Packers vs Buccaneers Betting Odds: Defense Takes The Stage

They don’t meet often, but every time Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady do meet, it tends to be must-see TV. This year may be the exception as the Green Bay Packers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are defensive teams who’ve had some ugly games thus far. The Packers vs Buccaneers betting odds peg the Bucs (the home team) as the slight favorite. Even more notable is the 41.5 total points projected – a potential snoozer of a game.

Packers Buccaneers Game Info

• • Game: Green Bay Packers (1-1) vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-0)
  • Location: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay, Florida
  • Day/Time: Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
  • Live Stream: FOX

Defense The Story in This Matchup

The reason why Rodgers is able to rack up MVPs and Brady is able to win Super Bowls is because they have (had) elite defenses. Sure, the duo deserve all the credit for their brilliant quarterbacking, but they only play one side of the ball. Rodgers’ Packers wouldn’t be able to win 13 games each season without a top-10 defense while Brady’s Bucs would be average if the defense was pedestrian.

This season, their defenses may have to do a little bit more work. The Packers’ passing game has taken a hit with the loss of Davante Adams. It was evident against the Vikings as Rodgers failed to score a touchdown. Also against Chicago; Green Bay rushed the ball to the tune of 203 yards.

Green Bay’s defense also ranks second in the NFL in pressure rate at 38.8 percent. The unit can take advantage of the Buccaneers’ shorthanded offensive line. Tampa Bay has held its own thus far and has allowed just three sacks against two solid defenses.

On the Bucs’ side, the team is getting by despite some subpar offensive stats. Brady “only” has a pair of touchdowns and an 82.8 passer rating; but the defense leads the Buccaneers team stats with 10 sacks while having allowed the fewest points from opponents with just 13 in two weeks. This unit can lock Rodgers down and do well on the Packers vs Buccaneers betting odds.

Brady vs Rodgers: History Favors the Former

This will only be the sixth time Brady and Rodgers will share the football field together. They first met in 2006 when Rodgers subbed in for Favre. Of course, Rodgers was still a work-in-progress and completed just 4-of-12 passes as Brady’s Patriots blew out the Packers 35-0.

In the four times they’ve met as starters, Brady won three times. The only game Rodgers won was in 2014: Green Bay edged New England 26-21 at Lambeau Field. Since then, Brady defeated Rodgers with a pair of wins coming in the 2020 season – one in the NFC Championship Game in Green Bay.

The NFL odds Week 3 lean on Brady to beat Rodgers for a third straight time as a Buccaneer. Of course, he’ll have to do it with a depleted offense. He’s missing two of his linemen while his top receivers, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, are out. Julio Jones is also banged up and questionable to play.

Now would be a prime opportunity for Rodgers to snap his losing skid against Brady if one of his receivers will step up. Rodgers’ top two targets this season have been his running backs: AJ Dillon and Aaron Jones, but the reigning back-to-back MVP has been distributing the ball with Romeo Doubs and Sammy Watkins emerging as his favorites from the receiving bunch.

Packers-Buccaneers Betting Trends

Per the Packers vs Buccaneers betting odds, the total has gone over in five of these teams’ last seven meetings – all of Rodgers’ games against Tampa Bay

Green Bay is 10-5 against the spread (ATS)) in its last 15 games against the NFC; Tampa Bay is 9-7 ATS in a similar situation

The Packers are 2-2 straight-up (SU) as a road underdog since the 2021 season; Tampa Bay is 8-2 SU as a home favorite in this span.