BUCS vs. EAGLES

WHEN: Sunday, September 29, 2024 | WHERE: Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, FL) | KICKOFF: 1:00 p.m. ET | TV: FOX

PLAY-BY-PLAY: Kevin Burkhardt | ANALYST: Tom Brady | SIDELINE: Erin Andrews & Tom Rinaldi

RADIO: 98 ROCK 97.9 FM | PLAY-BY-PLAY: Gene Deckerhoff | ANALYST: Dave Moore | SIDELINE: T.J. Rives

Game day is approaching, and it’s time for the Pewter Report staff to make its weekly game predictions and offer up our game preview of this week’s matchup. Let us know what you think in the article comments section and add your prediction, too.

Scott Reynolds: Banged Up Bucs Lose To Eagles

Bucs DT Vita Vea – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

I’ll admit it. That 26-7 upset loss to the unheralded Broncos has me spooked. I didn’t see that coming. Nobody really did. The Bucs got punched in the mouth and didn’t punch back. I think Tampa Bay will be highly motivated and full of fight this week in an effort to bounce back. The problem is that the Eagles are a much better team than the Broncos, and Tampa Bay is even more banged up than it was a week ago.

While the Bucs get right tackle Luke Goedeke back, and possibly defensive tackle Vita Vea, a total of 17 – SEVENTEEN – Bucs were listed on the injury report on Thursday. Most of those players will play, but this is not a healthy Bucs squad right now, and I think that will have a negative effect on what should be a brawl in the trenches on Sunday. I don’t like the Bucs’ chances of stopping Saquon Barkley and the Eagles ground game, especially without Calijah Kancey and possibly Vea up front. The Broncos’ interior offensive line isn’t very good but neutralized the Bucs’ backup defensive tackles last week. Could be a repeat performance this week at Ray-Jay, unfortunately.

Philadelphia is dealing with some injuries, too. The top three wide receivers are out, in addition to the right side of the offensive line. But I don’t like the fact that the Bucs will struggle to stop Barkley, who has scored five of the Eagles’ eight touchdowns this year, and mobile quarterback Jalen Hurts, who might not have to pass that much to win this game. Throw in the fact that Tampa Bay’s pass rush is struggling, in addition to a suspect ground game and I’m not feeling confident in the Bucs’ chances for a bounce-back victory.

REYNOLDS’ GAME PREDICTION: Eagles 23, Bucs 20
REYNOLDS’ SEASON RECORD: 2-1

Matt Matera: Bucs Win In A Rock Fight

The Bucs are hurting in more ways than one. Tampa Bay is injured all over the place, so they’re hurting physically, but their ego is bruised as well after losing so badly last week. The Bucs have a tough stretch ahead and don’t want to fall into a losing streak like they did a season ago. The matchup this year with the Eagles is a war of attrition as much as anything else.

Bucs ILB SirVocea Dennis – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Tampa Bay should be getting right tackle Luke Goedeke back, which is a huge upgrade. But I’m more concerned about how the interior of Graham Barton, Cody Mauch and Ben Bredeson are going to stop Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis. The Bucs have had a hard enough time running the ball and also pass-blocking, so it doesn’t get any easier. If they can hold up, though, I’m not sure how the Eagles cover Chris Godwin. Also, there’s a focus on getting Mike Evans the football, so I expect a big game from him.

It should be an advantage for the Bucs that the Eagles are without their top two wide receivers A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith. That makes their next target tight end Dallas Goedert. The matchup we’ll see is likely with SirVocea Dennis on him. The biggest task will be slowing down Saquon Barkley and the mobile Jalen Hurts as the Eagles will probably go heavy with the run. It appears Vita Vea might be back for this game. It won’t be the prettiest of games, but if the Bucs can stop the run, they’ll win it.

MATERA’S GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 17, Eagles 14
MATERA’S SEASON RECORD: 1-2

Bailey Adams: Bucs Do Enough To Scrape By And Get To 3-1

Bucs WR Mike Evans – Photo by: USA Today

This is a tricky game to pick in a number of ways. The Bucs are coming off a seemingly out-of-nowhere loss to the Broncos that has me wanting to question everything I thought about this team after Week 2, while the Eagles are a 2-1 team that could just as easily be 3-0, 1-2 or 0-3. I think Philadelphia may be the more talented team when fully healthy, but Nick Sirianni’s team isn’t fully healthy. And for that matter, neither is Todd Bowles’ squad. So, what do we do here?

