The Buccaneers and Ravens will face off in Week 8 of the NFL season on Thursday Night Football. Kickoff for the game is at 8:15 p.m. ET, and only NFL+ and Amazon Prime Video will stream it in the United States. Visit The Athletic often for the most recent news, commentary, and analysis.
Complete NFL Week 8 schedule; live stats; box scores; and updated division and postseason standings
TE, Ravens The observers are looking at Mark Andrews.
Baltimore tight end After leaving the field with what seems to be an injury, Mark Andrews Athletic trainers are examining Andrews as he walked slowly to the sideline.
Bucs’ likelihood of victory and in-game betting edge are rising
The in-game point spread for Baltimore has increased to +7.5 points, reflecting the betting public’s continued lack of confidence in the Ravens to mount a comeback in this game (per BetMGM).
With 12:55 remaining in the second quarter, Tampa Bay is now now a -400 moneyline favourite and has a 76 percent probability of winning this game.
Bucs start off strong.
End of the first quarter in Tampa, and the Bucs are dominating the Ravens and limiting them to zero running yards, just as we predicted.
Despite a fumble within their own 10-yard line, Tampa Bay leads 10-3 and has outgained Baltimore 120-15. Bucs are enjoying their first lead in three weeks and are starting to look a bit better.
Another sluggish opening for the Ravens defence.
Only twice this season has Baltimore given up more than 10 points in the first frame. The other occasion included a 10-0 deficit against Cleveland last week, which the Ravens overcame to win 23-20.
With his NFL-high 17th made field goal of the season, Ryan Succop increases the Buccaneers’ advantage.
The Buccaneers are forced to settle for a field goal after driving into the red zone against Baltimore.
The 31-yard field goal by Ryan Succop increases Tampa Bay’s advantage over the Ravens to 10-3.
Succop hit his NFL-high 17th field goal this year.
Bucs increase to a 6.5-point gametime favourite.
In this contest, Baltimore began the week as a 1.5-point favourite, but the betting line gradually shifted in Tampa Bay’s favour, and by kickoff, the Buccaneers were ahead by 2.5 points. With Tampa Bay now a 6.5-point favourite and a -300 moneyline selection in live in-game betting at BetMGM, that total has increased even higher.
This shows that the general consensus among bettors is that Baltimore won’t be able to rally to win this game.
Is Leonard Fournette making a comeback?
When Tampa Bay running back Leonard Fournette produced a season-low 4.6 PPR points last week after tallying 18.4 or more points in the three weeks previous, fantasy managers who had him on their teams were more than a little disappointed.
With 6:56 remaining in the first quarter, Fournette’s 1-yard touchdown run has propelled him to 7.7 points, which might signal a return to his impact scoring style.
Bucs score their first touchdown of the year in the first quarter.
Running back Leonard Fournette of the Buccaneers scores from one yard out to cap a drive that began with Ravens CB Marlon Humphrey losing a possible interception. It’s the Buccaneers’ first touchdown of the season in the first quarter.
At the 6:56 mark of the first quarter, the Buccaneers have a 7-3 advantage.
The Bucs offence makes a play and leads the Ravens 7-3.
All of the Bucs’ offensive cliches are abandoned.
No huge plays, For a 44-yard gain, Tom Brady connects with Chris Godwin. Third-and-1 conversion not possible? The chains are moved by Leonard Fournette. unable to convert in the red zone and fail to score a touchdown in the first quarter? The Bucs score twice, and Leonard Fournette’s 1-yard touchdown gives them a 7-3 advantage against the Ravens.
These men, who are they?
Bucs commit yet another error on special teams.
Before the Bucs’ offence even reached the field, another special teams catastrophe struck the squad.
After Dee Delaney and returner Jaelon Darden collided while fielding a punt from the Ravens, the ball deflected off of them and was recovered by the Ravens at the Bucs’ 6-yard line. The only damage was a 22-yard Justin Tucker field goal because Tampa Bay’s defence, which had stopped the Ravens on their first drive and forced a punt, managed to hold them for three plays.
Bucs are down 3-0, but it may be worse.
Ravens let one to escape.
A chance passed up by the Ravens. They take over on the 6-yard line, but they can’t get into the end zone. They opt for Justin Tucker’s field goal from 22 yards out.
