2020 NFL picks, score predictions for Week 3

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-1) at Denver Broncos (0-2)

Sunday, September 27, 4:25PM ET

It’s a bummer — I was hoping the Denver Broncos would emerge as a surprise contender in the AFC in 2020. Unfortunately, it’s looking like that may not work out after all. Two early losses and an injury to Drew Lock seem to counteract that happening somewhere down the line.

Having a matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 3 doesn’t help either. Despite their 1-1 start, the Buccaneers are still a team that deserves respect. Not only is Tom Brady at the helm, but he’s got plenty of dangerous arrows in his quiver. On top of that, the Tampa Bay defense has been solid this season, especially against the run.

In this game, I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a lot of defense and not a lot of scoring. The Denver defense has been a standout this year, even without Von Miller. The problem is that I don’t see them doing enough scoring without Lock to keep up with Brady and the Bucs.

Even with the win, it’s another example that the “Dream Team” approach doesn’t always result in elite teams. Brady is still slinging it well, but Tampa Bay hasn’t been as dominant as some expected. A win will fuel the conversation, but I’m still skeptical.

Prediction: Buccaneers win 20-17