Coming off a back-to-back road wins on the East Coast, the San Francisco 49ers return to the Bay Area to host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. According to our partner Odds Shark, the 49ers opened as 2.5-point favorites over the 3-1 Buccaneers.
The Buccaneers shut out the 49ers in Candlestick Park last November, with Josh Freeman completing 13-of-20 pass attempts for 136 yards and two touchdowns. Buccaneers running backs churned out 162 yards on the ground in the game, allowing Tampa Bay to controlling the ball for over 36 minutes.
Historically, the series is tilted in favor of the 49ers, who have won 15 of 19 and two of the last three.
This year's 49ers team is undefeated in regulation as quarterback Alex Smith (795 yards, four touchdowns, 97.7 passer rating) has avoided mistakes and taken advantage of the league-high eight turnovers the defense has created. Speaking of the defense, there may not be a better inside linebacker duo than Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman, who have combined for 61 tackles, including six for a loss with five passes defensed and two fumble recoveries.
For more on the opening lines, head over to Odds Shark. Be sure to check out the Buccaneers coverage at Bucs Nation, and the 49ers at Niners Nation.