Bucs vs. Raiders: Game Time, Preview, TV and Live Stream: Where to Watch and Listen
By Josh Hill
Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-US PRESSWIRE
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-4) at Oakland Raiders (3-4)
The Bucs looked amazing on Thursday night against a solid Vikings team, but let’s not get too ahead of ourselves. The biggest story of the week was the trade of Aqib Talib to New England, thus proving this organization is gearing up for the future.
What that also means is that this team isn’t a winner this year, and that’s something we must all come to terms with. This team will no doubt be a winner down the road, but that road extends a few years ahead of where we are right now. But even though this team won’t make the playoffs, that doesn’t mean every game will be a drag.
The Raiders, are just a drag in general.
They’re coming off a nice game against the Chiefs, but at this point Kansas City was sloppy seconds after the Bucs blew them out a few weeks ago. Darren McFadden might chew up the defense and Carson Palmer will move the ball around, but that doesn’t mean they’ll get into the endzone.
This secondary in Tampa needs work, and it’s going to be a top priority in the offseason, but the Raiders just aren’t that good just this yet to cause serious enough problems to be concerned with. The highlight of this matchup is that it’s a rematch of Super Bowl XXXVII exactly ten years after it happened, but in that same breath, the fact that both these teams are so far removed from those teams will overshadow a lot.
Location: Oakland Coliseum, Oakland, CA
Time: 4:05pmET/3:05pmCT
Nat’l TV: N/A
Bucs TV: FOX
Away TV: KTVU (FOX)
Announcers: Dick Stockton/John Lynch
Live Stream: NFL Live Stream
Radio: WDAE 620AM (Tampa), 105.3FM (Oakland)
Satellite Radio: Sirius 829 (Bucs Feed), Sirius 822 (Raiders Feed)
Weather: 66°F, Partly Cloudy
Line: Raiders by 1.5
Key Matchup: Bucs Secondary vs. Carson Palmer
Aqib Talib’s tenure in Tampa is officially over, and although we’ve seen what this secondary has looked like without him these past few weeks, this is the first week he’s officially never ever ever coming back. The Raiders don’t have a killer receiving corps, but they’ve got a pretty solid one with guys like Darius Heyward-Bey and Denarius Moore. This is the perfect test for this kind of secondary that is now led by Eric Wright and E.J. Biggers. It’s not a lights out corps but it’s still one you shouldn’t sleep on. The Bucs matchup good this week against Oakland in terms of talent, but let’s wait and see how they do on the field before we get too excited or damn them too quickly.
Last Week: Buccaneers beat Vikings 36-17, Raiders beat Chiefs 26-16
Last Meeting: December 28, 2008 — Buccaneers 24, Raiders 31
Series History (Since 2001): Raiders lead series 2-1
Key Bucs Storyline: How will the Aqib Talib trade effect the team?
Opposing View: Will Darren McFadden be able to get going hard against the Bucs defense?
Prediction: Bucs 31, Raiders 24