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While Tom Brady is no stranger to postseason play, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers franchise he leads into the Wild Card round, is. In fact, this is their first trip to the NFL Playoffs in more than a decade. Of course, most of you don’t need to hear that. You’ve lived it.
Which is why Bucs fans deserve playoff football more than perhaps any other fan base watching their teams play this weekend. Dedication.
Of course, I’m sure the Cleveland Browns fan base would argue otherwise, and perhaps the Buffalo Bills’ ‘Bills Mafia’ would stake a claim as well. No matter. Bucs Nation deserves this.
They deserve more actually. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers haven’t won a post-season game since they won the Super Bowl. Nearly twenty years ago.
If odds are right, then the Bucs will put an end to that tonight against the Washington Football Team, and fans will not only rejoice but get to see their team play in the Divisional Round once again.
Being favored by more than one touchdown means oddsmakers are pretty confident, and after the news before kickoff veteran quarterback Alex Smith will not be playing, the confidence in those making wagers on this one, might get even stronger.
And with Alex Smith inactive, that means that WFT QB Taylor Heinicke will start against Tom Brady. https://t.co/ETGSScbTxI
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 9, 2021
Of course, there is a fair share of prop bets out there to have fun with too. At the time of this writing, Tampa Bay’s sack total is set at over/under three, while the WFT over/under sits at 1.5 with Chase Young primed to go Tom Brady hunting.
Winning the turnover battle would help either side come away with a win here, and the Buccaneers' defensive takeaways over/under are set at 1.5 while Washington’s defense is set at O/U 1.
Finally, despite the Bucs win expected, it won’t be without some ball movement as Washington is expected to allow (371.5) almost as many yards as they are expected to gain themselves (327.5).
With confidence at an all-time high, it’s a good time to see the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the playoffs again. With any luck - and with the odds in their favor - we’ll see them again next weekend, in the NFC Divisional Round.