Week 1 is finally here and the San Francisco 49ers will be in Tampa Bay to take on the Buccaneers.
Where and When: Raymond James Stadium at 4:25 EST (1:25 PST)
Where to Watch: How to watch or listen to 49ers at Buccaneers
Below are the keys to victory for the 49ers.
1) Pressure Jameis Winston
It's no secret that Tampa Bay does not have the greatest offensive line, but the revamped 49ers defensive front needs to exploit that early and often.
If Winston is under heavy pressure, it will be very difficult for Tampa to put up points. It will be important for Dee Ford and Nick Bosa to showcase what they can do as it will open things up for DeForest Buckner. Bosa is a full go and is expected to play the entire game.
2) Take care of the football
Jimmy Garoppolo does not need to have a perfect game and put up 35 points, though that would be great. But what cannot happen are turnovers and penalties that cause the 49ers to have to punt.
If they can play within themselves and play mistake-free, they should be able to outscore Tampa.
3) Run. The. Ball.
A heavy dose of Matt Breida and Tevin Coleman will make things very difficult for Tampa's defense and will hopefully cause it to lose gas.
Running the ball will take the pressure off Garoppolo and open up mismatches against the Tampa secondary.
As an added bonus, Winston can't put up points if he is on the bench.
4) Touchdowns in the Red Zone
The offense doesn't have to be perfect, but if it can convert red-zone trips into touchdowns rather than field goals, especially early, it will make things easier for both the offense and defense.
George Kittle, Deebo Samuel, and even Ross Dwelley are expected to improve a red zone offense that has struggled at times.
Prediction
If the Niners are able to do the above things, even mildly consistently, they should leave Tampa with a win.
49ers 34, Tampa 17