The NFL’s opening playoff wild-card weekend will come to a close Monday night, with a matchup that began the regular season way back in September – the Buccaneers vs. Cowboys.
It was a down season for Tom Brady and the Buccaneers as their offense really never got going. Tom Brady began to look his age, and yet here we are, with the veteran-laden Bucs hosting a playoff matchup. Tampa Bay took advantage of a weak NFC South division en route to winning the title, and they’ll hope to figure out their offensive issues en route to another Super Bowl.
Playoff records of NFC QBs
W-L
Tom Brady 35-12
Kirk Cousins 1-2
Dak Prescott 1-3
Jalen Hurts 0-1
Brock Purdy 0-0
Daniel Jones 0-0
Geno Smith 0-0 pic.twitter.com/xLoWumvLbB— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) January 13, 2023
Standing in their way Monday night will be a fading Dallas Cowboys team. Some tough divisional losses down the stretch saw them lose out on their chance to win the NFC East, and now they’ve been forced to the road to begin their playoff quest. While Dallas possess a ton of offensive talent, their defense faded hard in the second-half. All eyes will be on that unit to see if they can overcome their injuries, and try and disrupt Tom Brady in the pocket enough, en route to a needed victory.
Dak Prescott is READY for the playoffs 💪🏼
pic.twitter.com/jHLqmXptoz— Mojo Markets (@mojo) January 8, 2023
The playoffs are always exciting, and that is only magnified when Tom Brady and America’s Team, the Dallas Cowboys are involved. This should be the most-watched game of a thrilling wild-card weekend, and we’ve got your betting needs covered at The Sports Geek.
For further insight on this battle between these bitter rivals, keep on reading on beneath the posted odds for a full matchup preview, trends, and the latest information to help you make an informed decision for this wild-card showdown between the Cowboys and Buccaneers!
Reminder that Tom Brady has never lost to the Cowboys before
pic.twitter.com/uxnwVBSss9— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) January 13, 2023
Dallas Cowboys vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Live Odds & Betting History
Betting odds provided by BOVADA
| TEAMS | COWBOYS | BUCCANEERS |
| MONEYLINE | -140 | +120 |
| SPREAD | -2.5 (-110) | +2.5 (-110) |
| TOTAL | Over 45.5 (-110) | Under 45.5 (-110) |
| TEAM DATA | COWBOYS | BUCCANEERS |
| Overall Record | 12-5 | 8-9 |
| ATS Record | 10-7 | 4-13 |
| Home/Away Record | 4-4 | 4-4 |
| Points Per Game | 27.3 | 18.0 |
| Points Against Per Game | 20.6 | 21.9 |
| Passing Yards Per Game | 219.8 | 269.2 |
| Rushing Yards Per Game | 135.2 | 76.9 |
Dallas Cowboys vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Prediction
Though the Bucs’ offense has been woeful this season, their opening playoff round matchup against Dallas might actually inspire some confidence, and get them out of their prolonged funk. The Buccaneers really showed some improvement in the final weeks of the regular season, and as Tom Brady continues to air it out deep to Mike Evans, this Tampa Bay offense only improves.
Tom Brady recent season-by-season results
2013 did not win Super Bowl
2014 WON SUPER BOWL
2015 did not win Super Bowl
2016 WON SUPER BOWL
2017 did not win Super Bowl
2018 WON SUPER BOWL
2019 did not win Super Bowl
2020 WON SUPER BOWL
2021 did not win Super Bowl
2022 ??? pic.twitter.com/uHDRQXbOIl— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) January 11, 2023
The Bucs’ offensive line has gotten healthy at the right time, and that has allowed Brady to stand in the pocket for longer durations, survey downfield, make his reads, and hit his targets. We’ve seen it for years now, and when Brady has ample time, he’s going to carve defenses. Dallas does boast a good pass rush but it has faded badly in recent weeks. They also aren’t getting any help from a depleted secondary, and those two elements combined should lead to an impressive offensive night for the Bucs. If they throw the ball on Dallas, they can score.
For Dallas, they’ll also lose the injury battle on the other units as well, as Tampa Bay’s secondary is fully healthy for the first time all season. And though their defense has been stellar in the second-half and likely what won them the AFC South, expect better things in the playoffs – especially within the defensive backfield.
Tom Brady to Mike Evans, Week 17 x3 pic.twitter.com/JOzuUb1ZVz
— Bob Sturm (@SportsSturm) January 12, 2023
A healthy secondary opens up options for Tampa Bay, but will likely allow them to blitz more and send added numbers at Dak Prescott. The former TCU quarterback is down a few key pieces along the offensive line, and when you consider the Bucs’ potent pass rush and defensive front, the Cowboys might struggle quite a bit when it comes to moving the ball – especially through the air.
Cowboys vs. Buccaneers Trends To Know:
- Tom Brady is 10-3 ATS as a home underdog.
- Cowboys are 0-3-1 ATS vs. a team with a losing record.
- Cowboys are 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 road games.
- Cowboys are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 meetings vs. Tampa Bay.
While it has been a dismal season for the Buccaneers, they seem to be peaking at precisely the right time. They are much healthier than Dallas, and have a huge advantage in their passing game over the Cowboys’ secondary. I believe the wrong team is favoured here, and expect this game to play out similarly to the season opener – a resounding 19-3 victory for the veteran-laden Buccaneers.
