The Tampa Bay Buccaneers head west to face the San Francisco 49ers this Sunday, Oct. 8, in a battle of two 3-1 teams. The Bucs' strong defense, coupled with heady late-game play from quarterback Josh Freeman, have helped them pull out some narrow victories; most recently, they needed LeGarrette Blount's 35-yard touchdown dash in the fourth quarter Monday night to avoid earning the dubious distinction of being the first team to lose to the Indianapolis Colts this season.
San Francisco has faced a tougher schedule, with its lone loss coming in overtime against the Dallas Cowboys. Further, the 49ers' defense has forced 11 turnovers already, and at least two in each game; they'll present the toughest defensive challenge the Bucs have yet faced.
As one might expect, given the similar records and pedigree of both squads, the line only narrowly favors host San Francisco, according to SB Nation partner OddsShark. The 49ers stood as 2.5-point favorites when the line opened, but have ranged from one- to three-point favorites in the days since.