The 4-2 Tampa Bay Buccaneers will travel to Las Vegas in Week 7 to face the 3-2 Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium.
The Buccaneers are coming off a dominant Week 6 win at home over the Green Bay Packers, while the Raiders had Week 6 off after upsetting the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 5 on the road.
All eyes in this Buccaneers-Raiders game will be on the quarterback matchup, as Tom Brady and Derek Carr will take center stage at the Raiders' brand new stadium.
With Week 7 of the NFL season almost here, let's take a look at four bold predictions for the Buccaneers-Raiders game from a Tampa Bay point of view.
1. Tom Brady throws three touchdowns
In his first season with the Buccaneers, Brady has been stellar. The future Hall of Famer has thrown for 1,541 yards and 14 touchdowns while completing 64.1 percent of his passes. Brady only has four picks.
The Raiders' defense is 25th in the league in passing yards per game. With that being said, look for Brady and the Buccaneers to sling it all over the field in Las Vegas. Brady will throw at least three touchdowns in this game, carrying over the momentum he built in Week 6 against the Packers.
After leaving the New England Patriots, everyone in the league wanted to know if Brady had anything left in the tank. Not only is the six-time Super Bowl champion still one of the best quarterbacks in the league despite being the oldest player in the NFL, but he's in the MVP conversation after guiding the Buccaneers to a 4-2 start while putting up superstar numbers across the board.
2. Mike Evans will play and catch at least five balls for 90 yards
Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans is undoubtedly one of the best playmakers in the NFL. In his first season with Brady at the controls, Evans has 23 receptions for 281 yards and six touchdowns in six games.
The 27-year-old is still dealing with an ankle sprain, but look for Evans to play against the Raiders with a big game getting the Pro Bowler up for the challenge.
Evans may not be able to explode off his injured ankle, but his 6-foot-5 frame makes him unguardable in the red zone and he's already developed great chemistry with Brady. Look for Brady to throw a lot of back-shoulder balls to Evans against the Raiders so the Texas A&M product can use his strength, size and elite ball skills to dominate the game on the outside.
3. Ronald Jones rushes for at least 100 yards and one touchdown
Ronald Jones has rushed for 100-plus yards in three straight games against the Los Angeles Chargers, Chicago Bears and Packers. Look for the 23-year-old to notch his fourth straight 100-yard game versus the Raiders.
Overall on the season, Jones has carried the ball 97 times for the Buccaneers for 472 yards and three touchdowns. He scored two touchdowns against the Packers in Week 6 at home, so he's entering the Raiders game in a nice groove offensively.
The Raiders are 22nd in the NFL in defensive rushing yards per game. The Buccaneers' O-line has improved as the season has gone along, so Jones is set up to have a big day against the Raiders in Las Vegas. Tampa Bay has been effective in the play-action game this season due to Jones' running ability, so look for that trend to continue against the Raiders.
4. Buccaneers defeat Raiders to improve to 5-2
Behind Brady, the Buccaneers will defeat Carr and the Raiders to improve to 5-2 on the season. The team is coming off a sound win over Aaron Rodgers and the Packers, who were undefeated coming into Tampa Bay.
The Raiders could be a little rusty against the Buccaneers since they are coming off their bye week. With that being said, look for the Buccaneers to come out aggressive on both sides of the ball.
Bruce Arians' offense will go for some homerun plays early on to get Brady's arm loose, while the Buccaneers' defense will blitz Carr and the Raiders to make the QB uncomfortable in the pocket and force some errant throws. Thus far, Carr has 11 touchdown passes and only one interception. The Buccaneers' defensive line has to get constant pressure on Carr and not allow him to get to his second and third progressions.
The Buccaneers haven't been to the playoffs since 2007. The team has a great opportunity to snap that streak this season with Brady leading the way. A win against the Raiders is another step in accomplishing that goal in the first season of the Brady-Arians era.
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