🏈 (Updated 6:57 pm) Thursday Night Football: Bucs vs. Saints

NFL Week 8 Thursday Night Football

THURSDAY, OCT. 26

One of the most interesting subplots in tonight’s Buccaneers-Bills Thursday Night Football game is the rush offense/rush defense matchups for both clubs.

Tampa Bay has a very talented lead back in Rachaad White, but the Buccaneers have gained only 119 rushing yards over the past two weeks combined. That subpar trend goes up against a Buffalo rush defense that ranks 27th in fantasy points allowed per game to opposing running backs since Week 3 (17.68, per TruMedia).

On the flip side, Buffalo has a talented back of its own in James Cook, and the Bills have rushed for 209 yards over the past two weeks, but that trend will push up against a Tampa Bay rush defense that has allowed only 6.37 fantasy points per game to opposing running backs since Week 3, a pace that ranks fourth best in the league in that span.

It’s almost game time. Let’s get it!

1. Thursday Night Football

   1. Our Take

   2. Betting Nuggets

2. Injury Report (updated as of 6:57 pm)

3. Inactive List (updated as of 6:57 pm)

Bucs (3-2) vs. Bills (4-3)

• WHERE: Highmark Stadium (Orchard Park, N.Y.)

• WHEN: 8:15 p.m. ET | Prime Video, NFL+

• MONEYLINE: Buccaneers: +345 | Bills: -455

• SPREAD: Bills -9.5 | O/U: 43.5

• Get Bucs 2023 NFL Fan Gear | Get Bills 2023 NFL Fan Gear
  

The Take

Both of these teams have fallen on hard times, with the Bills dropping two out of three games and the Bucs losing two in a row since a Week 5 bye.

The difference is Tampa Bay couldn't even win at home last week when the Falcons coughed up three fumbles in the red zone.

Injury woes and a short turnaround are not a great mix for either squad coming off disappointing outings against division rivals.

I just don't see enough from the Bucs' offense (19 points total over the last two games) to think they can go into Josh Allen's house and beat him.

Betting Nuggets:

For those looking to place a wager on tonight’s game, here some notes:

• The Buccaneers are 9-1-2 ATS in their last 12 meetings.

• The Bills are 0-3 ATS in their last three games.

• The Buccaneers are 0-3 outright and ATS against teams with winning records this season, with all three games going under the total.

Bucs

• OUT: G Matt Feiler (knee), S Kaevon Merriweather (ankle)

• QUESTIONABLE: QB Baker Mayfield (knee), WR Chris Godwin (neck), DT Vita Vea (groin)

Bills

• OUT: TE Dawson Knox (wrist), TE Quintin Morris (ankle), LB Baylon Spector (hamstring)

• QUESTIONABLE: DT Ed Oliver (toe)

Bucs

• Kaevon Merriweather (S)

• Vita Vea (DT)

• Pat O'Connor (DE)

• Markees Watts (DE)

• Sean Tucker (RB)

• David Wells (TE)

Bills

• Dawson Knox (TE)

• Baylon Spector (LB)

• Quintin Morris (TE)

• Damar Hamlin (S)

• Kaiir Elam (CB

Thanks for reading and we’ll see you Sunday!