NFL Week 3 Preview: Philadelphia Eagles vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Odds and Best Bets

Here we are: Week 3 of the NFL season. And as expected, the lone matchup of undefeated teams is…

<<checks notes>>

Philly at Tampa?

Yup, here we are. Both teams are 2-0, winning their games by a total of 24 points. Both teams beat Minnesota, with neither New England nor Chicago winning their other game.

Of course, not all 2-0 teams are alike, and such is the case here. The Eagles are the reigning, defending, undisputed NFC Champions and are at the head of the class so far this year, while the Bucs are in the beginning of a rebuild in the post-Tom Brady era.

The Eagles broke out to a 16-0 lead in the first quarter of their first game before eking out a win in New England. Then they made hometown bettors sad by allowing Kirk Cousins to lead the Vikings to a spread-busting touchdown in the closing minutes. Of course, that score might have meant a lot more had Justin Jefferson not gotten griddy, er, greedy.

As for the Bucs, they are benefitting from solid if not spectacular play from Baker Mayfield. Mayfield threw 17 interceptions in his last 17 games before this season, spread out across the Browns, Panthers and Rams. In 2023, he has yet to throw a pick. He let it rip against the Bears, throwing for more than 300 yards, at a 9.3 yards-per-attempt clip. That would have led the league by a mile last year.

This Monday night matchup figures to be more crisply played than this one, or this one. With that in mind, here are some ways to tackle this clash of unbeatens.

The Buccaneers held Chicago to 236 yards and 17 points last weekend. Justin Fields had just three yards rushing, yet he still found the end zone. This week, Tampa Bay faces Jalen Hurts, who has scored 14 times in his last 12 games, including postseason. The Hurts QB sneak is as automatic a play as there is in the NFL.

Plus odds on an outcome that is more likely to happen than not is too good to pass up.

The Eagles have not started out quickly in either game on offense. Their two touchdowns in Week 1 came off a pick six and a short field after a fumble. Other than that, they have just two field goals. But the same is true for Tampa Bay. They have scored just six points in the first quarter so far this season. One of those field goals occurred at the end of a four-play, zero-yard drive.

Bank on the better offense getting in gear early. You can take the moneyline at -175, but that juice might not be worth the squeeze. Better to lay the half point and count on the Eagles to click early.

Tampa Bay has scored 20 and 27 points in their first two games, respectively. However, they only reached 27 against the Bears because of a pick six in the closing minutes.

Ten of the Buccaneers’ 47 points have come with their offense gaining exactly zero yards. Stepping up in weight class, the Bucs cannot rely on those empty calories to provide sustenance.

The Buccaneers have played well in winning their first two games, but this is a level up in competition. These two teams are both a long way away from where they were when they last met in the 2021 NFC playoffs. Tom Brady’s not walking through that door. Mayfield has been solid, but he has also faced the two teams projected to be at the bottom of the NFC North. The Eagles have also won against lesser competition–but have the more recent pedigree on their side.

The Eagles are laying between 5 and 5.5 points in this game. That is a hefty number for a prime-time road game, but there is still value to be had if you look a little shorter term and look within some of the numbers that are available from the first two weeks of the season.

While you get ready for Week 3, Sidelines has you covered. Check out our top-five picks for the third week of the NFL season along with prop bets to consider.