Read our Commanders vs Buccaneers pick and preview for this NFL pre-season week 1 game in Tampa Bay. Check out who we like to win and cover the spread in this regular season NFL matchup.
On the money line, the Buccaneers are -175 as they get set to host the Commanders at 4:25 ET on Sunday, September 8th. The Commanders are +147 on the money line and +3.5 on the point spread. This week one NFC matchup is being televised on FOX, and the over/under line is set at 43.5 points. The game is being played at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL.
Commanders vs. Buccaneers Matchup At A Glance
- Sport: NFL
- Teams: Washington Commanders at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Where: Tampa Bay at Raymond James Stadium
- Date: Sunday, September 8th
- Betting Odds TB -3.5, WAS +147 | TB -175 O/U 43.5
Commanders Preview:
Washington's struggles at home contributed to their tough season, as they went 0-7 straight-up on the road and 0-7-1 against the spread at home. The Commanders managed just four wins, going 4-13 overall, and all four wins came against below .500 teams, as they were 4-4 vs. the spread vs. those teams. They were winless in the NFC East, going 0-6, and managed just two wins in the NFC overall, going 2-10. Washington's only home win came when they were favored, as they went 1-3 as favorites.
On the road, Washington was 6-3 vs. the spread. Their over/under record was 10-7, with their games averaging 49.8 points per game, the 5th highest in the league. Their record vs. the spread was 6-10-1 overall.Commanders Offense Breakdown
Washington's offense was forced to throw the ball 37.4 times per game, the 2nd highest in the league last season. Despite this, they ranked 23rd in the league in offensive power and struggled to score points, averaging only 19.4 points per game, which was 25th in the NFL. Their home scoring was particularly poor, ranking 29th in the league.
The Commanders' rushing attack was the worst in the NFL in terms of attempts per game, with only 21.1 attempts, and 26th in yards, averaging 93.6 yards per game. On third downs, Washington converted 35.6% of their attempts, which was below the league average.
Commanders Team Defense
Washington's defense had major issues defending the pass last season, giving up 262.2 passing yards per game, the worst in the NFL. Overall, they allowed 30.5 points per game, also the worst in the league, and their defense was ranked 31st, just ahead of the Lions. The Commanders' inability to pressure the quarterback was a big factor, as they were below average in both sacks and quarterback hits.
Opposing quarterbacks had a collective passer rating of 104.49 against Washington, the worst in the league. Offenses consistently moved the ball against them, averaging 388.9 yards per game, which was also the worst figure in the NFL.
Buccaneers Preview:
Washington's struggles at home contributed to their tough season, as they went 0-7 straight-up on the road and 0-7-1 against the spread at home. The Commanders managed just four wins, going 4-13 overall, and all four wins came against below .500 teams, as they were 4-4 vs. the spread vs. those teams. They were winless in the NFC East, going 0-6, and managed just two wins in the NFC overall, going 2-10. Washington's only home win came when they were favored, as they went 1-3 as favorites.
On the road, Washington was 6-3 vs. the spread. Their over/under record was 10-7, with their games averaging 49.8 points per game, the 5th highest in the league. Their record vs. the spread was 6-10-1 overall.Buccaneers Offense Breakdown
Despite finishing 9-8 overall, the Buccaneers took the top spot in the NFC South with a 4-2 division record. They were below .500 against above .500 teams, going 4-8, but dominated below .500 teams with a 6-1 record. In the playoffs, the Buccaneers made it to the NFC Divisional round before falling to the Lions (31-23). Their road and home records were identical at 5-5 and 5-4, respectively.
Looking at their over/under record, the Buccaneers went 7-12, and the average over/under line in their games was 41.8. Against the spread, they held a 12-7 record, going 9-4 as the underdog and 3-3 as the favorite. On the road, they were strong ATS, going 8-2, but were 4-5 ATS at home.
Buccaneers Team Defense
The Buccaneers' defense was tough at home last season, allowing just 16.2 points per game, the 4th best figure in the league. Overall, they gave up 19.2 points per game, ranking 5th in the NFL. Despite this, they were only 20th in our defensive power rankings, largely due to their 20th ranking in yards allowed (343.1 per game).
One of the reasons for their success in limiting points was their ability to force turnovers, as they had the 4th best turnover differential in the league. They also excelled in the running game, giving up the 4th lowest rushing yards per attempt. However, their pass defense struggled, giving up 249.6 passing yards per game (28th).
Commanders vs Buccaneers Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis
- Through their last ten road games, Washington has an ATS record of just 6-4. However, their overall record was 3-7 while averaging 22 points per game.
- Tampa Bay has played well in their previous three home games, going 2-1 straight up. In this stretch, they averaged 22 points per game while allowing 17. The team also performed well vs the spread at 2-1.
- In their last five games as the betting underdog, the Commanders have a straight up record of 0-5 and an ATS mark of 1-4.
- Going back to their last ten games as the favorite, the Buccaneers have a straight up record of 7-3. But, their mark vs the spread was just 4-6.
Commanders vs Buccaneers Free Pick
- KnupSports.com Free Betting Pick: Commanders +3.5 Be sure to check out our other NFL Football betting previews for this week. KnupSports.com also updates their sports betting picks page daily with plays across all sports.
