The Denver Broncos (0-2) face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-0) to kick off NFL Week 3 on Sunday. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. The Buccaneers are 7-point favorites with the game total set at 39.5. Tampa Bay is a -350 favorite on the moneyline, while Denver is +260 to pull off the upset.
The Broncos are going through some growing pains with rookie quarterback Bo Nix, who looked better in Week 2 with 246 passing yards. The Buccaneers, meanwhile, have thrived so far this season. Baker Mayfield (5 touchdowns, 1 interception) is playing great with the help of Mike Evans (12 receptions, 103 yards, 2 touchdowns) and Chris Godwin (16 receptions, 200 yards, 2 touchdowns) in the passing game.
Let's get into my Broncos vs. Buccaneers prediction for Sunday afternoon and my NFL picks and predictions for Week 3.
Broncos vs. Buccaneers Picks
SPREAD
I'm taking the points and betting on the underdog Broncos.
MONEYLINE
While I like Denver against the spread, I am passing on its moneyline.
TOTAL
I have no pick on the over/under in this game.
Broncos vs. Buccaneers Pick: Broncos +6.5
Broncos vs. Buccaneers Odds
| Broncos Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+7 -115 | 39.5 -110o / -110u | +260 |
| Buccaneers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-7 -105 | 39.5 -110o / -110u | -350 |
- Broncos vs. Buccaneers Point Spread: Buccaneers -6.5
- Broncos vs. Buccaneers Total: Over/Under 39.5
- Broncos vs. Buccaneers Moneyline: Broncos +240 | Buccaneers -300
Broncos vs. Buccaneers: NFL Week 3 Picks
There's going to be regression for this Bucs team at some point. Sean Payton got eight wins out of the Broncos last season and is the kind of coach who could bring a team like Tampa Bay back to reality.
After an underwhelming NFL debut, Bo Nix showed solid improvement last week. His success rate went up, and the Broncos had a higher success rate than the Steelers despite their defeat.
Tampa Bay also benefited from playing one of the worst defenses in the NFL in Week 1. The Commanders will make a lot of quarterbacks look like an MVP candidate this season, and that certainly was the case with Baker Mayfield to start the season.
The Buccaneers defense got lucky last week against the Lions. Detroit routinely got into the red zone but was consistently unable to capitalize. The Lions were trying to set up for a short field goal at the end of the first half but were penalized for having 12 men on the field, which caused the half to end. Those kinds of things won’t happen every week to benefit Tampa Bay.
I’ve seen the Buccaneers rated among the top-five teams in the NFL so far, which is excessive. They’re coming off an upset win that saw them get extremely lucky.
Best Bet for Broncos vs. Buccaneers
This is a spot where an 0-2 team has every trend in the world going for it in Week 3, especially facing a 2-0 Buccaneers team that won as a big underdog last week on the road.
Mayfield also has not done well as a favorite in his career, covering at a 37% clip when his team is laying points.
A big reason to back the Broncos is our NFL Luck Rankings. Through two weeks, the Broncos rate as the unluckiest team in the NFL, while the Buccaneers have been the second luckiest. That’s one of the biggest gaps we’ll see all season, so I’m surely going to back it.
Pick: Broncos +6.5
Betting Trends
- 81% of bets and 81% of the money are on the Bucs to cover the spread.
- 67% of bets and 55% of the money are on the over.
- 96% of bets and 91% of the money on the moneyline are on Tampa Bay.
How to Watch Broncos vs. Buccaneers
| Location: | Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. |
| Date: | Sunday, Sept. 22 |
| Kickoff Time: | 1 p.m. ET |
| TV / Streaming: | FOX |
Broncos vs. Buccaneers is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET live from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. The game will be broadcast live on FOX and streamed on platforms like YouTube TV.
Broncos-Buccaneers Weather
For more on NFL weather for Week 3, click here.
