49ers vs. Buccaneers, Week 1: Preview, odds, prediction, TV channel, live stream

Jimmy Garoppolo returns for the San Francisco 49ers against a new-look Tampa Bay Buccaneers team under the watch of Bruce Arians.

All the hype in the world surrounded the San Francisco 49ers entering last season. However, the hopes were derailed in Week 3 when quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo tore his ACL. But now, the signal-caller is ready to get back on the field and the Niners open the 2019 season on the road, taking on a fascinating Tampa Bay Buccaneers team now led by Bruce Arians.

The buzz around the 49ers is a bit more tempered heading into this season but it’s still there. Garoppolo in Kyle Shanahan’s offense is intriguing, especially after a breakout year from tight end George Kittle in 2018. As such, there are hopes that new addition Tevin Coleman and this group can thrive.

Where San Fran might struggle a bit is on defense, despite offseason additions. They hope that adding Dee Ford and Nick Bosa will join DeForest Buckner and invigorate the defense but the Richard Sherman led secondary offers a load of question marks for the Niners this season.

When it comes to the Buccaneers, this is a crucial season for quarterback Jameis Winston. The signal-caller is playing in the final year of his contract without a new deal in place. Tampa is hoping that Arians will unlock the potential of the quarterback this season, especially with weapons like Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and tight end O.J. Howard. The defense, however, leaves a lot to be desired.

How to watch and bet on 49ers vs. Buccaneers

Date: Sunday, Sept. 8
Start Time: 4:25 p.m. ET
Location: Raymond James Stadium – Tampa, FL
TV Info: FOX
Live Stream: NFL Sunday Ticket, FuboTV

Point Spread: Buccaneers -1
Moneyline: Tampa Bay -115, San Francisco -105
Over/Under: 50.5
(Odds per Bovada)

Playing at home with a hopefully high-powered new offense, it’s not hard to see why the Buccaneers are favored in this matchup. But my gut tells me that the 49ers are going to come out with the win, so take the road underdogs against the spread and on the moneyline. And yes, bang the over as defense will be scarce in this matchup.

If you want to follow along with the game, you can do so here with a live and updating box score.

While neither the Buccaneers nor the 49ers should be expected to win their respective divisions, these two teams do have talent and upside. We shall see if they show signs of that in NFL Week 1 or if there are ultimately growing pains for these two teams.