The Tampa Bay Buccaneers knew that repeating as Super Bowl betting champions was not going to be easy. But if they go all the way, you could make the case that they overcame a lot.
Tom Brady is looking at a wide receiver group that is suddenly without two Pro Bowl-level performers. He may or may not have the services of his top running back. And he is hoping beyond hope that two Pro Bowl offensive linemen will be good to go after getting injured last week.
On Sunday, the Bucs will be facing a team that has already beaten them this year, when they take the field against the Los Angeles Rams. This NFC Divisional round game begins at 3 PM ET at Raymond James Stadium.
Rams vs. Buccaneers Odds by BetOnline – NFC Playoff Betting
| Team | SP/RL | TOTAL | ML | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rams | +2½ ( EV ) | 48 ( -110 ) | +125 |  |
| Buccaneers | -2½ ( -120 ) | 48 ( -110 ) | -145 | |
|
||||
It all begins with Brady
It’s almost inconceivable that at age 44, Brady is putting up the numbers he is. His 5316 passing yards is the third-highest total EVER. And he has found the end zone 43 times. When it comes to the MVP discussion, it is pretty much between him and Aaron Rodgers. Brady is priced at +550 at BetOnline, while Rodgers is admittedly the big favorite at -1000.
Could Brady go five more years? Probably.
In the ideal world, he’d have a set of three star wideouts who couldn’t be covered, plus a future Hall of Fame tight end. But Chris Godwin has been lost to the team with an injury and Antonio Brown did… Well, you’ve heard about it already.
Rob Gronkowski is still around, and he covered a lot of ground for a tight end, averaging 14.6 yards a catch. Gronk caught two TD passes in the last Super Bowl. And he had a touchdown catch in the 31-15 wildcard round win over Philadelphia last weekend. He has now played 21 postseason games with Brady and caught 15 TD passes.
Another guy who’ll get looks around the end zone is Mike Evans. The tall wide receiver out of Texas A&M scored 14 touchdowns this season. And he had nine catches for 117 yards against the Eagles.
Will the offensive line be sturdy?
Last week, starting center Ryan Jensen and right tackle Tristan Wirfs suffered ankle injuries. In the case of Wirfs, his was a high ankle sprain, which put his status more in doubt. In the NFL, these guys get their injuries treated around the clock, and both guys were in practice as of Friday.
Again, talking about Wirfs, a high ankle sprain is very tough for an offensive lineman. And he’ll have to deal with a premier pass rusher, whether it is Von Miller, Leonard Floyd or even Aaron Donald.
Is balance necessary? And does Fournette provide it?
Leonard Fournette is another guy who has practiced and is poised to play in this game. He is useful in a couple of different ways.
BetOnline customers should consider that the Bucs have thrown the ball 66% of the time. So Fournette can help provide balance that Tampa Bay won’t necessarily get from Ke’Shawn Vaughn and Gio Bernard. Fournette has 812 rushing yards, and don’t forget that he has caught 69 passes as well.
Bucs’ defense needs to be ready
It goes without saying that the Rams’ offense is going to be a much different challenge to the Tampa Bay defense than Philadelphia and its run-heavy attack.
We would have some faith that the Bucs could slow down the Rams on the ground. They have a defensive line that compares to that of almost any team in the league. But the secondary, which has suffered through some attrition, may bring a bit of a different picture. Los Angeles can flood just about any secondary with capable receivers. And two of those receivers (Cooper Kupp and Odell Beckham Jr.) are worthy of double coverage.
The Buccaneers’ defense under Todd Bowles (who is interviewing for head coaching jobs) may be on an upswing. They have, in fact, given up just 71 points over the last five games (14.1 per game). Let’s conclude that the Rams are a different “animal.”
The $25,000 Super Bowl Props Predictor is coming, and for BetOnline customers, it’s absolutely free!…… With Live Betting (at the top of the sportsbook interface) and Odds Boosters, which produces explosive payouts for pre-selected parlays, you’ll have an experience like no other……. And they make it so easy to get started – all you need is a credit card or some cryptocurrency. They have a lot of options in that regard, including Bitcoin!
