Washington Commanders (12-5) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-7)
January 12, 2025 8:00 pm EDT
The Line: Tampa Bay Buccaneers -3; Over/Under: 50.5
(Get latest betting odds)
The Washington Commanders and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers meet in an NFC Wild Card matchup in NFL Playoff action from Raymond James Stadium on Sunday night football. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best bets for this game. Here’s a Buccaneers vs Commanders Prediction. The winner of this game will take on the Eagles or Packers in the next round.
Washington Commanders Recap
The Washington Commanders punched their ticket to the postseason in a Wild Card spot, finishing the year 12-5 overall. This marks Washington’s first playoff berth since the 2020 season when the Commanders lost to the Buccaneers and Washington will be hoping for their first playoff win in 20 years having not won in the postseason since 2005.
Commanders Looking To Spring Upset
Jayden Daniels has thrown for 3,568 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions on 69% passing while also rushing for 891 yards and 6 touchdowns. Brian Robinson Jr. has 799 rushing yards with 8 touchdowns while Terry McLaurin leads the Commanders with 82 receptions for 1,096 yards and 13 touchdowns. Zach Ertz has 654 receiving yards while Noah Brown has 453 receiving yards and Olamide Zaccheaus has 506 receiving yards on the year. On defense, Bobby Wagner has a team-high 132 total tackles including 75 solo tackles and a pair of sacks while Dante Fowler Jr. has a team-high 10.5 sacks. Frankie Luvu has 8 sacks as well on the year while Dorance Armstrong also has 5 sacks. As a unit, Washington has combined for 43 sacks and 7 interceptions so far this season.
Why the Washington Commanders Will Win
- The Buccaneers have lost eight of their last nine games against opponents on a winning streak.
- The Commanders have won seven of their last eight games against NFC South opponents.
- The Buccaneers have failed to cover the spread in each of their last four games at Raymond James Stadium following a home win.
- The underdogs have covered the spread in six of the last seven games between the Commanders and Buccaneers.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Recap
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers come into this game as the NFC South champions for the 4th straight season with a 10-7 overall record. Tampa Bay will look for a wild card round win for the 4th year in the last 5 seasons.
Buccaneers Looking To Keep Offense Rolling
Baker Mayfield has thrown for 4,500 yards, 41 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions on 71.4% passing while Bucky Irving has rushed for 1,122 yards and 8 TDs. Rachaad White has 613 rushing yards while Mike Evans has a team-high 1,004 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns with 74 receptions. Cade Otton has 59 grabs for 600 yards and 4 TDs. White has 393 receiving yards with 6 TDs while Jalen McMillan has 461 receiving yards and 8 TDs. Another two Buccaneers have 300+ receiving yards as well on the year. On defense, Lavonte David has a team-high 122 total tackles including 5.5 sacks while Vita Vea has 7 sacks on the year, and Calijah Kancey has a team-high 7.5 sacks. As a unit, Tampa Bay’s defense has combined for 46 sacks and 7 interceptions as well on the year.
Why the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will win
- The Commanders have lost eight of their last nine road games against opponents on a winning streak.
- The Buccaneers have won each of their last five Sunday games played on the East Coast.
- The home team has covered the spread in each of the Commanders’ last five games.
- The Commanders have failed to cover the spread in four of their last five games as road underdogs against NFC opponents.
Total Points Facts
- Each of the Commanders’ last six games played on the East Coast have gone OVER the total points line.
- Each of the Buccaneers’ last four games has gone OVER the total points line.
Buccaneers vs Commanders Prediction
I’m on the over in this one. These are two teams that combined to go 23-11 to the over this season as both are offensive juggernauts that can move the ball up and down the field against a questionable defense on the opposing side. This could be a spot for some jitters for Jayden Daniels, but he’s been in big games before and Baker Mayfield’s got a swagger about him that I don’t think this moment will be too big for him. Give me the over here.
