The Washington Commanders have some new faces and aim for victory on the road against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday, September 8, at 4:25 PM ET. The Buccaneers have a point spread at -3.5 (-110) in this NFL betting opportunity.
The Commanders' record last year was 4-13, and they finished last in the NFC East. Surprisingly, they were 1-7 at home and slightly better on the road.
Having a bad record gives you the opportunity to rebuild in the draft, which is what the Commanders did this offseason. They are starting second-overall pick Jayden Daniels at quarterback, and there is a lot of hype around him. This will be the eighth consecutive year that the Commanders are starting a different quarterback in Week 1 action.
Daniels is a dual threat who can move around the pocket well and make great throws. He had the best receivers at LSU, so it will be interesting to see if he can make accurate completions with more competitive defenses.
The Commanders were terrible offensively last year, allowing 19.4 points per game and ranking 25th. Their defense also ranked last in the league, allowing 30.5 points per game. Although they made improvements defensively, their secondary will be the weakest.
The Buccaneers had a good season last year, with a 9-8 record and tied first in the NFC South. They defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 32-9 in a stunning fashion in the NFC Wild Card game but lost to the Detroit Lions in the next round.
Baked Mayfield had a great season, but a lot of pressure will be on his shoulders once again. They have a different offensive coordinator in Liam Coen, who is arguably a step back compared to Dave Canales.
Their offense still has a strong core of returning players like Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan, but they did add some new faces, such as center Graham Barton. The defense is solid, but they might have some hiccups after losing some of their core defenders and replacing them with rookies.
The Buccaneers scored 20.5 points per game and ranked 20th in the league. They performed better on the defensive end, allowing 19.1 points a game and ranking seventh.
MyBookie showcases exciting NFL betting opportunities in the Washington Commanders vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers matchup. The Buccaneers are 3.5-point favorites at home, and market insights suggest they have a 60.5 percent chance of winning.
History does not bode well for rookies starting in their first career game, but Baker Mayfield has a losing record against the spread when his team is favored to win. The Bucs are questionable in some moves they made in the offseason, and Mayfield might not have the best game here.
