(Photo: Sports Illustrated) 

NFC Game Of The Week

Philadelphia Eagles at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Eagles (3-0):

For a Half, It Was Looking Bad There, Wasn’t It? I knew the Los Angeles Rams would come in with some intensity—and rightfully so, considering this was the team that sent the Eagles on vacation back in January. What’s one thing you’ve always heard me say—either here, on Monday Evening Quarterback, or on any show I’ve contributed to? The team that adjusts at the half is usually the team that breaks through for the victory. Clearly, no lead is safe in this league. This group was down by 19 points at one time, but they kept chipping away and eventually found themselves on top. I walked away from this game with three main thoughts: 1. They needed a game like Week 3 to open their eyes. Honestly, they could easily be 0–2 with how they’ve played so far. 2. If you’re a defense, you’ll take this kind of performance from the offense every time. Teams are loading the box and not letting Saquon Barkley beat them and 3. The Eagles showed why they’re the defending champs—because they’re never out of a game. And y’all can get off Jalen Hurts’ case now—he finally threw some touchdown passes. I said this last week and I’ll say it again: who said winning had to be pretty? Sure, he didn’t throw any touchdowns in the first two games of the season, but they won those games. If you want to hold that against him, go ahead—but it makes no sense to me. A win is a win. This Sunday, the Eagles will face another unbeaten team—this time at Raymond James Stadium.

Buccaneers (3–0):

In a conference with the defending Super Bowl champs, the Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, Washington Commanders, and when healthy, the San Francisco 49ers, I can understand why the Buccaneers don’t get as much recognition. But this is a good football team. They’ve stayed afloat even after Tom Brady’s retirement. You could argue the division hasn’t been strong, but they’ve taken care of business and dominated the NFC South since 2021. I’ve followed Baker Mayfield for years—from his Heisman season at Oklahoma to his NFL debut—and I’ll always stand by this: any football player can be successful with the right coaching. Baker has found the right system in Tampa Bay. In my eyes, he’s a top-10 quarterback who’s matured a lot since his Cleveland days. He’s more patient, no longer forces throws, and he’s become a legitimate leader. Wherever he goes, his teammates follow—and you have to respect that. So far this season, the Bucs have lived on the edge: Week 1: 3-point win over the Falcons, Week 2: 1-point win over the Texans on Monday Night Football and Week 3: Narrow victory over the Jets. Of course, people will say, “They haven’t beaten anybody,” but if they’d lost one of those games, you’d probably say, “They lost to the Jets or Texans of all teams!” Neither of those teams have won a game yet. That’s why I always remain neutral—there’s no such thing as an easy win in the NFL. Anyone can be beaten on any given Sunday. This week, they face the defending Super Bowl champs.

Eagles X-Factor: DeVonta Smith

I love his role in this Philly offense. Defenses know A.J. Brown will draw the most attention, which opens opportunities for DeVonta—especially against a secondary that can struggle with crisp route runners. DeVonta stretches the field vertically, which puts pressure on Tampa’s safeties and opens up running lanes for Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley. I expect Tampa’s front seven to attack, and this is where DeVonta can help keep the offense in rhythm with quick passes from Hurts.

Buccaneers X-Factor: Rachaad White

The Eagles have one of the league’s best defensive lines, known for consistently getting after quarterbacks. Rachaad White can establish offensive balance with his rushing and receiving abilities. His pass protection and blitz pickups are underrated, and he can help buy time for Baker Mayfield. If Rachaad forces Philly to respect the run, it opens up the play-action game—which Baker thrives in.

Final Thoughts:

Both teams escaped with close wins in Week 3, setting up a battle of unbeatens in Week 4. The second half against the Rams showed what this Eagles team is capable of—especially offensively. Meanwhile, Tampa survived a tough one against the Jets. These teams are familiar with each other from past playoff matchups, including last season when Tampa handed the Eagles a loss before Philly went on a 10-game winning streak. Keys for the Eagles: Keep Jalen Hurts protected—Tampa loves to blitz and disguise pressure, Control the line of scrimmage—neutralize the Bucs’ pass rush and get after Baker and Contain Rachaad White—force Tampa to become one-dimensional as an offense.  Let’s now look at Keys for the Buccaneers: Disguise pressure and collapse the pocket to limit big plays to A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, win on early downs and put the Eagles in third-and-long situations and protect the football—Philly’s defense feeds off turnovers. Unfortunately for Tampa, Mike Evans will miss the game due to a hamstring injury. I like the Eagles on the road to get the win.

Prediction:

Eagles 28, Buccaneers 21