Game 13

Raiders (2-10) at Bucs (6-6)

Kickoff: 1 p.m.

TV: CBS (WTSP-TV Channel 10, locally) with Spero Dedes, Adam Archuleta and Aditi Kinkhabwala.

Streaming: NFL+, Paramount+ (Geographic restrictions apply; subscription may be required).

Radio: Buccaneers Radio Network WXTB-FM 97.9 in the Tampa-St. Petersburg region (Transmisiones de radio en español en WTMP-FM 96.1 y WMGG-AM 1470 en Tampa). Additional stations throughout Florida on the Buccaneers Radio Network can be found here. The game also will be broadcast on SiriusXM Channel 230 (Buccaneers Radio Network feed).

Weather: A chilly start to a nice day, per AccuWeather.com.  Tailgaters might need a jacket as the temperatures will be in the low-50s. That will warm up quickly as kickoff looks to be 71, and temms will rise to 74 by game’s end — ll under sunny skies with zero precipitation expected and moderate winds.

Odds: Per Hard Rock Bet, as of midnight, Bucs -6.5 (-325); over/under 46.

Referees: Alan Eck and his gang are flat out homers, per Sharp Football Analysis. This season, home teams in games called by Eck and his posse are 13-3.

Injuries: Raiders — Out: CB Nate Hobbs (ankle), RB Zamir White (quad). Doubtful: TE Justin Shorter (back). Questionable: RB Alexander Mattison (ankle), WR Jakobi Meyers (ankle). Bucs — Out: ILB K.J. Britt (ankle), S Mike Edwards (hamstring), CB Josh Hayes (hamstring), CB Troy Hill (foot/knee), ILB J.J. Russell (hamstring), OLB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka (ankle), OLB Markees Watts (knee). Questionable:  RB Bucky Irving (hip/back), WR Trey Palmer (hip),  DB Tykee Smith (knee).

Outlook: Joe was outraged last week that the Bucs had to claw their way to a miracle win in overtime against the lousy Stinking Panthers. And Joe has the exact same standard and expectation for the Bucs today: a team fighting for its playoff life should stomp the stuffing out of garbage teams like the Raiders. Joe doesn’t give a damn if it’s the NFL. Good teams with their backs against the wall should destroy terrible teams. That’s Joe’s standard and expectation and many Bucs fans feel the same way. Toying with a trash opponent like a cat-and-mouse game is a recipe for disaster. Sadly, Joe believes this will be a close game. For example, Todd Bowles as an NFL head coach is 50-57-5 against the spread. That means over half the time, Bowles’ teams play closer games than expected. That’s not good, but typical for a defensive-minded head coach as their mantra is to “keep it close” defensively. Sadly, keeping it close means you keep the other team in the game. That’s setting the table more often than not for an upset. The Raiders are a sieve for points allowed (27.8 per game), which is 28th in the NFL. The Raiders are dead-last in the NFL in rushing with 78 yards a game. But the problem with the Bucs is their pass defense (258 yards a game), which is 30th in the league. And Raiders rookie tight end Brock Bowers is lighting people up. So if the Bucs don’t fix that — and why would anyone expect the Bucs to fix that this late in the season? — this game, Joe fears, will be another nail-biter. Good teams don’t let garbage teams fight to the end. The Bucs need to put their feet on the throats of the Raiders just like the Bucs did the Giants, not win by the skin of their teeth like the Bucs did with the Stinking Panthers.

Fun facts: Last week against the Chiefs, two-bit Raiders QB Aidan O’Connell went bananas. He completed 23 of 35 attempts for a 65.7 percent completion percentage. O’Connell also threw for a career-high 340 yards (his first 300-yard passing game) two touchdowns and no picks. … RB Alexander Mattison has at least 60 scrimmage yards in three of his last four games. … TE Brock Bowers led the Raiders with 10 catches for career-high 140 yards and a touchdown last week against the Chiefs. It was his third game with at least 10 catches. … In his only game against the Bucs (while playing for the Patriots) in 2021, WR Jakobi Meyers had 8 catches for 70 yards. … DE Maxx Crosby had a sack and a tackle for loss last week. Crosby has 11 tackles for loss in seven road games this season. LB Robert “Mickey” Spillane had nine tackles against the Chiefs. It was his eighth game with at least nine tackles in 2024. … Bucs QB Baker Mayfield has Mayfield has the third-most touchdown passes in the NFL (25), second-most 300-yard passing games (four) and second-most three-touchdown passing games (five) and is the 18th-highest-paid quarterback. That, as the late, great “Big Dog,” Steve Duemig would say, is “value.” … RB Rachaad White has six touchdowns (four receiving and two running) in his past six games. RB Bucky Irving has been on fire. Last week against the Stinking Panthers, Irving had a career-high 185 scrimmage yards (152 on the ground and 33 through the air). The win over Carolina was also Irving’s first NFL game with over 100 yards rushing. Irving is looking for his third straight game with 150+ scrimmage yards and fourth straight game scoring a touchdown. … WR Mike Evans last week made his 101st career touchdown catch and the win over Carolina also marked his 37th-career game with 100 yards receiving. Evans has 14 receiving touchdowns in his last 13 home games. … LB Lavonte David has three tackles for loss in his three games playing the Raiders. … DT Calijah Kancey has five sacks and six tackles for loss in his last four games. In 21 career games, Kancey has 19 tackles for loss and 10 sacks. … CB Zyon McCollum had his 11th pass defended this season last week.

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