We have a rematch of Super Bowl 37 from way back in 2002 this week on the NFL slate. The Oakland Raiders will be headed to a different Bay Area, as they take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The AFC West leading Raiders are coming off a 33-16 demolition of another Florida team, the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Bucs got a big win of their own last week, as they went out to California and kicked Chip Kelly’s butt just like everyone else is doing this season.
The Raiders are an extremely talented team. Derek Carr is an extremely solid young signal caller. He has a trio of talented running backs. Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree are one of the best receiving duos in the entire NFL. This talent has led them to five wins in seven weeks. But every so often, they throw in the random clunker game that they lose even though they should not. Both of those wins have actually come at home, against the likes of the Falcons and the Chiefs. The team has played in plenty of high scoring affairs, as their defense tends to give up points when they are scoring them. And that’s the type of affair I expect in this one.
As for the Bucs, they are some how 3-3 and sitting in second in the NFC South. They have only played in two games at home so far in 2016, and both have ended in defeat. And it just so happens both losses came to West Coast teams, the Los Angeles Rams and Denver Broncos. Their offense is missing several key weapons as well. Vincent Jackson, Charles Sims and Doug Martin are all, meaning the pressure will fall on Jameis Winston and Mike Evans. The club has not beat a legitimate team since week one, in the form of the Atlanta Falcons. There simply is not enough here to convince me they will beat one of the teams I am high on.
Give me the Raiders and give me plenty of points in this one.
Line: TB -1, O/U: 49.5
Pick: Raiders and the over
Result: Oak 30 – TB 24 Raiders and the over
To see the spreads and over/under for each week eight match-up, make sure you head over to our master sheet right here!