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NFL 'MNF' Week 3: Best bets and preview for Eagles vs. Buccaneers
Another week, another doubleheader on "Monday Night Football." Hey, you won't hear us complaining. Not only is it double the football to watch on a week night, but it's also double the opportunity to make some coin.
Let's start with the early game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and hopefully find some winners along the way.
Philadelphia Eagles vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers betting breakdown
Tonight's odds: Eagles -4.5, over/under 45, Eagles -230 moneyline | Buccaneers +190 moneyline
The Eagles and Buccaneers will kick off the "MNF" doubleheader in their first matchup since Tampa Bay's 31-15 win in the 2021-22 wild-card round. These teams look much different now than they did two seasons ago. Baker Mayfield replaced Tom Brady for the Bucs, and Jalen Hurts has transformed into an MVP candidate.
Both teams will enter the NFC showdown at 2-0, and the winner on Monday night will join the San Francisco 49ers and Miami Dolphins as the only undefeated teams through three weeks.
This game will likely come down to the aerial attack, as both defenses rank top three in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game. Baker Mayfield has connected with Mike Evans for 237 yards and two touchdowns on 12 catches, but the Eagles will have a better chance of slowing down the passing attack with cornerback James Bradberry and safety Reed Blankenship returning from injury.
'Monday Night Football' best bets
Under 45 (-110 DraftKings)
This total is a touch high because of what we saw last week. The Eagles and Buccaneers combined to score 61 points in Week 2, but those performances came against the Minnesota Vikings and the Chicago Bears, two of the worst defenses in the NFL.
This game will be a different story. Philadelphia won't have as much success running the football against this stout Tampa Bay run defense, and Mayfield should come back to earth against a healthy secondary. The veteran QB was effective against the Vikings and Bears to start the year, but it won't be that easy with Darius Slay and Bradberry on the other side of the ball.
I trust these defenses much more than the offenses right now, so that leads us to an under.
Rachaad White longest rush under 12.5 yards (-122 FanDuel)
If you have Rachaad White on your fantasy team, I would temper your expectations this week. The Eagles are tied with the Cleveland Browns for the fewest rushing yards allowed per game (52.0), and they're allowing just 3.4 yards per carry through two weeks.
White hasn't been explosive himself with just 3.3 yards per carry on 34 attempts. Only one of those 34 attempts went for longer than 12 yards, and he faced two abysmal defenses in the first two weeks of the season. The Eagles will have the advantage along the line of scrimmage with Jordan Davis, Fletcher Cox, Jalen Carter and others plugging the running lanes.
The way to attack this Philadelphia defense is through the air, so I expect Tampa Bay to come out with a pass-heavy approach, limiting White's rushing attempts.
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