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The NFL season is upon us with the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers hosting the Dallas Cowboys in Thursday night’s opener. The Bucs bring back nearly every starter from a team that won 11 regular season games and cruised through the playoffs with an emphatic 31-9 thumping of Kansas City for their second NFL championship. Mike McCarthy is hopeful a new defensive scheme and the return of Dak Prescott can save his job after the Boys won just six games a season ago. Tampa Bay sits as a 7.5-point favorite on the NFL betting line.
Dallas Cowboys at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Date and Time: Thursday, September 9, 2021, 8:20 p.m. ET
Location: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL
Opening NFL Odds: Tampa Bay -7.5, O/U 51.5
Cowboys at Buccaneers TV Coverage: NBC
Odds Analysis
The Bucs got better as last year moved on closing with eight consecutive victories, including playoffs, while going 6-2 ATS. They scored at least 30 points in each of the last seven games with Tom Brady defying Father Time for another year. And with every starter back the Bucs are a favorite to repeat. Tampa opened on the early line as a 6.5-point favorite with that number wagered to -7.5. We just don’t know a lot about the Cowboys with most of the regulars not playing during the preseason. They showed signs of life late last season winning three straight, but still ended at 6-10 SU and 5-11 ATS. They finished 2-6 SU and ATS on the road.
Dallas Cowboys
If Prescott stays healthy the Cowboys should boast one of the top offensive units in the NFL. In the five games Prescott started before sustaining a season-ending ankle injury, the Boys averaged 32.6 points and Dak topped the league in passing yards. All his weapons are back with Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup forming a top trio.
But it’s not like the Cowboys were tearing it up with Dak. They were 2-3 SU and 0-5 ATS in his starts. One of those victories was a gift from Atlanta and the other against an equally bad Giants squad. They ended the season ranked in the middle of the pack offensively despite playing a majority of the season without Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott floundering. A slimmed down Zeke has vowed a return to form that produced three seasons with over 1,350 rushing yards.
No matter what the Boys do on offense they have to be better defensively. They took steps to shore up a group that allowed 386.4 yards and nearly 30 points per game a season ago. Dan Quinn takes over as coordinator and the club selected defenders with its first six picks in the draft. How quickly the unit adjusts to the new schemes and personnel will have an impact. I just don’t think they’re ready to stop the Bucs passing attack with an inexperienced secondary.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
You can’t say the Bucs aren’t going for it. They bring back all their starters from last season and Brady was feeling more than comfortable in his role by the end of the season. The biggest concern for the offense is how Brady handles playing now that he’s in his mid-40s. I don’t see that being an issue since he has nothing to prove. It’s all about the competition and as long as the old man can still play he’ll go out every week. And don’t think the Bucs will be complacent after winning it all. Brady won’t allow that to happen.
Brady had another fantastic regular season in 2020 throwing for 4,633 yards and 40 touchdowns. He also has a bevy of weapons in the passing game with Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Antonio Brown and Scottie Miller. And don’t forget about tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Cameron Brate. The Bucs had the second-best passing attack last season and will be lethal again.
Defensively they were nearly as good. The Bucs boasted the best run defense and ranked among the top-10 in yards and points allowed. They also got good news with Ndamukong Suh activated from the COVID list and eligible to play on Thursday. Pressuring Prescott will be a key to see if he’s overcome the injuries that have kept him off the field since Week 5 last season.
Bet Cowboys at Buccaneers at BookMaker.eu
I can see points scored in this game with the Cowboys eager to show off after last season’s debacle. And it will take time for their defense to get acclimated to the new system. The Bucs aren’t the team you want to start off against. Brady could have a big game and I’m just not convinced the Cowboys have gotten a whole lot better.
NFL Score Prediction: Buccaneers 33, Cowboys 23
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- Phil Simon, Gambling911.com
