Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Dallas Cowboys Betting Preview/Prop Picks
11 September 2022
Time: 8:20 pm ET
Dunkel Ratings: Tampa Bay 143.237; Dallas 132.337
Dunkel Line & Total: Tampa Bay by 11; 55
Vegas Line & Total: Tampa Bay by 1 ½; 50
Dunkel Pick: Tampa Bay (-1 ½); Over
One of the best games to watch on Sunday will be the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Dallas Cowboys. Tom Brady decided not to retire and instead is going for one more ring.
The Buccaneers will start their journey by taking on the Cowboys tonight. For many, this is the game of the week. The question is will it turn out to be a win for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers?
The Dallas Cowboys are trying to prove themselves as an elite team. They definitely have a strong roster, with Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb.
Unfortunately, this hasn't turned into much for them in terms of wins. This season, they're hoping to push further than the first round of the playoffs. However, they'll have to get past the Buccaneers to pull that off.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: A fast-scoring offense is needed here
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have essentially the same offense as their 2021-22 team. You have Tom Brady leading the charge, with Mike Evans leading the receiving group.
The Buccaneers also have Russell Gage and Chris Godwin, so keep that in mind. This is the same offense that averaged 307.6 passing yards last year, ranking first in the NFL.
The group also averaged 30.1 points per game, which was second-best in the league. Tonight, they'll need to score quickly and often against the Dallas Cowboys.
We saw a few flashes of their offense during the preseason but not nearly enough. As a team that averaged nearly the most points per game, we expect a lot from them. Now we wonder if it will be enough to win.
Dallas Cowboys: Cowboys need a lot from Dak tonight
This is the "prove-it" year for many players in the Cowboy's organization. Dak Prescott is one of those players that need to hold up their end of the contract.
Prescott threw 37 touchdowns with only ten interceptions during the 2021-22 season. Finishing with a 104.2 passer rating, the Cowboys will look to him for guidance. He'll have to step up to the plater as they face Tampa.
The defense of the Cowboys will also be heavily relied upon. Last season, the Cowboys' defense gave up 21.1 points per game, ranking seventh in the league.
They'll need that same defense to put a lot of pressure on Tom Brady today. If DeMarcus Lawrence and Micah Parsons can put bodies on Brady, they could win this game. Still, we don't think they're the best bet.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Dallas Cowboys Betting Pick
History shows that the Buccaneers play great against the spread. They come into this game as -1.5-point favorites, and we think they're the best pick.
Going 7-3 against the spread in their last ten games to close the season is one reason why. The other is they have a few advantages over the Cowboys, starting with Tom Brady.
Brady is one of the most cerebral quarterbacks in NFL history. He's likely been preparing for this game and knows what kind of offense he wants to run.
Tampa Bay is also 14-3 in their last 17 games on the road. They should be able to win this game and cover the spread as well.
DunkelIndex Free Pick: Tampa Bay Buccaneers -1.5, OVER
Prop Picks
Tampa Bay (-105) OVER 26.5 Points
Tampa Bay averaged 29.9 points per game on offense last season, which ranked No. 2 in the NFL. Dallas allowed 21.2 points per game on defense last season, which ranked No. 8. That average increased to 22.2 points per game at home. Scores have gone OVER in 13 of the Cowboys’ last 19 home games.
With Dunkel predicting a Tampa Bay win by the score of 33-22, take the Bucs (-105) to finish OVER their Vegas team total of 26.5 points against the Cowboys.
Dak Prescott (-115) OVER 266.5 Passing Yards
Tampa Bay allowed 245.3 passing yards per game on defense last season, which ranked No. 24 in the NFL. Dallas averaged 279.4 passing yards per game on offense last season, which ranked No. 4 in the NFL. That average remained relatively steady at 277.7 yards per game at home.
With Dunkel predicting the final score going OVER the Vegas point total, take Prescott (-115) to finish OVER 266.5 passing yards versus the Bucs.
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All Media on this page by Associated Press.
