Lions vs. Buccaneers: Odds, predictions, props and best bets

The Lions ride their hot streak into Tampa Bay where the Bucs look to pick up an upset win after their bye week. Here are our best bets and predictions for this game.

The Bucs have had a surprisingly strong start to a season that they entered with low expectations. Baker Mayfield has played well at quarterback and they have one of the toughest defenses in the league. After their early bye week, it will be a tough road test for the Lions who look like one of the best teams in the NFC early on in this season.

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About a quarter of the way through the season, the Lions are in first place in the NFC North and the Bucs are in first place in the NFC South. The Lions are proving that they were deserved favorites in their division as they have one of the most explosive offenses in football. The Bucs, on the other hand, are one of the surprises of the season so far with their 3-1 start. Baker Mayfield has been sharp and their defense will be the best that the Lions have faced all year.

The Bucs defense is 6th in the NFL in defensive DVOA and more importantly, 2nd in pass defense DVOA. They have an elite secondary and are more than capable of slowing down Jared Goff and the Lions’ passing attack. Amon-Ra St. Brown was also banged up and missed last week’s game. Their rookie running back Jahmyr Gibbs also missed the Panthers game. That will only make Jared Goff’s job harder against this elite defense if those guys miss again or are not at 100%.

The Lions’ defense has been really strong to start the season. Ever since locking down Patrick Mahomes to start the season, they have been one of the strongest units in the league. However, they are currently suffering with their injuries in the secondary. Unfortunately, CB Emmanuel Moseley suffered a torn ACL and will miss the rest of the season. Additionally, it seems like CB Brian Branch might miss his second consecutive game with an ankle injury. Against one of the best WR duos in the NFL in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, this could be a tough week for this injured Lions secondary.

The Bucs have the home-field advantage and the rest advantage as they are coming off their bye week. They should be well-rested and healthy with a great game plan prepared during the bye week. Meanwhile, the Lions have been grinding through the season and already picked up a fair amount of injuries. The mix of the bye week, good defenses on both sides and injuries should keep this one lower.

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The Bucs defense is good at every level but they are elite at keeping teams out of the end zone on red zone trips. They have the second-best red zone defense in the league, holding opponents to touchdowns on just 27.27% of red zone trips. That provides great value on the Lions’ first scoring play being a field goal rather than a touchdown.

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