Miami Dolphins vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers Matchup

In this week 3 NFL pre-season preview between Dolphins and Buccaneers, see who like to win the game and cover the spread.

With a money line of -125, the Buccaneers are favored as they host the Dolphins at 7:30 ET on Friday, August 23rd at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL. The Dolphins are 2-0 in the pre-season, while the Buccaneers are 1-1. The Dolphins are the underdog with a +1.5 point spread. There is no TV coverage for this non-conference matchup.

Dolphins vs. Buccaneers Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NFL
Teams: Miami Dolphins at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Where: Tampa Bay at Raymond James Stadium
Date: Friday, August 23rd
Betting Odds TB -1.5, MIA +102 | TB -125 O/U 37.5

Dolphins Preview:

The Dolphins picked up a 13-6 pre-season win over the Commanders, moving to 2-0 in the pre-season. Miami was favored by -4.5 and with the 7-point win, they also covered the spread. The combined 19 points was well below the over/under line of 36.5 points. Miami took an early 7-0 lead after Tua Tagovailoa connected with River Cracraft for a touchdown.

Washington did add a field goal in the 2nd quarter, but Miami responded with a touchdown from Skylar Thompson to De'Von Achane to take a 13-10 lead. The Commanders briefly took a 17-13 lead in the 2nd quarter, but Miami closed the game with three unanswered touchdowns in the 3rd quarter. Jason Sanders also added a field goal in the 3rd quarter.

Dolphins Offense Breakdown

In their 13-6 win over the Commanders, the Dolphins struggled to sustain drives, as they managed just 12 first downs and 202 yards of total offense. Miami's running game was limited to 86 yards on 18 attempts, with Mike White, who went 11/20 for 116 yards, taking over at quarterback. White was sacked four times and didn't throw any touchdowns. The Dolphins' offense as a whole was sacked four times.

Chris Brooks was Miami's top rusher, gaining 63 yards, with 59 of those coming on a single run. Erik Ezukanma led the Dolphins in receiving with 65 yards on five catches. The team's only touchdown came through the air, as White and the offense struggled to convert on third down, finishing at just 26.7%.

Dolphins Team Defense

In their 13-6 win over Washington, the Dolphins' defense allowed 340 yards and 17 first downs. They struggled against the run, giving up 111 yards on just 22 attempts, with a high 5.0 yards per attempt. However, Miami's defense was tough to pass against, allowing just 229 yards through the air and holding Washington to a 27.8% third-down conversion rate.

Miami's defense also came away with four sacks and an interception, and although Washington moved the ball effectively at times, the Dolphins kept them out of the end zone, not allowing a single touchdown.

Buccaneers Preview:

Buccaneers Offense Breakdown

The Buccaneers' offense struggled to move the ball in their 20-7 loss to the Jaguars, managing just 15 first downs and 131 yards. Kyle Trask, who played the majority of the game at quarterback, went 12/19 for 108 yards and one touchdown. Trask was sacked three times and ended with a passer rating of 95.

On the ground, Tampa Bay ran the ball 16 times for 76 yards. Sean Tucker was their leading rusher with 32 yards, including a 21-yard run. Cody Thompson led the team with 66 receiving yards and caught a touchdown, while the offense as a whole converted only 18.2% of their third down attempts.

Buccaneers Offense Breakdown

The Buccaneers' offense struggled to sustain drives in their 20-7 loss to the Jaguars, managing just 15 first downs and 131 yards. They were also inefficient on third down, converting only 18.2% of their chances. Kyle Trask, who played the majority of the game at quarterback, went 12/19 for 108 yards and one touchdown. Trask was sacked three times and finished with a passer rating of 95.

On the ground, Tampa Bay ran the ball just 16 times for 76 yards. Sean Tucker was their leading rusher with 32 yards, including a 21-yard run. Cody Thompson led the team in receiving with 66 yards and a touchdown.

Buccaneers Team Defense

The Buccaneers' defense gave up 199 passing yards to the Jaguars in their most recent game, but still allowed two passing touchdowns. They also struggled to get off the field on third downs, as the Jaguars converted 52.9% of their third down attempts. Despite this, Tampa Bay's defense did come away with five sacks and held Jacksonville to 20 points.

On the ground, Jacksonville found some success, rushing for 140 yards on 38 attempts and picking up 9 first downs. Overall, Tampa Bay gave up 339 total yards and 21 first downs in their 20-7 loss to the Jaguars.

Dolphins vs Buccaneers Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Through their last three road games, Miami has an ATS record of just 1-2. However, their overall record was 1-2 while averaging 23 points per game.
Across their last three home contests, Tampa Bay has been good against the spread posting a mark of 2-1. Their overall mark in these games was 2-1, while averaging 22 points per game.
The last three games that Miami was the underdog, they have an ATS mark of 0-3 while going 0-3 straight up.
In their last three games as the betting favorite, the Buccaneers have a straight up record of 2-1, while going 1-2 against the spread.