Bucs vs. 49ers Pewter Predictions For Week 10

BUCS vs. 49ers

WHEN: Sunday, November 10, 2024 | WHERE: Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, FL) | KICKOFF: 1:00 p.m. ET | TV: FOX

PLAY-BY-PLAY: Kevin Burkhardt | ANALYST: Tom Brady | SIDELINE: Erin Andrews & Tom Rinaldi

RADIO: 98 ROCK 97.9 FM | PLAY-BY-PLAY: Gene Deckerhoff | ANALYST: Dave Moore | SIDELINE: T.J. Rives

Game day is approaching, and it’s time for the Pewter Report staff to make its weekly game predictions and offer up our game preview of this week’s matchup. Let us know what you think in the article comments section and add your prediction, too.

Scott Reynolds: Kyle Shanahan Out-coaches Todd Bowles

Todd Bowles did beat a couple of well-coached teams to start the season, earning wins against Dan Quinn’s Washington Commanders and Dan Campbell’s Detroit Lions. But those wins and the team’s 2-0 start seem light years away from the current 4-5 Bucs, right? Since then, Bowles has been out-coached by the likes of Denver’s Sean Payton, Baltimore’s John Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Todd Monken, and most recently Kansas City’s Andy Reid. Even Atlanta’s Raheem Morris and rookie play-caller Zac Robinson have beaten Bowles and the Bucs.

Kyle Shanahan is 2-0 against Bowles, and San Francisco has outscored Tampa Bay 62-21 over the last two years. I think that trend continues. In each of the last four losses, the Bucs have surrendered 30 points or more. In all four of the 49ers’ victories the team has scored 30 points or more. This trend certainly seems to favor San Francisco.

The Bucs certainly have a chance, but must play perfect on offense and win the turnover margin by two, as winning the turnover margin in Kansas City by plus-one wasn’t enough. Unfortunately I think Tampa Bay falls to 4-6 heading into the bye week and the team’s losing streak is extended to four games as Bowles doesn’t have the right answers to solve the team’s problems on defense.

REYNOLDS’ GAME PREDICTION: 49ers 30, Bucs 23
REYNOLDS’ SEASON RECORD: 5-4

Matt Matera: Bucs Surprise Everyone And Find Way To Win

The Bucs offense has been playing too well to not benefit from at least one victory over a difficult with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. There’s a reason that the 49ers have been inconsistent and most of it comes on the defensive side because of injuries to players. Tampa Bay is dealing with their own injuries but have found a way to score. Every week they’ll have to rely on their running game, this time is no different. Bucky Irving, Rachaad White and Sean Tucker will have more success this time around than last week.

Arguably the biggest question for the Bucs is how they get going in the passing game outside of tight end Cade Otton. It would be fantastic if they can get another big game from him, but with San Francisco linebacker Fred Warner likely to guard him, I can’t confidently say he’ll do so. Sterling Shepard came alive on the final drive. He’ll have to find a way to harness that for a whole game.

It’s a long shot that the Bucs can get many stops on defense. I do think that it’s a benefit having lined up against their own offense during training camp, which has some similarities to the 49ers offense. At this point, you have to hope and pray that they can stop George Kittle and Deebo Samuel. Oh, by the way, Christian McCaffrey is coming back at running back. The name of the game is getting stops in the red zone. Maybe the edge rushers come alive and Yaya Diaby gets a sack, or Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey continue to dominate. This game will heavily rely on the Bucs offense, but maybe, just maybe the defense makes one play to help win.

MATERA’S GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 30, 49ers 28
MATERA’S SEASON RECORD: 5-4

Bailey Adams: Bucs Lose Fourth Straight Heading Into The Bye Week

This Bucs defense just can’t hang right now. Tampa Bay has allowed 36, 27, 41, 31 and 30 points in its last five games, and it has a 1-4 record in that stretch. The schedule will lighten up after the Week 11 bye, but this team has to deal with the defending NFC champion 49ers first. And I don’t think this is a matchup that favors the Bucs in just about any measure. Todd Bowles has been thoroughly out-coached by Kyle Shanahan in the past, and I don’t see that changing on Sunday.

