Buccaneers game day is approaching, and it’s time for the PewterReport.com staff to offer up its weekly game predictions. Let us know what you think in the article comments section and add your prediction, too.

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Scott Reynolds: Bucs Are Too Good, Get Win No. 3

The Buccaneers are going to win this game and claim their third victory in a row. They’re simply better than the Chargers, although Los Angeles (1-2) can’t be taken lightly because the team took Kansas City to overtime and came within 15 yards of beating Carolina last week – with a rookie quarterback at the helm. Justin Herbert has passed for 300 yards in each of his two previous NFL starts and has the immediate respect of defensive coordinator Todd Bowles.

Bucs DC Todd Bowles – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

I would look for the Bucs to probe Herbert with some blitzes early and, if they rattle him, look for Bowles to increase the pressure as the game goes on, just as he did last week against Denver’s Jeff Driskel. But just because Herbert is a young quarterback doesn’t mean that the Bucs will automatically blitz him as much as Driskel was blitzed last week. Still, expect Tampa Bay to get a few sacks and at least a takeaway or two.

Offensively, Tom Brady grows more and more comfortable as the weeks go on, and I would suspect wide receiver Mike Evans and tight ends Rob Gronkowski and O.J. Howard will figure prominently into the game plan this week without slot receiver Chris Godwin. This could be Ronald Jones II’s first 100-yard rushing game of the year as Leonard Fournette is shelved with an ankle injury. Too many weapons for the Chargers to deal with, and they’ll be without right tackle Bryan Bulaga and wide receiver Mike Williams, which won’t help their cause. I’ve got some additional insight into the Bucs vs. Chargers game that you can read by clicking here, in addition to my 4 Match-ups To Watch from my new SR’s Fab 5 column that you can read by clicking here.

Reynolds’ Score Prediction: Buccaneers 27, Chargers 16
Reynolds’ Season Record: 3-0

Mark Cook: Bucs Make It Three In A Row

To be a playoff team you have to beat the teams on your schedule that you are better than. You also need to win most, if not all, of your home games. Granted home field advantage isn’t what it normally is without a packed stadium but not having to fly cross country as the Chargers will, should still work in Tampa Bay’s favor.

Bucs LB Devin White – Photo courtesy of Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Both teams come into the game banged up, but Los Angles is hurting even more than the Buccaneers are. Tampa Bay is starting a quarterback who began playing in the NFL when Los Angeles starter Justin Herbert was still in diapers. Literally. Advantage: Tampa Bay. Defensively the Bucs are in much better shape than the Chargers from a health standpoint and also from a performance standpoint. Bucs DC Todd Bowles lives for games like these when he can harass and confuse a rookie QB making just his third start.

The wildcard in this game may be the weather. As of Friday afternoon, forecasters were calling for an 80 percent chance of showers with possible tropical-like downpours. When the ball gets wet, crazy things can happen. And while some sloppy play might occur on Sunday afternoon, the better team will prevail after a closer-than-desired first half. The Bucs offense pulls away in the second half and the defense makes Herbert’s afternoon a soggy disappointment. I’ll bet on the Bucs with a 14-point victory and a 3-1 start to the season.

Cook’s Score Prediction: Buccaneers 31, Chargers 14
Cook’s Season Record: 2-1

Jon Ledyard: Chargers’ Injuries Too Steep A Mountain To Climb

On the Pewter Nation Podcast I picked the Bucs to suffer an inexcusable loss that would reveal their growing pains, but seeing the Chargers’ final injury report, I’ve got to reverse that prediction.

The curse on the Los Angeles Chargers is truly remarkable. Not only will the team be without starters S Derwin James, EDGE Melvin Ingram, CB Chris Harris Jr., DT Justin Jones, LB Drue Tranquil and C Mike Pouncey, all of whom are on injured reserve, but also RT Bryan Bulaga, RG Trai Turner, WR Mike Williams and QB Tyrod Taylor. Another starter, S Rayshawn Jenkins, is questionable with a groin injury.

