Game 2

Bucs (2-1)

Kickoff: 1 p.m.

TV: WTSP-TV Channel 10, NFL Sunday Ticket Channel 707.

Streaming: Fans may stream the broadcast from Buccaneers.com or on a mobile device using one of the following: Buccaneers Official app, NFL app,  CBS All Access app or Yahoo! Sports app. Geographic restrictions apply.

Radio: Buccaneers Radio Network WXTB-FM 97.9 in the Tampa-St. Petersburg region; 97.9 FM ESPN Radio in Tallahassee (Transmisiones de radio en español en WTMP-FM 96.1 y WMGG-AM 1470 en Tampa); SiriusXM Channel 81.

Weather: Tom Brady will have to get used to wet balls not coming from Ryan Jensen’s underbelly. Rain is supposed to be falling from the sky early in the game, the first for fans of the 2020 season. Per AccuWeather.com, rain is expected to begin the game but should go away by halftime, though it will remain cloudy all day. There could be additional rain just as the game is ending. Look for a pleasant 78 degrees at kickoff that should rise to 80 in the second half.

Odds: Per BetMGM as of midnight Sunday, Bucs -7; O/U 42.5.

Outlook: So it boils down to this: If the Bucs truly are a good team, if the defense is as good as everyone says and believes it is, then the Bucs should win today. The Chargers’ offensive line is in shambles. The Bucs have a strong front-seven and perhaps the best four-linebackers unit in the game. With an offensive line of Los Angeles so beat up and relying on backups, with a rookie quarterback (though talented), the Bucs defense should feast on this team. That is, if the defense is truly good. Last week Bucco Bruce Arians said his defense focused their pass rush inside, in part to pull coverage off NFL sack king Shaq Barrett and set him free to hunt the quarterback. That clearly worked as Shaq had two sacks. The Chargers are down three starters on their offensive line and all three are damn good: Tackle Bryan Bulaga, guard Trai Turner and center Mike Pouncey. The Bucs’ front-seven is healthy. The way Bucs defensive coordinator Todd Bowles likes to use exotic blitzes, the Bucs should be eating an Italian wedding buffet in the Chargers’ backfield all afternoon. Yes, the Bucs are dinged up at receiver, but it is not like the cupboard is bare. Helping out is that the Chargers will not have the services of Pro Bowl defensive backs Chris Harris and Randolph Scott Derwin James. Simply put, if the Bucs consider themselves a contender for a playoff berth much less a division title (the Bucs are currently in first place a game ahead of the slimy Saints) then this is a game the Bucs should win. If Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert throws for three touchdowns and another 300-yard performance with a bunch of hacks for offensive linemen facing this Bucs defense, then there may be a need for the Bucs to reassess some things.

Trinkets: Chargers QB Justin Herbert completed 35 of 49 passes (71.4 percent) for 330 yards and a touchdown last week. Herbert became the second player since 1970 (Kyler Murray) with 300-or more passing yards in each of first two career games. … RB Austin Ekeler led the Chargers with 143 scrimmage yards (84 receiving, 59 rushing), and had a rushing touchdown as well as 11 catches last week, his third-career game with 10 or more catches, second-most among running backs since 2018. Ekeler looks for his third in a row with 140 or more scrimmage yards. Has 964 scrimmage yards (96.4 per game) and 9 touchdowns (6 receiving, 3 rushing) in his past 10 games on the road. He leads the AFC with 378 scrimmage yards. … RB Joshua Kelley ranks fourth among AFC rookies with 225 scrimmage yards. … WR Keenan Allen led the Chargers with season-high 13 catches for 132 yards and a touchdown last week. Looks for his third in row with 7 or more catches and 95 or more receiving yards. Allen leads the AFC with 24 catches and ranks second with 265 receiving yards. … TE Hunter Henry had 5 catches for 50 yards in Week 3. He looks for his sixth in a row with 5 or more catches. … DE Joey Bosa is 1 of 3 in the NFL (Akiem Hicks and Jason Pierre-Paul) with a sack in each of the first 3 games of 2020. Bosa had a sack in the last meeting against the Bucs. Bosa has 5 sacks in 4 career games against NFC South opponents. Bosa has a sack in 2 of his past 3 road games. … CB Casey Hayward had a pass defended last week. He also had a pick the last time the (then-San Diego) Chargers played the Bucs. Hayward aims for his 6th game in a row against an NFC South team with a pass defended. … S Rayshawn Jenkins had a sack in Week 3. … Bucs QB Tom Brady passed for 297 yards and 3 touchdowns last week. He has 59 career games with 3 or more touchdown passes and no interceptions, most in NFL history. Brady has 2,452 passing yards (306.5 per game) and 15 touchdowns against 5 interceptions in 8 career starts against the Chargers. Brady looks for his fourth consecutive game against the Chargers with 300 or more pass yards. Brady ranks second in NFL history with 547 career touchdown passes. … RB Ronald Jones had 73 scrimmage yards (53 rushing, 20 receiving) last week. Jones has a rushing touchdown in 2 of his past 3 games in the Den of Depression. … WR Mike Evans had 2 touchdown catches in Week 3. He is 1 of 3 receivers (Tyreek Hill and DK Metcalf) with receiving touchdowns in each of their first 3 games of 2020. Evans looks for his third game in row at home with a touchdown catch. … WR Scotty Miller led the Bucs last week with 83 receiving yards. TE Rob Gronkowski has 5 touchdown catches in 4 career games against the Chargers and looks for his fifth in a row against San Diego/Los Angeles with a touchdown catch. … LB Lavonte David had an interception last week. He also had a 15-yard interception return for a touchdown in the teams’ last meeting in 2016 that took place in San Diego. David had 14 tackles in only career home game against the Chargers. David also has a forced fumble in 2 of his past 3 home games. … OLB Shaq Barrett had 2 sacks last week. Barrett has 4 sacks in his past 4 home games. … LB Devin White has a fumble recovery in 2 of his past 3 home games. … OLB Jason Pierre-Paul is 1 of 3 (Joey Bosa, Akiem Hicks) with a sack in each of his first 3 games of 2020.

The last word: Among the six starters not expected to play for the Chargers this afternoon are Pro Bowl center Mike Pouncey, Pro Bowl guard Trai Turner, 10-year starting tackle Bryan Bulaga, former first-round draft pick wide receiver Mike Williams, Pro Bowl corner Chris Harris and All-Universe safety and healer of the sick Randoph Scott Derwin James.