The Buccaneers are one of seven teams to start the season undefeated. In week one, they beat the Dallas Cowboys, allowing just three runs. In week two, they again dominated, beating the New Orleans Saints 20-10.
That’s averaging 6.5 points per game while enjoying the league’s best defense for two weeks. The Bucs aren’t an easy team to beat, thanks to a heavyweight QB in Brady, a strong defensive core and the brains of Todd Bowles.
The Packers’ start to the season went a little differently. They dropped an embarrassing loss to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1, scoring just seven points.
In week two, they picked up their first win of the season against the Chicago Bears to split their record at .500. Against the Bears, Rodgers went 19 of 25 for 234 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.
Although a big improvement from the disaster against Minnesota, Rodgers was disappointed with his performance and noted that he would need to improve to compete with Tampa Bay.
Tampa Bay’s defensive powerhouse will be all over Rodgers on Sunday. In two weeks, the Bucs have ten league-leading sacks and are tied for third with six interceptions.
The Packers have seen dominance like this before, as long as Bowles has led the Buccaneers.
In the teams’ two meetings with Bowles as head coach, Rodgers was fired nine times, including five in the 2020 NFC Championship that earned the Bucs a trip to the Super Bowl.
Sunday won’t just be a quarterback battle. The running game of both teams will be tested with fairness. Brady could be without his best wide receivers, with Mike Evans suspended and Chris Godwin and Julio Jones injured.
Rodgers is still struggling with the absence of Davante Adams, and three receivers missed Thursday’s practice due to injury (Sammy Watkins, Christian Watson and Allen Lazard).
A win for either side will provide momentum, crucial for any team at this stage of the season.
The Bucs would remain undefeated, 3-0 entering another strong quarterback game against Patrick Mahomes’ Chiefs.
The Packers would build on last week’s win over the Bears ahead of a very winnable Week 4 meeting with the New England Patriots.
For Brady and Rodgers, the game will not impact the individual legacies these players leave behind. But it would serve as a fitting farewell should either or both players retire in the near future.
The rivalry between these two athletes exists primarily in the record books and in their legacy, rather than on the field.
The pair have only competed as starters four times, three of which were won by Brady. Rodgers’ only victory came when they first met in 2014.
Despite their limited contests on the field, the names Brady and Rodgers constantly inhabit the same conversations about who is the best quarterback of their generation.
Brady dominates the numbers category, with the NFL’s all-time record in championships won, Super Bowl MVPs, games won, touchdown passes and passing yards.
Rodgers, on the other hand, is often described as the most effective quarterback. He holds more MVP awards (four to three for Brady) and the best touchdown to interception ratio of all time. A consensus among football fans: their individual styles of play make them great for different reasons.
The two stars face off this Sunday at Raymond James Stadium at 4:25 p.m. ET.
Los Angeles Rams vs. Arizona Cardinals
This week, the Rams and Cardinals, defending Super Bowl champions, are vying for a head start in the NFC West.
The Cardinals enter the game with the pinnacle of a huge Week 2 overtime win over the Las Vegas Raiders. The Rams were almost on the opposite side of such a comeback in Week 2, fending off a fourth-quarter push by the Atlanta Falcons to win 31-27.
The battle of this game will be the Rams’ mighty defense against the Cardinals’ mighty offense. The Rams are tied for the NFL lead with seven takeouts. The Cardinals have just one gift, tied for the least in the league.
Kickoff is scheduled for Sunday, 4:25 a.m. ET.
Comebacks and Close Matches
Last weekend, for the first time in 30 years, three teams (the Cardinals, Dolphins and Jets) overcame fourth-quarter deficits of 13 or more points to win.
The Bengals and Falcons came incredibly close to that feat, closing the gap on deep deficits and being only a few points away from a comeback win.
And it’s not just crazy comebacks that have been narrow wins. In fact, we’ve seen more close games than ever this season. 12 games have already been decided by three runs or less, more than any previous NFL season in two weeks.
How to watch
Here’s how to catch these and other teams across the league in action, wherever you are.
Australia: NFL Game Pass, ESPN, 7Plus
Brazil: NFL Game Pass, ESPN
Canada: CTV, TSN, RDS, NFL Game Pass on DAZN
Germany: NFL Game Pass, ProSieben MAXX, DAZN
Mexico: NFL Game Pass, TUDN, ESPN, Fox Sports, Sky Sports
United Kingdom: NFL Game Pass, Sky Sports, ITV, Channel 5
United States: NFL Game Pass, CBS Sports, Fox Sports, ESPN, Amazon Prime