On third-and-goal, Lamar Jackson attempted to pass the ball to Mark Andrews, but it was unsuccessful.
Bucs mispunch, forcing a field goal from the Ravens
The Ravens entered this game with a significant statistical edge because to their special teams performance. Through Week 7, Baltimore was rated first in special teams anticipated points added (STEPA), while Tampa Bay was ranked 24th.
With 11:03 remaining in the first quarter, the Ravens were forced to settle for a 22-yard Justin Tucker field goal to increase their lead to 3-0. That edge was evident on the muffed punt that Baltimore recovered at the Tampa Bay 6-yard line after the Buccaneers’ defence held near the goal line.
Up until this year, Lamar Jackson had excelled against the NFC.
Lamar Jackson has a 12-1 career record as a starter versus NFC opponents with a 22-6 touchdown-to-interception ratio in those games.
That defeat, though, occurred in his previous such start against the Giants two weeks ago.
Ravens acquire TE Involvement of Mark Andrews early
Mark Andrews of the Ravens, a tight end, got the game started quickly with receptions on the opening two plays, which elated fantasy managers.
In Week 7’s game against the Browns, Andrews scored just 0.4 PPR points.
We have started!
It’s time to play.
You may see live stats and play-by-play updates here all night long.
Buccaneers delay after winning the toss. Thus, the Ravens will receive the ball first.
Due to the absence of middle linebacker Josh Bynes (quad) and defensive end Calais Campbell (illness), the Ravens are a little undermanned in their front seven tonight. It might not matter because the Buccaneers’ rushing offence is among the weakest in the league. However, it wouldn’t be at all unexpected if the Buccaneers used the run to test the Ravens. Baltimore has occasionally struggled to establish the edge and to clear the centre. Many young players up front are what the Ravens are depending on.
The Ravens offence hasn’t played a full football game in a while on offence. Lamar Jackson is having trouble making decisions and hasn’t had the best field vision. Mark Andrews, a tight end, had no receptions the previous week. Devin Duvernay enters and exits the Ravens offence frequently. The Ravens have been able to run the ball against everyone, at least decently. They will eventually need to make some significant passing game plays, though. As the Buccaneers are so injured on the back end, this would be a terrific week to do it.
Tom Brady may record his first start-up career 2-game losing streak.
With their defeat to the Panthers last week, the Buccaneers dropped to 3-4, and quarterback Tom Brady would make history if they suffered another setback.
His teams have never finished more than two games under.500 since he took over as the starter for a full season in 2002.
Buccaneers have had trouble stretching the field against strong deep ball defence from the Ravens.
Tom Brady ranks 19th in vertical YPA over the previous four weeks, which is a major factor in the Buccaneers’ offensive difficulties with vertical throwing (aerials thrown 11+ yards).
That may be a problem against the Ravens pass defence, which in the same time period is ninth in the league in terms of fantasy points allowed in PPR systems. Since Week 4, the Ravens have only given up 15 completions in 28 attempts for 316 yards and one score.
Baltimore’s cornerbacks have performed admirably throughout that period on all kinds of throws. As reported by Pro Football Reference, these are their metrics:
• Marcus Peters: 150 yards, 6.3 yards per target, 24 targets, 13 completions (54.2% completion percentage) (YPT)
• Marlon Humphrey: 15 targets, 11 completions (73.3), 81 yards, and 5.4 yards per target.
10 targets, 6 completions (60.0), 70 yards, and 7.0 YPT for Damarion Williams.
For comparison, a YPT of less than seven yards is regarded as above average, while one of 5.0 yards or less is excellent.
When you add everything together, the passing game for Brady and the Bucs is going to be very difficult tonight.
OLB, Ravens Jason Pierre-Paul takes on his old squad
OLB Jason Pierre-Paul of the Ravens was questioned about if he has any added motivation to beat his old team.
I have lots of juice, Paul remarked. I’ll be exhibiting my abilities as a Raven and demonstrating to Tampa Bay why Baltimore selected me to be here and complete the task at hand.
Despite the Buccaneers declining to re-sign him this summer, Pierre-Paul said there is no animosity between them. I just want to show them what they don’t have, he added.
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