The Philadelphia Eagles will face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Wild Card round. It's time to continue our NFL odds series and make an Eagles-Buccaneers prediction and pick.
This isn't a playoff matchup that anyone anticipated seeing, but here we are. Philadelphia managed to scrape their way into the playoffs out of a lackluster NFC wild card pool, but their season didn't include a single victory over a team that made the postseason. It's safe to say that the Eagles are a little out of their depth against Tom Brady and the Buccaneers. Tampa Bay completed a fantastic season with an NFC South title and the second seed in the conference, so it's fair to expect the Bucs to be playing deep into this postseason.
For more insight on the Eagles-Buccaneers matchup in the Wild Card round of the 2022 NFL Playoffs, listen below:
Here are the NFL odds for the Eagles-Buccaneers game, courtesy of FanDuel.
NFL Odds: Eagles-Buccaneers Odds
Philadelphia Eagles: +8.5 (-112)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: -8.5 (-108)
Over: 45.5 (-110)
Under: 45.5 (-110)
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Why The Eagles Could Cover The Spread
Philadelphia isn't the same caliber of a team as the rest of the NFC playoff bunch, but they aren't being given enough credit coming into this game. They also actually match up fairly well with Tampa Bay, especially on defense. The Buccaneers specialize in passing the football, and Philadelphia only allows 220 passing yards per game. That is a number that places them just outside the top ten in terms of pass defenses. The Eagles also only give up 6.4 yards per pass attempt, another one of the best numbers in the league.
Injuries always play a part in postseason football, and this game is no different. The Buccaneers will come into this game extremely shorthanded, especially on offense. Tampa Bay is already shallow at wide receiver, and it looks like starting pass-catcher Cyril Grayson will miss this game because of a hamstring injury. Starting running back Ronald Jones III is also doubtful coming into the weekend. The defense isn't entering this contest unscathed, as starting linebackers Shaquil Barrett and Jason Pierre-Paul are both questionable for this game, along with starting cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting.
Why The Buccaneers Could Cover The Spread
While the Eagles may match up well with Tampa's offense, the same can't be said about their matchup against this Bucs defense. Philadelphia is one of the worst passing teams in the NFL. They earn only 200 passing yards per game throughout the course of the season. They are one of the best rushing offenses in the league, but unfortunately for them, the Buccaneers are one of the best rushing defenses. Tampa Bay only gives up 92 rushing yards per game while holding opposing ball carriers to 4.3 yards per carry. This Bucs team is perfectly constructed to stop the Philadelphia offense.
These teams faced each other in the regular season in a game that ended in a Tampa Bay victory by six points. The final score is a bit deceiving, as the Buccaneers were in complete control of the game the entire time. They never trailed in the contest, and at one point had four uninterrupted scoring drives. The Eagles made it look close with a meaningless touchdown in the fourth quarter. There's no reason to think that the Bucs can't replicate that performance, especially in a home game with a playoff atmosphere that many Eagles players have never experienced.
Final Eagles-Buccaneers Prediction & Pick
The Buccaneers are an easy pick here. Their combination of superior talent, playoff experience, and home-field advantage will all play a part in what should be an easy victory to kick off a long playoff run.
Final Eagles-Buccaneers Prediction & Pick: Tampa Bay Buccaneers: -8.5 (-108)
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