In Week 7, the Las Vegas Raiders will take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday Night Football. To get you prepared for that contest, we talked to Luke Easterling, the managing editor of the Bucs Wire, about this primetime matchup.

1. How has Tom Brady looked in his first season with TB and do you think he has been an upgrade over Jameis Winston?

There were some early growing pains, but Brady appears to have settled into a groove. We’ve seen the best of Brady on both ends of the spectrum already, from his epic second-half comeback against the Chargers (369 yards, 5 touchdowns) to last week’s methodical, mistake-free performance in a blowout win over the Packers.

Brady is on pace for 40 touchdown passes and just 10 interceptions this season. Considering Winston threw 33 touchdowns and 30 interceptions last year, Brady is a big reason why the Bucs are 4-2 and in first place right now instead of on their way to yet another losing season.

2. Talk to me about this defense. What makes it such a dominating unit?

It all starts with Todd Bowles, who is making is clear that he’s the best defensive coordinator in the NFL right now. His game plan against Aaron Rodgers and the Packers was a master class, and considering the youth in the secondary, there’s no reason to believe this defense won’t get better as the season goes along.

He knows how to maximize the skill sets of his players, and he’s got some of the most athletic, instinctive defenders in the league. This defense is a perfect blend of talent, scheme and execution right now.

3. Where is this team’s biggest weakness that can be exploited?

This offense goes as the offensive line goes. When Brady’s protection is solid, he carves up opposing defenses and the Bucs win comfortably. When they struggle to protect him, and shoot themselves in the foot with dumb penalties, the Bucs look ugly and they lose.

4. Who is one under-the-radar name that Raiders’ fans should keep an eye on in Week 7?

Rookie wide receiver Tyler Johnson. He’s still battling with Scotty Miller and Justin Watson for the No. 3 WR spot, but after missing most of camp with an injury, he’s been making big strides lately. He caught four passes for 61 yards against the Bears, and caught his first career touchdown the following week.

He’s getting more confident each week, Brady clearly trusts him, and with opposing defenses having to pay so much attention to guys like Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Rob Gronkowski, he should keep getting plenty of room to work.

5. Who wins this game and why?

I expected the Bucs to handle Chicago comfortably, and then get beat handily by the Packers, so what do I know? In all seriousness, what I do know is that last week’s win gave the Bucs a ton of confidence, but the Raiders have plenty of their own after beating the defending champs. Jon Gruden’s bunch is also coming off a bye week, with extra time to prepare for the Bucs.

The COVID-19/offensive line situation in Vegas could obviously play a big role, but no matter what, I expect this to be a slugfest between two teams who are tough and physical on both sides of the ball. In the end, I think the Bucs are the more talented team, and they’re getting healthier at the right time. Tampa Bay’s defense leads the way again, and the Bucs get another winning streak going.

Bucs 27, Raiders 17.

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