Buccaneers vs. Commanders: NFL Wildcard Preview

One of the closest matchups in this NFL Wild Card round will be between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Washington Commanders.

The Buccaneers are coming off a win against the New Orleans Saints, securing the NFC South title in the final week.

Meanwhile, the Commanders also closed out their season with a victory over the Dallas Cowboys and came into the playoffs on a strong streak.

Why bet on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ 10-7 record wasn’tparticularly impressive, but it was enough to secure the NFC South title ahead of the Atlanta Falcons (8-9) and finish third in the conference behind the Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles. They have now qualified for the playoffs for the fifth consecutive year and for the fourth time by winning their division.

The Buccaneers clinched their playoff spot in the final week as the Falcons, who lost to the Carolina Panthers, were just one game behind. Baker Mayfield threw two touchdown passes, and Bucky Irving scored another on the ground to secure a 27-19 victory for the team, ensuring their spot without complications. Their 6-1 record in the last seven games was the key factor in surpassing the Falcons, who went 2-6 in their final eight matches.

As for Mayfield, he had an outstanding regular season. He tied with Lamar Jackson for the second-most passing touchdowns (41), trailing only Joe Burrow (43). He threw 16 touchdowns in his last five games, including a standout performance with five against the Panthers on December 29. Additionally, he added three rushing touchdowns. The only game where he didn’t have a passing TD was against the New York Giants in Week 12, but he did score a rushing TD in that matchup.

One area for improvement is interceptions, as Mayfield was picked off 16 times, tying with Kirk Cousins for the league lead. His 4,500 passing yards rank third behind Burrow and Jared Goff, while he is fifth in passing attempts (570), second in completions (407), and third in completion percentage (71%).

Mike Evans led the team with 11 receiving touchdowns, followed by Jalen McMillan with eight and Rachaad White with six. Their 41 passing touchdowns are second only to the Bengals’ 43.

Why bet on Washington Commanders?

Great season for the Washington Commanders (12-5), marking their return to the postseason after a three-year absence. They finished second in the NFC East, behind the Philadelphia Eagles (14-3).

Their last game was a 19-23 road victory over the Dallas Cowboys, and they enter this Wild Card matchup riding a five-game winning streak. However, since 2007, the Commanders have reached this round four times and lost on each occasion, most recently in 2020 against the Buccaneers. Their last postseason win came in 2005, also in the Wild Card round and coincidentally against Tampa Bay, back when they were still the Redskins.

As for this season, the standout story is undoubtedly Jayden Daniels. The quarterback is on track to win Offensive Rookie of the Year. He posted 25 passing touchdowns, five rushing touchdowns, a 69% completion rate, and 4,459 total yards (the fourth-highest total in history for a rookie), setting multiple records along the way. His most notable performance came against the Eagles, where he led the team to a 36-33 victory with five touchdown passes.

Daniels had a bad start but finished the season strong. Excluding the last game, in which he played just some minutes, he recorded 15 touchdown passes and two rushing touchdowns in his final five games.

Many of those TD passes went to Terry McLaurin—13, to be exact—placing him second in this category in the NFL, behind only Ja’Marr Chase (17). McLaurin scored seven touchdowns in his last six games.

The Commanders also excelled in their ground game, with 25 rushing touchdowns, ranking fourth in the NFL behind the Bills (32), Lions (29), and Eagles (29). The standout rusher for the team was Brian Robinson, who scored eight touchdowns, though his last one came on December 1.

Final Betting Analysis: Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Washington Commanders

The last time these teams faced each other was on September 8, 2024, during Week 1 of this season, where the Buccaneers secured a 37-20 home victory. Mayfield threw four touchdown passes, while Daniels had none.

The odds at Gambyl Exchange favor the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with a Moneyline of 1.60, while the Washington Commanders are at 2.40.

It will be a great game, very evenly matched, and likely decided by small mistakes. In this regard, Tampa Bay has an advantage due to their greater postseason experience and Mayfield’s reliable arm, which is why we believe the Buccaneers will come out victorious. Go for the OVER.

Go for a win for the Buccaneers. If you bet $100 at 1.60, you will gain $60 for a total payout of $160.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Washington Commanders Betting Pick: Buccaneers