Tampa Bay at San Francisco

Five points. That’s the difference between a 5-1 record and the record San Francisco actually owns: 2-4. San Francisco has lost two games by one point and another by three. Obviously they are better than a .333 team. They know this, too. And they know they can’t afford to keep losing games if they want to make the playoffs. They have stayed in games by playing great defense. San Francisco’s D (5th in the league) is playing nearly as well as Tampa Bay’s (4th in the league) but doesn’t get as much press. I think Tampa Bay will struggle to get much of a running game going in this contest. I also expect Terrell Owens to snap out of his funk and step up to the challenge of playing the world champs. Home dogs are a dismal 6-18 so far this year but that can’t continue. I like San Francisco at home.