Sunday, October 18, 2020, Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida, 4:25 p.m. ET
Packers at Buccaneers Betting Preview: Packers (-2.5/+100), Buccaneers (+2.5/-120)
Green Bay Packers
The Packers lead the NFL in scoring (38.0 points per game) and rank second in total offense (445.5) while controlling games with their offense. Aaron Rodgers is showing no signs of slowing down and has passed for 1,214 yards and 13 touchdowns and hasn’t been intercepted in 139 attempts. Rodgers has twice thrown four touchdowns in a game this season and figures to be heavily motivated with Tom Brady being on the other sideline.
Standout receiver Davante Adams (hamstring) was a full practice participant on Wednesday and is expected to return to action after missing the past two catches but his 14-catch game in the opener against the Minnesota Vikings still resonates. Tight end Robert Tonyan caught a career-best three touchdowns in a win over the Atlanta Falcons preceding the team’s bye last weekend. Do-it-all running back Aaron Jones has rushed for 374 yards and four touchdowns and caught 15 passes for 135 yards and two scores.
Pass rusher Za’Darius Smith has recorded five sacks and is making a run at the career-best 13.5 sacks he recorded last season. Smith is nursing an ankle injury but practiced Wednesday for the Packers, who allow 25.3 points per game.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Brady and the Bucs took a step backwards in their last game when they fell 20-19 to the Chicago Bears in a game most memorable for Brady forgetting the number of downs on the unsuccessful final drive. He figures to be much sharper mentally against the Packers as outdueling Rodgers is the type of thing that highly motivates the 43-year-old. Brady has passed for 1,375 yards, 12 touchdowns and four interceptions and Tampa Bay is averaging 27.8 points per game.
Receiver Mike Evans (22 receptions, 271 yards) is just getting warmed up and yet he is tied for the NFL lead with six receiving touchdowns. Running back Ronald Jones II (359 yards) is making an impact and has topped 100 rushing yards in back-to-back games. The Buccaneers rank second in total defense (298.2 yards per game) and first against the run (58.4) but the loss of defensive tackle Vita Vea (ankle) for the season could affect their stout rankings.
This is a contest in which the pass defense (239.8) will be tested by Rodgers and everybody in the back end needs to be on their game. Tampa Bay ranks fourth with 17 sacks but it is typically hard to corral Rodgers due to his quick release.
Packers at Buccaneers Betting Pick for Week 6
The contest promises to be a shootout as future Hall of Famers Rodgers and Brady attempt to out-do one another. The Packers have looked unstoppable much of the season while the Buccaneers have been getting more comfortable with one another.
Brady lost track of the downs on Tampa Bay’s final drive in the loss to the Bears and will have to be much sharper in a two-minute drill this time around. Regardless, this is a contest Rodgers circled three or four times on his personal calendar.
Packers at Buccaneers Betting Pick:
Packers 34, Buccaneers 30
Packers at Buccaneers Best Bet for Week 6
The game should be fast-faced and filled with points. The defenses are going to be unable to ground the Rodgers-Brady scoring fest.
Packers at Buccaneers Best Bet: OVER 54 (-111)
