Who: TAMPA BAY (1-1) at DENVER (0-2)
When: 2:25 p.m. Sunday, FOX
OPENING LINE: Buccaneers by 3½
RECORD VS. SPREAD: Buccaneers 1-1; Broncos 2-0
SERIES RECORD: Broncos lead 7-2
LAST MEETING: Broncos beat Buccaneers 27-7, Oct. 2, 2016, at Tampa
LAST WEEK: Buccaneers beat Panthers 31-17; Broncos lost to Steelers 26-21
AP PRO32 RANKING: Buccaneers No. 15, Broncos No. 26
BUCCANEERS OFFENSE: OVERALL (25), RUSH (23), PASS (25).
BUCCANEERS DEFENSE: OVERALL (11) RUSH (4), PASS (21).
BRONCOS OFFENSE: OVERALL (27), RUSH (21), PASS (26).
BRONCOS DEFENSE: OVERALL (21), RUSH (14), PASS (25).
STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES: Tom Brady got his first win with the Buccaneers last week, throwing for 217 yards, one TD and an interception. Coach Bruce Arians said he probably would have had a 400-yard, four-TD performance if his receivers hadn’t dropped seven passes. ... In 13 career games against the Broncos, the six-time Super Bowl champion has thrown for 3,471 yards, 26 TDs and six interceptions. ... Brady’s favorite target from New England, TE Rob Gronkowski, followed the QB to Tampa Bay but hasn’t had much of an impact in the passing game with two receptions for 11 yards in two games. ... Bucs OLB Shaquil Barrett returns to Denver to face his former team for the first time since signing with Tampa Bay in free agency and leading the NFL with 19½ sacks in 2019. Barrett played five seasons with the Broncos. ... Tampa Bay’s defense forced four turnovers against the Panthers after not having any takeaways in a Week 1 loss at New Orleans. ... Bucs RB Leonard Fournette rushed for 103 yards and two TDs last week as he continues to learn the playbook after signing with Tampa Bay after being released by Jacksonville late in training camp. ... The Bucs played without WR Chris Godwin last week, however, he was cleared from the concussion protocol on Monday and expects to play against the Broncos. He has the third-most receiving yards (1,412) in the NFL since the start of 2019 behind Michael Thomas (1,742) and Julio Jones (1,575). ... Jeff Driskel makes his first start for the Broncos after relieving an injured Drew Lock (shoulder) last week and throwing for 256 yards with two TDs and an interception. Driskel is 1-7 in his career as a starter. ... The Broncos lost Pro Bowl receiver Courtland Sutton to a season-ending knee injury last week. ... The Broncos are the only team with a winning record against Brady and they’re 7-4 against him in Denver, including 3-0 in the playoffs. ... Denver is are allowing 5,700 fans into 77,000-seat Empower Field after allowing just 500 family and friends at the opener. ... RB Melvin Gordon has rushed for a TD in both of his games for Denver after signing as a free agent in the offseason. In his only game against the Buccaneers Gordon had 138 scrimmage yards and a TD run on Dec. 4, 2016, with the Chargers. ... Rookie KJ Hamler had 48 yards on three catches in his NFL debut last week. ... TE Noah Fant had four receptions for 57 yards and a touchdown at Pittsburgh. Fant joins TEs Travis Kelce and Jonnu Smith with TD receptions in each of their first two games. ... S Justin Simmons had eight tackles, two pass breakups, an interception and a tackle for loss last week. ... DT Jurrell Casey is tied for the NFL lead among defensive linemen with three pass breakups so far. ... DT Mike Purcell had his second career sack in Week 2 but the Broncos have only two sacks. Their opponents have seven, all of which came last week at Pittsburgh, when the Steelers hit Denver’s QBs a whopping 19 times. ... Broncos coach Vic Fangio is 0-6 in September. ... Fantasy Tip: Rookie WR Jerry Jeudy had four catches for 62 yards last week. He’s always getting open and if Driskel can get him the ball, he’ll be the primary fill-in for Sutton.
