After Detroit’s season-opening overtime win over the Rams, Week 2 brings another rematch with a team the Lions beat in the playoffs last year.
The Buccaneers travel to Detroit fresh off an impressive 37-20 Week 1 win over the Commanders. Baker Mayfield had one of the best performances of any quarterback in the league in the win over Washington (24-of-30 passing, for 289 yards and four touchdowns).
The Bucs are getting more than a touchdown on the spread in Sunday’s game, which kicks off at 1 p.m. ET on FOX, because they’re dealing with a number of injuries.
The Lions have some injury issues of their own, as both WR Jameson Williams and star RT Penei Sewell are listed as questionable, but both are expected to play on Sunday.
Buccaneers vs. Lions Betting Odds
Below are the odds for Sunday’s game in three markets: the spread, moneyline and total.
| DraftKings | FanDuel | ESPN BET | bet365 | |
| TB spread | +7.5 (-112) | +7.5 (-115) | +7.5 (-115) | +7.5 (-110) |
| DET spread | -7.5 (-108) | -7.5 (-105) | -7.5 (-105) | -7.5 (-110) |
| TB ML | +285 | +275 | +300 | +275 |
| DET ML | -360 | -340 | -380 | -350 |
| Total | 51 (o-112; u-108) | 51.5 (o-105; u-115) | 51.5 (o-105; u-115) | 51.5 (o-110; u-110) |
$250 BONUS BETS
DRAFTKINGS SPORTSBOOK
$1,000 FIRST BET RESET (MUST USE CODE NEWSWEEK)
ESPN BET
UP TO $1,000 BONUS BETS
FANATICS SPORTSBOOK
$1,500 FIRST-BET OFFER
BETMGM
$200 BONUS OR $1,000 FIRST-BET SAFETY NET
BET365
$1,000 FIRST BET
CAESARS SPORTSBOOK
$200 BONUS BETS
FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK
Buccaneers vs. Lions Betting Preview
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Betting News, Analysis
The Bucs looked capable of another playoff season based on their play in Week 1. The next few weeks, however, look like a massive challenge due to several injuries in the secondary and a few other key spots on this roster.
After three corners suffered injuries in Tampa’s season opener, the Bucs announced on Friday that All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr. is out for Sunday, and so is starting right tackle Luke Goedeke.
At corner, Bryce Hall is on IR, backup Josh Hayes is out through at least Week 2, and starter Zyon McCollum is questionable as he recovers from a concussion he suffered last week. Nickel Tykee Smith is also questionable due to illness.
The Lions are a brutal matchup for a team with so many holes in the defensive backfield, which likely means Tampa Bay will need a massive day from Mayfield and the offense to keep this game close and/or pull off the upset.
The good news for the Bucs is that Mayfield, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin have a favorable matchup against the Lions, who overhauled their secondary this offseason.
The Detroit DBs had their moments in their team’s win over L.A., picking Matthew Stafford once and holding the Rams to 20 points. But the Lions needed a ton of help from their pass rush against L.A.’s depleted O-line, which was not able to give Stafford much time to look downfield on most of his dropbacks.
Given that Stafford was able to throw for 317 yards despite his makeshift line having all sorts of issues protecting him, Mayfield and the Bucs have to be confident in their ability to throw on Detroit this weekend.
Detroit Lions Betting News, Analysis
Assuming Williams and Sewell are active and/or close to 100 percent on Sunday, the Lions should be able to move to 2-0 at home. Detroit caught some breaks in Week 1 thanks to the Rams’ injury issues, but still looked like the NFC contender it was perceived as throughout the offseason.
It’s hard to overstate how impactful Williams, the speedy third-year WR who was limited by injuries and suspension in 2022 and 2023, could be this season. This offense already boasts the league’s best O-line, an excellent play-caller in OC Ben Johnson, and young studs at WR (Amon-Ra St. Brown), TE (Sam Laporta) and RB (Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery).
As long as the Lions’ offseason additions of corners Terrion Arnold, Ennis Rakestraw, Carlton Davis III and Amik Robertson have the desired effect on a secondary that struggled throughout 2023, this is a team with no real weakness.
Buccaneers vs. Lions Prediction, Best Bets
The Lions should be able to light up the injury-ravaged version of the Tampa Bay defense that they’ll see on Sunday. That means that a decent defensive effort will be all it takes for Detroit to get another win and enter Week 3 at 2-0.
We like Detroit to win this one fairly comfortably, but at 7.5 points, the spread is a stay-away in this game. For our best bets, let’s go with the Over, which was one my best plays of NFL Week 2, and the Lions to go over their team total.
Buccaneers vs. Lions Best Bets
- Over 51 (-112 at DraftKings)
- Lions Team Total Over 30.5 (-102 at FanDuel)
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