Cardinals vs. Buccaneers: TV Info, Spread, Injury Updates, Game Time and More

The winner of Sunday's game between the Arizona Cardinals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers could turn a horrible start into some positive momentum heading into the second quarter of the 2013 season. 

The losing team will fall further into the pit of despair, making a playoff run all but impossible. 

Arizona lost badly to the New Orleans Saints in Week 3 to fall to 1-2 on the season. Carson Palmer has struggled with turnovers, throwing four interceptions, and the team still can't find a running game after finishing last year with the worst rushing attack in the league. 

The Bucs appear to be headed off a cliff to start Greg Schiano's second year at the helm. 

After opening with three straight losses, Tampa Bay has benched Josh Freeman in favor of rookie Mike Glennon from North Carolina State, as noted by ESPN's Adam Schefter:

Freeman hasn't been good, converting just 45.7 percent of his passes while throwing three interceptions, but this is still a drastic move that could backfire in a bad way.

Fantasy football owners who have running back Doug Martin will likely benefit from this move, as the Buccaneers will need to pound the rock to protect the young quarterback from making rookie mistakes.  

Here's what you need to know about this upcoming Cardinals-Buccaneers clash. 

When: Sunday, Sept. 29, at 1 p.m. ET

Where: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Fla. 

Watch: Fox

Live Stream: NFL Sunday Ticket

Betting Lines (via Covers) 

• Over/Under: 40.5 pts.
• Spread: Tampa Bay (-2.5)

Cardinals Injury Report (via AZCardinals.com) 

NAME	POSITION	INJURY	WED.	THU.	FRI.	GAME STATUS
Fitzgerald, Larry	WR	Hamstring	FP	FP	FP	Probable
Johnson, Rashad	S	Finger	DNP	DNP	LP	Questionable
Mendenhall, Rashard	RB	Toe	LP	FP	FP	Probable
Minter, Kevin	ILB	Hamstring	DNP	DNP	DNP	Out
Talley, Ronald	DE	Wrist	FP	FP	FP	Probable
Williams, Dan	DT	Non-injury related	DNP	DNP	DNP	Out

Buccaneers Injury Report (via NFL.com) 

Name	Position	Injury	Practice Status	Game Status
Gerald McCoy	DT	Ankle	Full Participation in Practice	Probable
Mike Williams	WR	Hamstring	Limited Participation in Practice	Questionable
Vincent Jackson	WR	Ribs	Limited Participation in Practice	Questionable
Mark Barron	S	Hamstring	Limited Participation in Practice	Probable
Gabe Carimi	G	Illness	Did Not Participate In Practice	Out
Derek Landri	DT	Knee	Did Not Participate In Practice	Out
Tom Crabtree	TE	Ankle	Did Not Participate In Practice	Out
Gary Gibson	DT	Back	Full Participation in Practice	Probable
Rashaan Melvin	CB	Hamstring	Limited Participation in Practice	Questionable
Michael Adams	CB	Knee	Out (Definitely Will Not Play)	Out

What Can We Expect from Glennon? 

Buccaneers fans hoping for a revival under Glennon are likely to be disappointed. 

The rookie signal-caller wasn't impressive during preseason games, completing 47.1 percent of his passes with three touchdowns and four interceptions.

Glennon wasn't an accurate passer in college either, and he struggled with turnovers. In his senior season, he completed 58.5 percent of his passes with 31 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. 

The rookie's best trait as a passer is his strong, live arm. He can stretch defenses vertically with the best of them, but he may not make the best decisions when he does. 

Arizona's defense has allowed 297 passing yards per game this year, so it's clear the secondary is exploitable. That said, nobody should be surprised if Glennon struggles Sunday. 

Prediction

The Buccaneers will try to ride Doug Martin to victory Sunday. After a tough first outing in Week 1, Martin played well in his next two games, rushing for 232 yards and a touchdown.

But the Cardinals have been stellar against the run this year, allowing just 73.3 yards per game. It's worth noting, however, that the three teams Arizona has faced thus far all feature offenses that don't run the ball well. 

Martin will find success against Arizona's defense, but rookie quarterback Glennon will struggle. 

Contrarily, Carson Palmer will bounce back from two straight poor outings against Tampa Bay's improved—but still flawed—secondary. Larry Fitzgerald is returning to full health after a hamstring held him back for a couple of weeks, and he'll make a few big plays Sunday to change the course of the game. 

Final Score 

Cardinals win 24-14

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