Parker Gabriel, beat writer: Buccaneers 24, Broncos 20 Teams traveling to Florida early in the season typically don’t fare well. Sean Payton’s team hasn’t shown any signs through two weeks that it’s the type of group to defy conventional wisdom. And yet there’s something about games that seem cut-and-dried where they often don’t go as assumed. All that said, this Denver team is probably going to have to win a game before getting the benefit of the doubt. Close, but maybe not as close as the score indicates.
Ryan McFadden, beat writer: Buccaneers McFadden 23, Broncos 13 The Broncos offense is flawed from a personnel and schematic standpoint. The defense will keep Denver in the game but expect the Buccaneers to pull away in the second half. Don’t be surprised if Bo Nix is held without a touchdown pass for the third straight week.
Troy Renck columnist: Buccaneers 24, Broncos 16 Everything about this game suggests a rout. That is where the reverse-lock theory comes into play. This is a bad matchup, like a fifth starter vs. an ace. It is on the road, where the Broncos stink. But my belief is that the offense cannot get worse. The offensive line will take this game personally and run the ball better against the light-box, heavy-blitzing Bucs. It will allow the Broncos to stay in the game. Bo Nix will throw his first touchdown pass. But it won’t be enough as Tampa Bay remains undefeated.
Sean Keeler columnist: Buccaneers 24, Broncos 14 Did you know Bo Nix has as many completions over his first two career NFL starts (46) as Baker Mayfield did as a rookie in 2018? Or that Nix has a higher completion percentage (59.7) in those two starts than Baker in his initial pair of NFL starts (53.5)? And … yeah, well, that’s about it, as far as “half-full” stats go. The former Sooner also threw for three scores and passed for 26 first downs in those two games, while Mayfield’s Browns put up a combined 54 points. Nix’s Broncos, at their current clip, might not hit the 54 mark until the first week of October.