NFC, AFC Division Leaders Meet in Essential ‘Thursday Evening Soccer’ Matchup

Two NFL division leaders – one with a not-so-impressive report – will meet on Thursday Evening Soccer. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers face the Baltimore Ravens in a recreation the Bucs must win if they need any likelihood of saving their season.

Baltimore Ravens operating again Gus Edwards celebrates after scoring a TD towards the Cleveland Browns. The Ravens face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday Evening Soccer. (Picture: Getty Photos)

Tampa Bay has three wins and 4 losses heading into tonight’s recreation. Most not too long ago, they suffered an embarrassing 21-3 loss to the Carolina Panthers.

Baltimore has 4 wins and three losses following a string of shut video games. They’re coming off a win towards the Cleveland Browns, and are hoping to topple Tom Brady and the Bucs tonight.

Bucs In opposition to the Ropes

The Buccaneers lead the NFC South and the Ravens are in a tie on the prime of the AFC North. Nevertheless, Tampa Bay’s place on the prime of the division doesn’t actually imply a lot, as all 4 of the groups have dropping information, and their loss to the Panthers – who had been 1-5 on the time – was a wake-up name.

 
Ravens
Buccaneers

Moneyline
-105
-115

Unfold
+1 (-110)
-1 (-110)

Over/beneath
45.5 (-110)
 

 
Courtesy of BetMGM
 

The Bucs take the sector with lots of issues, having collected two consecutive losses. They’ve an opportunity to climb out of the droop by defeating the Ravens in entrance of their dwelling crowd.

Tampa Bay has but to endure three straight losses in the course of the Tom Brady period. The Bucs have taken back-to-back losses in two of the final three seasons, however answered with not less than 4 straight wins.

Baltimore couldn’t rely on QB Lamar Jackson an excessive amount of final week, since his efficiency was nothing to brag about. He accomplished 9 of 16 passes for simply 120 yards – lower than half of what Browns QB Jacoby Brissett put up.

Nevertheless, Jackson is nice on the bottom. He rushed for 59 yards final week, placing him in an elite phase of QBs. Nonetheless, it took a few Browns penalties, and the accuracy of kicker Justin Tucker’s foot, to save lots of the day.

Credit score must be given to operating again Gus Edwards as effectively. The previous Rutgers star was answerable for the Ravens’ two TDs, making a return to the sector for the primary time since an damage sidelined him in 2020.

Ravens Get the Nod

The sport is leaning towards the Ravens, since they’ve received the final 4 conferences between these two groups. Tampa Bay has by no means been in a position to defeat head coach John Harbaugh.

Being an underdog is one thing Brady isn’t accustomed to. This has occurred to him 12 instances in his profession, however he in the end led his staff to victory in 9 of these video games. As well as, his efficiency helped cowl the unfold in all however certainly one of them.

On paper, the Bucs have a slight benefit with sportsbooks tonight, however haven’t confirmed that they deserve it. Till recreation day, the Ravens had been forward on the moneyline nearly all over the place.

If Sunday was any indication, neither of those two groups might be turning up the warmth tonight. They’re each coming off a brief break and are a bit banged up.

Though these two groups have sturdy offenses, this recreation will probably solely come near touching the over/beneath. The beneath has hit in six of Tampa Bay’s final seven and in all of Baltimore’s final 4 video games.