I was already going to pick San Francisco to win this game before the news that running back Christian McCaffrey would be making his season debut on Sunday. I don’t know if McCaffrey will fully look like himself just yet given he hasn’t played all year, but he’s still another element to this 49er offense that I don’t think Tampa Bay will have an answer for. I’m expecting George Kittle to continue the trend of opposing tight ends feasting on this defense, and I think Brock Purdy will continue his dominance over Bowles’ Bucs.

I think, once again, the Buccaneers offense will hold its own in this one. Liam Coen’s side of the ball has put up 24 points in back-to-back games without top weapons Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, and Evans will be back after the bye. I think Baker Mayfield, Cade Otton and the Tampa Bay run game will do enough to keep the team in this one, but I just don’t think this game will serve as the springboard that the Bucs need it to be heading into the bye. Instead, I think it serves as a springboard for the 49ers as they get to 5-4 and go on a run down the stretch.

ADAMS’ GAME PREDICTION: 49ers 33, Bucs 24
ADAMS’ SEASON RECORD: 5-4

Josh Queipo: Bucs’ Bleeding Continues With Fourth Straight Loss

I tried Bucs fans. I tried to vibe this team to a victory last week in Kansas City. But to no avail. There were some positives on defense. Linebacker J.J. Russell looked like a legitimate upgrade over K.J. Britt on passing downs. But the Bucs continue to struggle to find an adequate replacement for Jamel Dean opposite Zyon McCollum. And Kyle Shanahan and a 49ers offense with a returning Christian McCaffrey will find ways to continue to exploit Tampa Bay’s defense.

If the Bucs had their top two receivers, I might be inclined to believe they could win a shootout against a 49ers defense that is less dominant than in years past. But Chris Godwin and Mike Evans are not coming to the rescue this week.

And despite Tampa Bay offensive coordinator Liam Coen’s best efforts and valiant efforts by the offensive line and Baker Mayfield, head coach Todd Bowles has refused to lean into his offense time and again. Exhibit A was the failure to go for a two-point conversion last week at Kansas City. I doubt that changes this week.

QUEIPO’S GAME PREDICTION: 49ers 27, Bucs 24
QUEIPO’S SEASON RECORD: 4-5

Adam Slivon: Bucs Slide Continues Into Bye Week With Loss To 49ers

I want to preface my prediction by saying there is a path to the Bucs winning on Sunday, as Matt Matera and I outlined on Thursday’s Pewter Report Podcast. Boasting a Top 5 offense, all the defense has to do is not allow the 30 points they have in four of the last five games. If they do, the team’s outlook would look much better heading into the bye week at 5-5 with the easiest schedule in the league ahead of them. Based on how Tampa Bay has played though, there is not enough to suggest that they will upset a still-dangerous 49ers squad. San Francisco has had Todd Bowles’ number during the last two meetings in 2022 and 2023. The first time around, Brock Purdy had an electric game in his first career NFL start. Last year, the Bucs hung around before the 49ers pulled away and won 27-14.

They are still a well-oiled machine with Purdy at the helm – and they are expected to have their best offensive player back in the fold in Christian McCaffrey, who has not yet played a game this year. Kyle Shanahan has operated an elite rushing offense with Jordan Mason and Isaac Guerendo, but a healthy McCaffrey is on a different level and another weapon the defense must contain. Deebo Samuel remains a versatile threat, while George Kittle has had another elite season. With the Bucs coming off a tough Monday night game, they have had two walk-through practices this week to rest up. That is a double-edged sword, as they may not be able to match their opponent’s physicality and could look sluggish early on.

Baker Mayfield has another tough matchup facing a defense headlined by Nick Bosa and Fred Warner. Moving the ball won’t be easy, and Warner’s elite coverage skills could limit Cade Otton’s success up the middle. The run game needs to be more of a factor than last week, while the wide receiver corps has to hold the line for one more game before Mike Evans’ likely return. The offense has shown an ability to manufacture points – but in this one – they don’t put enough up to come out with a win.

SLIVON’S GAME PREDICTION: 49ers 31, Bucs 24
SLIVON’S SEASON RECORD: 5-4