55 champions, at 2-1 after losing to the Rams on the road. The Patriots, which were an under-500 non-playoff team in 2020, are 1-2, having lost a battle of attrition to the Dolphins and being torn apart by the Saints last week.
The Bucs are undisturbed by the road, as they hiked it all the way as a wild-card team in last year’s playoffs. The Patriots are 0-2 at home to start the season.
Here’s how Sporting News sees Brady vs. Belichick going down, and the results might not be pretty for the Patriots:
WEEK 4 NFL PICKS: Against the spread | Directly
Buccaneers vs Patriots odds for ‘Sunday Night Football’
- Disseminate: Buccaneers by 7
- Above / Below: 49.5
- Cash : Buccaneers -300, Patriots +245
(betting odds by FanDuel Sportsbook)
The gap remained around a touchdown all week, going a little higher (half a point) on the Buccaneers’ side. It still looks weak considering the quality of the teams overall.
Buccaneers vs. Patriots All-Time Streak
The Patriots have only met the Buccaneers nine times. They are 7-2. They have won four straight games since 2005. The Bucs’ only two wins have come in 1997 and 2000. But neither has been with Brady as the Buccaneer, who is trying to beat the only team he has. not in the NFL.
MORE: Why Patriots Have No Chance To Beat Tom Brady And Buccaneers In A Game Of Revenge
Three trends to know
– 94% of spread bettors feel the Patriots cover, despite their terrible home performance against the weaker Saints last week
– 60 percent of over / under bettors think the total is too low due to Brady being on the court against his former team.
– The Buccaneers are 9-1 in their last 10 games, 6-4 ATS with seven of games over. The Patriots are 4-6 SU and ATS in their last 10 games, with the total only going over once.
Three things to watch out for
Who will the Patriots take away?
New England love to play against teams that have one main offensive cog that sets everything else in motion. But Tampa Bay has several dangerous skill options, starting with wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin before launching into a deep, loaded quiver of wide and tight ends. Godwin might be easier given his slot status, but the Patriots could also focus on taking the big game off Evans (or Brown) and forcing Brady to lead long hauls.
How will Jones react?
Jones has a lot of pressure on him to show lightning bolts that he can be a suitable long-term replacement for Brady. He had his horrific first game as a rookie last week as the Patriots could no longer protect themselves against risks and excessive throws with such a negative playing scenario against the Saints. He will face a defense led by Todd Bowles who will exert calculated pressure to force him to make more inexperienced mistakes.
The Brady-Belichick chess match
Brady will try to stay one step ahead of his former head coach, and vice versa. Brady knows what to expect from Belichick’s shenanigans and Belichick knows his former GOAT QB’s weaknesses. The Bucs need to anticipate what Belichick will do and work against it. The Patriots just might not have the staff to run against Brady, who could be clash-proof this season.
Stat that matters
60. Brady leads the NFL with 10 touchdown passes. He finished first in this category three times during his great career. He’s on track for 60, his best season since falling to 50 in the end zone in 2007. He is motivated to once again break the record, which now stands at 55, held by Peyton Manning. He’s not about to let the Patriots stop him from making more history at 44.
Buccaneers vs Patriots prediction
Brady has the major advantage in this game because so does his team. The Patriots, minus Stephon Gilmore, have the secondary of taking only one of his countless weapons. He should congratulate himself whether it’s Evans or Godwin, because that means he can make sure Gronkowski and Brown join him in the monster revenge effort. Jones needs the running game to help him, which won’t happen against the Bucs’ run defense. Tampa Bay will play on the rookie much like New Orleans did to clean up a blowout rout.
Buccaneers 38, Patriots 10
