Giants at Buccaneers: Preview, prediction, odds and pick

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will host the New York Giants on Sunday afternoon in Week 4. Here is a game preview, the betting odds and a final prediction.

This is a game of great urgency down in South Florida. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-1) will host the New York Giants (0-3) on Sunday afternoon in Week 4. Kickoff from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa will be at 4:05 p.m. ET on October 1. FOX will have the late afternoon telecast.

New York has to win this game to keep its slim NFC playoffs hopes alive. The Giants cannot start the season in an 0-4 hole and have any hopes for a Lombardi Trophy in February. So far, the Giants have lost to the Dallas Cowboys, the Detroit Lions and the Philadelphia Eagles. They need this game in the worst way.

Tampa Bay comes into this game at 1-1. After seeing their Week 1 game postponed due to Hurricane Irma wreaking havoc in South Florida, the Buccaneers would win their home opener over the Chicago Bears in Week 2. Tampa Bay would look lost against the Minnesota Vikings on the road up in Minneapolis in Week 3. The Buccaneers will want this game to keep pace with the Atlanta Falcons and the Carolina Panthers in the NFC South.

Betting Odds

Point Spread: Tampa Bay -3
Moneylines: Tampa Bay -160, New York +140
Over/Under: 44

According to SportsBook Review, the Buccaneers will be laying three points at home to the visiting Giants. The associated moneylines for this game are Tampa Bay -160 and New York +140. This game’s over/under comes in at a combined 44 points.

With both teams leaning on their passing games to put up points offensively, let’s go with the over in this one. New York and Tampa Bay are certainly capable of a backdoor cover with their passing centric quarterbacks of Eli Manning and Jameis Winston.

This game will be close through its entirety. It will come down to who wants it more in the fourth quarter. After a late fourth-quarter field goal puts the Giants up by a point 24-23, Winston and the Buccaneers will take the field on a three-minute drill to win it.

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Winston will get the Buccaneers into field goal range after a few plays but will want to make sure Manning and company won’t have enough time for another series. On the play before Dirk Koetter will want to line up for a field goal try, Winston will throw one of the worst picks of his career, right in the hands of Eli Apple. New York will rejoice with its first win of the season, a one-point victory over the Buccaneers.

Prediction: Giants 24, Buccaneers 23