The Tampa Bay Buccaneers host the Baltimore Ravens on a short week for Thursday Night Football action. Here’s how the game will go for the Buccaneers.
After a bumpy start to the 2022 NFL season (putting it kindly), and getting run off the field by their division rival Carolina Panthers, a team many figure are basically tanking, by a score of 21-3, this is about as close to rock-bottom as it gets for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Naturally, the scheduling gods are doing no favors, as they now have to turn right around on a short week and host Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday Night Football. To be quite honest, the timing could not be worse for the Buccaneers.
Before we go any further, as is tradition, we would just like to warn you that there are spoilers ahead. If you feel that you can’t watch tonight due to growing frustration then by all means read on. Of course if you want to engage in any timeline shenanigans like Marty McFly then you too can read on. Here is your official spoiler alert. You have been warned.
This should actually be a fascinating matchup all things considered. The Buccaneers have problems pretty much everywhere it seems like at this point, while the Ravens have a huge problem with holding onto leads in the second half. It’s to the point where they are almost exclusively double-digit leads at that. This game will be decided by not who wants to win more, rather who essentially goes out of their way to lose it more.
It is also an enticing quarterback matchup despite the win/loss records of the two ballclubs. Tom Brady vs. Lamar Jackson should make for a Thursday night game that should finally move the needle, at the very least in the buildup.
That said, this will come down to defense. The Ravens are banged up, as are the Buccaneers, but not as much as Baltimore. Despite all of the shortcomings, the Bucs defense has still played relatively well, and that will hold true on Thursday night.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will win a low scoring, and some would even say ugly affair, by a score of 23-21. There is your official spoiler. Do with this information what you will.