Tag: Chargers-Buccaneers preview

Prediction poll for matchup between Chargers vs. Buccaneers

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert looks to pick up his first professional win.

The Los Angeles Chargers are set to face off against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, Oct. 4 at 10:00 a.m. PT at Raymond James Stadium.

The Chargers are hoping to bounce back after dropping two consecutive games, both of which came down to the final play. For the Buccaneers, they are looking to extend their winning streak to three games.

Rookie quarterback Justin Herbert will look to pick up his first professional victory. Tampa Bay will present Herbert’s toughest challenge yet, as the team boasts one of the league’s top defenses.

Los Angeles’ defense has been doing a great job of limiting touchdowns, but it won’t help if the offense isn’t scoring points and they continue to make mistakes, putting them an unideal field position to defend quarterback Tom Brady and company.

I expect both defenses to perform well and Herbert to have an up and down performance due to the missing pieces along the offensive line. But in the end, the Buccaneers will squeak one out in a close battle, beating the Bolts by the score of 24-20.

With that, who do you think will win Sunday’s contest?

Check out the poll below and let us know what you think.

4 key things to know about Chargers’ Week 4 battle with Buccaneers

The Los Angeles Chargers travel to take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Chargers will hit the road to take on the Buccaneers on Sunday, Oct. 4 at 10:00 a.m. PT.

Here are four things to know about the Week 4 battle:

Beating Brady has been difficult task

The Chargers have faced quarterback Tom Brady multiple teams throughout the years, but they’ve all came while wearing a Patriots jersey. Brady now dons the red, white and black. Even though he’s on a different team, he has still made it tough on opposing defenses, passing for 753 yards and six scores in the first three games of the season. The Bolts haven’t beaten Brady in 12 years, and this weekend it won’t be an easy task to break that streak, given the fact that Tampa Bay is loaded with play-makers.

Get your popcorn ready

Among the slew of skilled position players that the Buccaneers have is wide receiver Mike Evans. Evans currently leads the NFL with four touchdown receptions. However, the 27 year old wide out will draw the attention of cornerback Casey Hayward, who has held his Panthers’ D.J. Moore to 2/65/0, Chiefs’ Sammy Watkins to 1/11/0, and Bengals’ A.J. Green to 5/51/0 through three games.

Stingy defense

Rookie quarterback Justin Herbert will have arguably his toughest challenge yet. Stacked at all three levels, the Buccaneers have recorded 11 sacks while also notching two interceptions in each of the last two games as well. Through three games, Tampa Bay ranks fourth in the NFL in total defense, and eighth in scoring defense.

The future is now, old man

When Brady (43) takes the field, it will be his 287th start. Herbert (22) was three years old when the veteran quarterback made his first start. The age difference between the two is 20 years, seven months and seven days. Brady has never lost to a rookie quarterback at home in his NFL career. Only four first-year quarterbacks have beaten him.

What Buccaneers said about Chargers QB Justin Herbert, WR Keenan Allen

The Los Angeles Chargers offense will have a tough task facing a dominant Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense.

As the Buccaneers are gearing up to take on the Chargers, a lot of their focus will be put on wide receiver Keenan Allen.

Allen has been on a tear the past two weeks, totaling 20 catches for 228 yards and two touchdowns. Tampa Bay is aware of how well he is playing, and the team is looking to take him out of the equation this weekend.

Bucs CB Carlton Davis, who will get some matchups against Allen, was asked about the targets that the wideout is receiving, he said, “I love the action. I love the smoke.”

“He’s a really great player. I like his game a lot. He’s a dog out there, too. He’s a little bit smaller than me, but he’d be out there blocking and he plays real tough. So hopefully we can shut him down and get a W,” WR Mike Evans said.

The other player for Los Angeles who has been playing well is the guy who is distributing the wealth to Allen, rookie QB Justin Herbert.

HC Bruce Arians had praise for Herbert, saying that he is poised, and the biggest thing is that he’s athletic. “You got to maintain the pocket or else he’ll burn you for a run,” Arians said.

The 22-year-old Herbert is set to face off against 43-year-old Tom Brady, marking the first time since at least 1950 that there was an age gap of 20+ years between opposing starting quarterbacks.