Week 3 of the NFL’s 2025-26 season kicks off this Sunday at 1 pm, with 9 games going on at that time. One of those games, the Jets vs the Buccaneers, is the game I’m going to be talking about today. The Buccaneers are 2-0 and looking to continue their momentum, while the Jets are the complete opposite. At 0-2, they need to turn their season around quickly, or things could get rough. The Buccaneers just took a close one from the Texans on Monday Night Football, which was a very gritty win on both sides of the ball. The Jets, on the other hand, just got beaten pretty badly, 31-12, by the Giants and are trying to figure out where to go next.
A big headline of this game is that Justin Fields, the Jets’ starting quarterback, is ruled out for the game with a concussion. Tyrod Tayler, a 15-year veteran, will be making the start. While he has a very talented arm, he does not bring the athleticism of Justin Fields. Whether that will impact the game remains to be seen. The QB on the other side, Baker Mayfield, has had a pretty solid season so far. Coming into the season, expectations were pretty high for Mayfield, along with the whole Buccaneer team. So far, they have lived up to them.
In the first quarter, I predict the Buccaneers will take the first drive of the game down the field and into the endzone. Rachaad White will have a big catch, and Bucky Irving will add a few good runs to get them inside the 20, and from there Baker will throw a touchdown to Emeka Egbuka, for his 4th of the year. There will be a couple of drives that stall, and both teams will punt. At the end of the first quarter, I predict Tyrod Tayler will drive the Jets down the field and connect with Garret Wilson for a touchdown pass.
As the second quarter gets going, so will the Buccaneer offense. Baker Mayfield will take them down the field on a good, long drive with a couple of big catches by Mike Evans. Once they get in the red zone, Bucky Irving will carry the load on a couple of good runs and eventually punch it in the end zone. No more touchdowns will be scored in the second quarter, but the Buccaneers will hit a field goal before the half ends.
The Bucs will have all of the momentum going into the second half and will continue that momentum by forcing a 3 and out on the Giants’ first drive, making the score 24-7, Buccaneers. The Bucs will get the ball back and add another touchdown, lengthening the gap and making the score 31-7.
In the fourth quarter, the Bucs will sit their starters, and the offense will begin to stall. The Giants will score 1 more touchdown on a run from Cam Skattebo, but it won’t be enough, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will beat the New York Giants, 31-14.
