Betting The Under
July 19th, 2023
Bucs coach Todd Bowles.
So let’s take a brief look at the Bucs.
The Bucs had a solid defense last year that got worn out. The secondary could be stronger than last year’s but the defense has no quality edge rush right now with the Achilles injury to Bucs sacks king Shaq Barrett.
The offensive line had to reshuffle because of attrition. While the Bucs still have good if not excellent receivers, who/how will they get the ball?
Because of these reasons, generally, and yeah, no Tom Brady, Frank Schwab of Yahoo! thinks the play here is the Bucs will underwhelm and fall short of their season-win total of 6.5.
The BetMGM win total for the Buccaneers is 6.5. I could see them somehow getting to seven wins in a bad division, though I’d lean to the under. Anyone who watched Tampa Bay last season knew that everything was a struggle. Maybe it was all offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich’s fault, but that seems unlikely. There are still enough blue-chip players around that the Bucs will be competitive, and the division is still bad. The total of 6.5 is a pretty fair number.
If — and this is a cliché when discussing the Bucs — the Bucs can find an edge rusher, this defense could be elite. Yeah, and if Joe’s grandmother had a pair she’d be…
The defense could keep the Bucs in close games. But the problem with playing to keep the game close is you also let the other team in the game, too. They are playing to win as well.
So, no surprise, it comes down to quarterback. And after looking at Kyler Traskfield, Schwab believes the Bucs will not reach the BetMGM win-total of 6.5.
Joe agrees the season hinges on Traskfield. If the Bucs get good quarterback play, they just may win the division. If not, well, there is always the 2024 draft to focus on.
July 19th, 2023 at 12:13 am
I’d bet the over.
But I’m a homer.
I wouldn’t count my winnings until they’re in my hand.
Honestly, this is the first offseason that I have not had a positive outlook for the upcoming season, and I’ve been here since ’76.
And it has nothing to do with what the pundits say.
July 19th, 2023 at 12:25 am
Under.
Go Bucs.
July 19th, 2023 at 12:31 am
If you watched the Bucs every game the last few years, you know that Byron was the problem. The question is: can Canales turn this offense around with such a questionable O-line? The jury is obviously still out, but I don’t see how we could be worse on offense than last year, and we are still in a weak division. So my money is easily on the over, this team will at least win 7 games. Will it win more? That I just don’t know yet.
July 19th, 2023 at 12:57 am
Well, there’s obviously a whole lot more to this equation than Traskfield, but yeah, that is the biggest puzzle piece. There’s lots of chips on lots of shoulders and a national MSM peeing in their corn flakes. They have nothing to lose but everything to gain.
They claim they love Bowles??? Save his job.
July 19th, 2023 at 1:00 am
PS. If I were a betting man I’d bet over. 9 wins minimum.
July 19th, 2023 at 2:28 am
I remember late last year Schwab said to bet the farm on the Jets over Seattle and Carolina over the Bucs, both outright moneylines, on week 17 as his locks of the week. Schwab is one of those talking heads where you are very likely to earn coin by betting against him. He appears to be a Denver homer.
That being said it is understandable why people are going under 6.5 with the Bucs. Its the Todd Bowles’ factor, besides one fluke season he has been a consistent loser as HC. He plays not to lose as he did in Cleveland last year. Good DC but HC, well, look at his record. I say 7-10 or 8-9 but I am a Buc fan and think at least one or two of the other NFC South teams will be as bad or worse than the Bucs as the whole division is mediocre at best.
July 19th, 2023 at 4:08 am
The Bucs are one vita vea injury away from having no defensive run stuffing line. They already have a swiss cheese secondary. Not a good combo pack.
So my bet is the under with Mike evans getting way over 1000 yards in catch up desperation chuck and duck catches.
No brainer.
July 19th, 2023 at 5:27 am
Same old story Joe.
Too many three and outs we are toast. And yes it does sound more and more like Bowles is gonna play it like last year. Play not to lose.
To me that is a guaranteed fail. We don’t have the 2002 HOF defense on paper or otherwise.
Go Bucs!
July 19th, 2023 at 5:40 am
Joe: “Yeah, and if Joe’s grandmother had a pair she’d be…”Your TransGrandpa”.
July 19th, 2023 at 6:20 am
Ten wins.
July 19th, 2023 at 7:13 am
Swiss cheese secondary? We have one of the best units in the league
July 19th, 2023 at 7:41 am
Way under please.
July 19th, 2023 at 7:58 am
Negative Nancy article #1,042…and counting.
July 19th, 2023 at 8:10 am
Jeebs the Honey Bear,
If we watched the team last year we know why we struggled… sure, it was all Leftwich’s fault, not the shell of a man that was actually throwing the ball, audibling to ineffective smoke screens, and checking down every play he could.
July 19th, 2023 at 10:44 am
Its so hard to bet the under on your team is the thing.
So you just have to separate it and say,
If a team has the worst offensive and defensive lines in football…..
You have to figure that they will be lucky to win 5 games
July 19th, 2023 at 11:23 am
10-7
NFCS South Champs x3
So, the over.
July 19th, 2023 at 12:49 pm
Fingers crossed that our DTs can turn on the pass rush.
Man I miss watching Sapp..
July 19th, 2023 at 12:55 pm
“I’d lean to the under”…..
“enough blue-chip players around that the Bucs will be competitive, and the division is still bad…”
These are contradictory statements in the same paragraph.
6-11 is NOT “competitive” – especially in a bad division
No way the Bucs win less than 7 games – especially with our crappy division and also playing the AFC South this year….
9-8 or 10-7 is my early prediction. I might bump it up to a ceiling of 11 wins before the season starts if Mayfield looks pretty good in pre-season games.
The 2023 Buccaneers have a pretty damn talented team and its annoying – but in a way, I’m glad they are getting shat on so much this off season. Just adds fuel to the fire that I think was already naturally burning bright with a desire to prove they can win without TB12.
July 19th, 2023 at 2:48 pm
$74M in dead money matters. Almost 1/3 of our cap on old contracts. That’s going to be the difference, folks. Add in the fact we have a head coach who isn’t that great, 4 wins is very optimistic for this team. Mayfield and Trask will be a disaster. The rest of the roster is thin and we know we always have at least a dozen hamstring injuries. Not sure how anyone is optimistic on this season. It is what it is. Going to be a crap year. The sooner you accept that, the better you’ll feel when the wheels come off in September.
July 19th, 2023 at 5:20 pm
I like the Over but I’m waiting to bet because I think it might come down to an even 6
July 20th, 2023 at 7:24 am
Gloom and doom.? Nope. Every season brings surprises. New players and new coaches should have a positive effect. A couple of break out new stars could result in unexpected results. This team could easily exceed expectations. It could also fall flat on its face. But if the vets and new faces blend together and play hard nosed solid football the Bucs could very possibly win their division. On the down side, injuries and inexperience could limit their wins. But if key players perform well and Lady Luck smiles on them they could have a decent chance of winning their division. Just doing that would be a successful season given all the changes.
July 20th, 2023 at 12:51 pm
Bucs will be the NFC South champions again and will make it to the championship. Mayfield will stun the NFL and be a fixture for years to come here in Tampa. 11-6.