‘Monday Night Football’ predictions, odds, best bets: Buccaneers vs. Lions picks from expert on 34-20 run

Two of the NFC’s best teams collide on ‘Monday Night Football’ when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers take on the Detroit Lions. Tampa Bay is coming off a 30-19 win over the San Francisco 49ers last week, while Detroit dropped a 30-17 decision to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Buccaneers (5-1), who lead the NFC South, are 3-0 on the road this year. The Lions (4-2), who are second in the NFC North, are 2-0 on their home field in 2025. Running back Bucky Irving (foot) and receiver Chris Godwin (fibula) are out for Tampa Bay, while receivers Emeka Egbuka (hamstring) and Mike Evans (hamstring) and linebacker Lavonte David (knee/rib) are all questionable. 

Kickoff from Ford Field in Detroit is set for 7 p.m. ET. Detroit leads the all-time series 33-30. The Lions are 6-point favorites in the latest Buccaneers vs. Lions odds, while the over/under for total points scored is 53.5. Before making any Lions vs. Buccaneers picks, make sure to check out the Monday Night Football predictions from SportsLine NFL expert R.J. White.

New users can target the DraftKings promo code, which offers $300 in bonus bets if your bet wins + 3 months of NBA League Pass:

White, a Fantasy and gambling editor for CBS Sports, consistently crushes against-the-spread picks and has gone 718-623-37 on his ATS picks from 2017-24, which returned more than $3,200 to $100 players. White also has a strong read on the Lions. He is an outstanding 34-20-2 (+1287) on his last 56 picks in games involving the Detroit Lions. Anybody following his NFL betting picks at sportsbooks and on betting sites could have seen strong returns. 

Now, White has set his sights on Buccaneers vs. Lions and just locked in his picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are several NFL odds and betting lines for Lions vs. Buccaneers:

Why the Lions can win

Veteran quarterback Jared Goff is off to a solid start to the season. In six starts, he has completed 132 of 174 passes (75.9%) for 1,390 yards and 14 touchdowns with two interceptions and a 120.6 rating. In last week’s loss at Kansas City, Goff completed 23 of 29 passes (79.3%) for 203 yards and two touchdowns. In a 52-21 win over the Chicago Bears on Sept. 14, he completed 23 of 28 passes for 334 yards and five touchdowns.

Also helping power the offense is wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. He leads the team with 44 receptions for 452 yards and six touchdowns. He has five explosive plays of 20 yards or more, including a long of 34, with 169 yards after the catch and 28 first-down conversions. In a 34-10 win over the Cleveland Browns on Sept. 28, he caught seven passes for 70 yards and two touchdowns. He had nine catches for 115 yards and three scores against Chicago. See which team to back at SportsLine. 

Why the Buccaneers can win

Eight-year veteran quarterback Baker Mayfield is playing at an MVP-type level. In six starts, he has completed 129 of 195 passes (66.2%) for 1,539 yards and 12 touchdowns with just one interception and a rating of 108.5. He also has rushed 22 times for 158 yards (7.2 average), including a long of 33. In a 38-35 win at Seattle on Oct. 5, he completed 29 of 33 passes (87.9%) for 379 yards and two touchdowns.

The Bucs are dealing with a lengthy injury list at receiver, but Sterling Shepard can step up. In six games, he has 19 receptions for 242 yards (12.7 average) and one touchdown. He has four explosive plays of 20 yards or more, including a long of 36, with 102 yards after the catch and 11 first-down conversions. In the win over Seattle, Shepard had four receptions for 24 yards and a score. See which team to back at SportsLine.

New users can also check out the latest BetMGM bonus code to get up to $1,500 in bonus bets if your first bet loses:

How to make Buccaneers vs. Lions picks

White has analyzed Lions vs. Buccaneers from every angle and he’s leaning Over on the point total. He has also discovered a critical X-factor that has him jumping all over one side of the spread. He’s only sharing what it is, and which side to back, at SportsLine.

Who wins Buccaneers vs. Lions, and what critical X-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Buccaneers vs. Lions spread you need to jump on, all from the expert that is 34-20-2 on his last 56 Detroit Lions picks, and find out.