If a Chargers team without ten of their 22 starters and a rookie quarterback under center can beat this Bucs team, it’ll be highly concerning. I think the Bucs are susceptible to an early season letdown against a lesser opponent as they still find their way on offense, but will the Bucs shutdown defense really allow Justin Herbert and an offense missing their three best offensive linemen and No. 2 wide receiver to gash them? I can’t see it. The Bucs may not play great, but the Chargers don’t have enough to upset them.

Ledyard’s Score Prediction: Buccaneers 23, Chargers 20
Ledyard’s Season Record: 3-0

Matt Matera: Bucs Ride The Defense Again

For the second week in a row the Bucs are playing a banged-up football team with a quarterback that has not started many games for his current team. This game against the Chargers is going to look similar to the Bucs’ victory over the Broncos last week. Tampa Bay will ride the defense on the way to a third straight win.

Chargers QB Justin Herbert – Photo by: Getty Images

Todd Bowles has been dialing up great game plans this year and that’ll continue this week as they exploit rookie quarterback Justin Herbert. Tampa Bay has 11 sacks over the last two games, as they are executing their blitzes and causing nightmares for the opposing quarterback. I see at least another 3-sack game for the Bucs, with linebackers Lavonte David and Devin White notching their first of the season. The Chargers do have weapons on offense with receiver Keenan Allen and tight end Hunter Henry, but Los Angeles has not scored more than 20 points this season against defenses far worse than the Bucs.

Where the Bucs are going to struggle once again is on the offensive side of the ball. Though Joey Bosa has been limited, the Chargers have a stout defense with a better linebacking group than what the Broncos had a week ago. The Bucs offense is going to continue with their growing pains, especially with Chris Godwin and Leonard Fournette out and Scotty Miller’s availability uncertain as well. They haven’t been able to run the ball, and if the tight ends are taken away, there’s not much left after Mike Evans. If the Chargers were able to slow down the Chiefs, they can stop a Bucs offense that hasn’t reached full gear yet. The Bucs will be opportunistic and score off of turnovers, giving them enough to take the game.

Matera’s Score Prediction: Buccaneers 21, Chargers 17
Matera’s Season Record: 3-0

Taylor Jenkins: Bucs Hold On To Divisional Lead With A Win

The Bucs are all too familiar with how tough it can be to prepare for a game on Sunday while also traveling across the country, heading to Seattle and Los Angeles for games against the Seahawks and Rams in 2019. Now they’ll get their first chance of the season to host a traveling west coast team on Sunday as the Chargers head to Tampa for a 1 p.m. kickoff, or 10 a.m. PST for their opponents.

Bucs WR Chris Godwin – Photo courtesy of the Buccaneers

The Chargers enter Week 4 with a slew of injuries, missing safety Derwin James, linebacker Drue Tranquill, center Mike Pouncey, edge rusher Melvin Ingram, receiver Mike Williams and cornerback Chris Harris at the minimum. It’s the second consecutive week that Tampa Bay will face not only a beaten up roster, but a young quarterback in Justin Herbert, but the Bucs will be dealing with some injuries of their own on the offensive side of the ball as Chris Godwin and Leonard Fournette have already been ruled out and Scotty Miller will likely be a game time decision.

Defensive coordinator Todd Bowles will surely draw up some exotic looks for Herbert to try and diagnose and will likely send, if not just show pre snap, a lot of pressure as he did against the Broncos last Sunday. But in what will likely come down to a wet game as Tampa’s forecast calls for rain on Sunday, the contest will come down to red zone execution. Tampa Bay’s offense ranks fifth in the NFL in red zone touchdown percentage, scoring on 80 percent of their trips inside the 20, while the Chargers’ have allowed just two red zone touchdowns on defense to lead the league in defensive red zone scoring. The Chargers’ offense on the other hand is averaging a stellar 425.7 yards per game while only scoring 17.3 points per game, largely due to a red zone touchdown percentage of under 56 percent.

Jenkins’ Score Prediction: Buccaneers 27, Chargers 20
Jenkins’ Season Record: 3-0

Bucs fans, be sure to check out the latest edition of the Pewter Nation Podcast for even more Tampa Bay hosting Los Angeles pre-game analysis before kickoff. Click the link below to listen.