The Monday Night Football matchup will be between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New York Giants. MetLife Stadium will host, with kickoff set for 8:15 P.M. Eastern.
These two teams are having very different seasons. The Buccaneers have had their sights set for a Super Bowl appearance ever since acquiring Tom Brady. Things are going fairly well, as Tampa Bay is tied with the New Orleans Saints for the top spot in the NFC South. A win in this game will give them a half-game lead in the division.
On the other hand, the Giants only have one win on the season. There hasn’t been much hope after Saquon Barkley had a season-ending injury. The only bright side is that they play in the NFC East, one of the worst divisions in the history of the NFL.
The Brady Effect
Brady is in his first season with Tampa Bay, but his impact on both his current and former team is more pronounced than many expected. The New England Patriots are having a much tougher time winning games than the Buccaneers this season.
Brady has thrown for 18 touchdowns and has only four interceptions. Bruce Arians has a great team this season, and they are going to get better.
Amidst injuries to their receiver groups, the Buccaneers signed controversial former All-Pro wide receiver Antonio Brown. Coach Arians will have his hands full in making sure that Brown stays focused on football, but if there is a quarterback that can help Brown stay the course, it’s Brady.
Chris Godwin is out for Tampa Bay, but that shouldn’t matter too much for this game. Brown is ineligible for Monday night’s game due to COVID-19 protocol but should be cleared to play next Sunday night when the Bucs host the New Orleans Saints.
Giants Struggles
The Giants have struggled this season. Their only win was a one-point victory over the Washington Football Team.
Daniel Jones hasn’t played well, but he doesn’t have much help either. Jones has thrown five touchdowns and seven interceptions. That’s not a recipe for success, but with minimal weapons and Barkley’s absence, the Giants offense looks lifeless.
Jones is also the leading rusher. Nearly a third of those yards came on his now-infamous 80-yard scamper where he was untouched but lost balance short of the end zone.
To put it in perspective, Ronald Jones has 506 rushing yards, leading the Buccaneers this season. Jones is leading the Giants with 296. Yards and points have been hard to come by for the Giants, and that will likely continue to be the story in this one.
Prediction
Tampa Bay is the heavy favorite, with the spread set at -12.5. The over/under is at 45.
I expect Brady to have a strong start against the Giants, jumping out to an early lead, ultimately covering the spread winning by at least two touchdowns.
I also expect Tampa Bay to run the ball a lot. The Buccaneers’ defense is impressive, having a great outing against Aaron Rodgers and the Packers just two weeks ago.
The Giants won’t score enough for the over to hit. Pick Tampa Bay to cover -12.5 and the under.