Philadelphia Eagles vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia.
Week 6 of the NFL regular season will traditionally open with a Thursday Night Football series. This time, Philadelphia will take on the reigning champions, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, at their stadium. Who will be stronger? We’ll pick a few options to bet on at once.
Philadelphia picked up a crucial win last week
In Week 5, the Eagles visited Carolina, who got off to a great start to the new season and achieved a very important success. The way the game went, Philadelphia fell in the first half, trailing 6-15, but rebuilt the game in the second half and turned the situation around on the field. Quarterback Jalen Hurts finished the game without a single passing touchdown but scored two rushing touchdowns in the second half, proving the game’s key plays. The playmaker’s defense helped as well, allowing only 3 points in the second half. 21-18, only the Eagles’ second win of the season. But how important! After such a stunning comeback, Philadelphia would indeed feel much more confident.
The meeting with Carolina showed that the Eagles’ offense could be varied. Nick Sirianni’s team confidently got their way on the ground. It looks like the former Indianapolis Colts offensive coordinator is starting better to understand the strengths of Hurts and his partners.
Tampa Bay played another easy game
The Buccaneers approach the game in Philadelphia with a 4-1 balance. Bruce Arians’ team’s only loss came in Week 3, away to the Los Angeles Rams. Two games were challenging. The Bucks beat Dallas and New England by 2 points. And the other two, by contrast, were easy - 48:25 over Atlanta and 45:17 over Miami last week.
Tampa play much more of their offense with the pass, which isn’t surprising given the sheer number of top receivers and Tom Brady, who again did something unimaginable in the game against Miami - 5 touchdowns and over 400 yards. But the versatility is there. One of the league’s best runners, Leonard Fournette, is ready to carry. The 26-year-old running back has 251 yards and one touchdown in four games.
The only thing Bucks fans may be concerned about in the opening weeks is his lack of confidence in defensive play. Although, so far, they’ve been able to get results, allowing an average of 24.4 points per game. Even in the playoffs, with an attack as potent as Tampa’s and a much holier defence, it’s unlikely to be a problem.
Expert Betting Tips
The previous week’s matchup against Carolina could be a game-changer this season for a revamped Philadelphia. The offensive system has shown flexibility, and a perfect comeback could give the team confidence. There are considerable doubts that the Eagles will be able to clinch a result against Tampa as well, but Jalen Hurts and company have to make their mark on offense against one of the most conceded teams to start the season.
Betting options:
- Total Over 52.5 for 1.94;
- Individual Total 1 Over 22.5 for 1.80.