This may be a “going with my heart” pick, but I’m giving the slight edge to the Bucs this week. The Eagles may be without both A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, which is going to put a lot on the shoulders of Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley. I’d feel a lot better about Tampa Bay handling Barkley if Vita Vea was a guarantee to return, but even still, I think the Buccaneer defense will hold strong against Hurts and the Eagles’ depleted receiving corps. Bowles has had some big success against Hurts over the years, and I think he and his defensive unit do it again in this one.

I also like Baker Mayfield to bounce back from a poor Week 3 showing and get his connection with Mike Evans back up and running. I’m banking on the offensive line getting Luke Goedeke back, which will be a huge boost both in the passing game and in the run game. I don’t know that Tampa Bay runs wild on Philly, but I do think Rachaad White gets involved both on the ground and in the pass game and has his best game of the season to date. With that, give me the Bucs in a close one to get to 3-1.

ADAMS’ GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 27, Eagles 21
ADAMS’ SEASON RECORD: 1-2

Josh Queipo: Bucs Win Low-Scoring Affair

Bucs OLB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and Eagles QB Jalen Hurts – Photo by: USA Today

Both offenses will be dealing with injury issues on offense that could lead to stifled scoring. The Bucs’ interior offensive line is still limited in their effectiveness, and they will be facing one of the best interior defensive linemen in the NFL in Jalen Carter. Carter, who is supported by other talent next to him, will give the Bucs fits if offensive coordinator Liam Coen cannot sufficiently game plan a way to deal with him. And if Tampa Bay doesn’t commit to a greater mix of gap runs then they will once again be one-dimensional against a good secondary.

The Eagles look to once again be without their top two receivers, A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, as well as their All-World right tackle Lane Johnson. Considering their offense has not hit on all cylinders yet, I am inclined to believe the Bucs may hold the advantage on defense. The key will be containing Saquon Barkley. If the Bucs can commit additional resources to the Box and trust their secondary, which has been by far the best unit of this early season, to win against a receiving corps devoid of proven options, then I think the Bucs can scratch out a low-scoring win.

The Bucs will need to get their own passing game working against a defense that runs plenty of cover three. This is where Baker Mayfield and Co. can create some easy wins by isolating Mike Evans in 3×1’s to create some one-on-one looks and working the short-to-intermediate sidelines on speed outs to him and Chris Godwin.

QUEIPO’S GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 21, Eagles 17
QUEIPO’S SEASON RECORD: 1-2

Adam Slivon: Battered Bucs Emerge With Narrow Victory Over Eagles

Eagles RB Saquon Barkley Photo by: USA Today

It is only Week 4 of the NFL season, and the Bucs already have a laundry list of injuries. 17 players, or 32% of the active roster, were listed on Thursday’s injury report. While most of them – including right tackle Luke Goedeke – look on track to play against the Eagles, seeing so many notable players battling the injury bug in late September is not a good sign.

Fortunately for Tampa Bay, Philadelphia is missing some big pieces as well. Wide receivers A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith have not practiced this week, and neither has right tackle Lane Johnson. With three of their top five offensive players likely out, it leaves Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley left to go against the Bucs’ defense.

The biggest key for the Bucs defensively is containing the ground game, which will be difficult if Vita Vea remains out in addition to Calijah Kancey. Barkley has run rampant this season, leading the league with 351 rushing yards and four touchdowns with his new team. With little interior defensive line push in recent weeks, Todd Bowles will need to bring extra defenders down to the box to contain him and Hurts, the mobile quarterback with three consecutive 10+ rushing touchdown seasons. Without any big threats out wide, Jamel Dean and Zyon McCollum should hold up better than they did against the Broncos, especially if the pass rush can get home.

Offensively, Baker Mayfield and Co. will face a still formidable Eagles’ defense. If Mayfield can find Mike Evans as he did in Week 1 and have more success distributing the football (see last year’s Wild Card round), Liam Coen’s unit should not have a problem putting points up. The ground game needs to get going, and getting Bucky Irving more involved would help. The offensive line cannot afford to allow heavy pressure and will have another tough go of it. I don’t expect a lot of points in this one, but I do think the Bucs show enough resolve to come out victorious on Sunday afternoon.

SLIVON’S GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 20, Eagles 17
SLIVON’S SEASON RECORD: 1-2