Buccaneers at Texans: Predictions and staff picks for Week 2

As the Buccaneers get set to take on the Texans in Houston on Monday night, we here at Bucs Nation will dive into some picks and predictions for Tampa Bay’s big Week 2 matchup under the lights.

Check it all out below.

Gil Arcia: Baker bakes

Baker Mayfield was a bit shaky in Week 1 in Atlanta. And even with that, he still orchestrated a game-winning drive to beat the Falcons. Tampa Bay’s signal caller didn’t impress on the stat sheet despite his three touchdown passes, but he’ll be the talk of the night when it’s all said and done. I’ll predict a bit more than Mike below. Look for Mayfield to at least match his touchdown throws from last week and flirt with the 350-yard passing mark.

Will Walsh: Todd Bowles avenges... Himself.

Two seasons ago, Todd Bowles was absolutely taken to task by C.J. Stroud. The then rookie handled Bowles’ unit to the tune 470 yards and five touchdown passes en route to a 39-37 victory. C.J. Stroud has been a quality player but he has not shown that level of brilliance since. Week one was an iffy performance for Tampa’s defense and for Todd Bowles Monday Night Football can be his stage. He has the chance to make a statement. Get pass rush, force turnovers, and make sure the team’s defense is the catalyst for a 2-0 start— Not just along for the ride.

Evan Wanish: The Galveston boys show out

This Monday night will be a homecoming for two Bucs. Wide Receiver Mike Evans cornerback Zyon McCollum both are from Galveston, Texas which is close to Houston.

I think the homecoming will be a sweet one as Mike Evans catches his first touchdown of the year and Zyon McCollum finally catches his first interception of the season in a Bucs victory.

Mike Kiwak: Baker gets back on track

While the Buccaneers don’t make it out of Atlanta 1-0 without Baker Mayfield’s clutch play and 3 touchdown passes, it’s also fair to say that he put together a shaky 2025 debut. He completed only 53.1% of his passes for just 167 yards (5.2 yards per attempt), and he often looked hurried and erratic — which in turn led to several turnover-worthy plays he got lucky on. However, Mayfield also didn’t play in the preseason, so we’ll see if a closely contested NFC South romp was enough to shake off the rust. I say it does as Mayfield completes at least 60% of his passes for 275+ yards and at least two touchdowns against Houston.

Gil Arcia (1-0): Bucs 31, Texans 17
Mike Kiwak (1-0): Bucs 24, Texans 21
Evan Wanish (1-0): Bucs 20, Texans 17
Will Walsh (1-0): Bucs 22, Texans 12

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