The Buccaneers are three-point favorites against the Giants

Despite losing badly to the Minnesota Vikings at home two days ago, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be 2-1 after next Sunday’s games—if the betting markets can be believed, at least.

Right now, the Bucs are 3-point favorites against the New York Giants. Basically, they have their home-field advantage and are otherwise seen as more or less just as good as the currently 0-3 Giants. Framed that way, it’s a lot less encouraging than being favorites suggests—especially given the fact that the line opened with the Bucs being four-point favorites.

Of course, one factor here is that the Giants might not be as bad as their record suggests. They may be 0-3, but they’ve faced three pretty strong teams and only lost by three points to the Philadelphia Eagles this past Sunday.

Whatever these teams’ two strengths, according to the betting markets the Bucs should beat the Giants on Sunday and get to 2-1. And if that happens, we can go from doom-and-gloom to optimism again.