Head coach Lovie Smith’s winning ways still have not found itself to Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers are 1-8 and can’t seem to stop the bleeding. They take on a vulnerable Washington Redskins next led by an inconsistent Robert Griffin III coming off a bye week. Can Smith guide the Bucs to just their second win of the season? Or will RG3 lead Washington toward a much needed victory? Read on for more on this upcoming NFC showdown.
For more on the hottest conference showdowns, don’t forget to check out our previews for the Lions vs. Cardinals and 49ers vs. Giants games heading your way.
[sc:Football ]Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Washington Preview
Where: FedEx Field, Washington
When: Sunday, November 16, 1:00 PM ET
Line: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+7) at Washington Redskins (-7); total 45.0 – view all NFL lines
Betting on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Josh McCown returned as the starting quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and faced the same team which injured him in Week 3, the Atlanta Falcons. He went 27 for 43 for 301 yards and two touchdowns in a 27-17 loss. McCown also threw a pair of picks in the dying minutes of the game, which ultimately sealed the game for the Falcons. The Bucs are now on a five game losing streak.
[sc:NFL240banner ]Wide receiver Mike Evans had a big game for the second straight week, finishing with 125 receiving yards and a touchdown. Evans has now caught five scoring passes in his last five games. The rookie wideout should be able to make a couple of key plays against a Redskins secondary, which allowed 268 yards against a rookie quarterback in Minnesota’s Teddy Bridgewater in Week 9.
McCown is no stranger going against the Redskins. He completed 70 percent of his passes in a 45-41 loss to Washington in 2013. Facing mostly the same Washington secondary unit as last year’s, expect head coach Lovie Smith and McCown to turn to a pass heavy approach in an effort to exploit a perceived weakness in the Redskins defense.
Adding to the problems of the Bucs is their leaky defense that has allowed opponents to score 30.2 points per game, thus far this season. They’ve been specifically bad during third-down plays, as the Bucs have allowed opposing teams to convert 47 percent (28th in the league) of their attempts during such situations.
The Bucs have also struggled to contain opposing quarterbacks this season, allowing 277.1 passing yards per game. The Bucs secondary will need to tighten up to keep the Redskins aerial attack at bay. The Redskins are sixth in passing offense (282.3 yards per game) and have the fifth-most passing touchdowns (11) in the league.
The Bucs are 1-5 ATS against NFC teams this season.
Betting on the Washington Redskins
Robert Griffin III has now lost both games he started this season after the Washington Redskins were defeated in Week 9 by the Minnesota Vikings, 29-26. Griffin, however, should have an easier time directing Washington’s offense on Sunday against Tampa Bay’s extremely vulnerable pass defense.
Against Minnesota, RG3 went 18 for 28 for 251 yards and a touchdown to DeSean Jackson. Jackson,the team’s top wideout, now has back-to-back 100-yard performances and five overall in the season. He’ll be one of Washington’s main scoring threats against a Bucs defense which has allowed the third-most passing touchdowns (19) in the league.
On the ground, running back Alfred Morris ran for a season-high 92 yards and two scores on 19 carries against Minnesota. Morris will add another dimension to the Redskins’ attack against Tampa Bay, which has allowed 114.1 rushing yards per game this season.
Defensively, the Redskins’ pass rush unit may shine in this game as they have already registered 23 sacks this season. They will be led by linebacker Ryan Kerrigan, who has a team-high 7.5 sacks. The unit should be able to puncture Tampa Bay’s porous offensive line that has allowed McCown to be sacked nine times in four games this season. Four of those sacks came in Week 10 against the Atlanta Falcons who’ve managed only 11 sacks this season.
The Redskins are 1-3 ATS as favorites this year.
Writer’s Prediction
The Redskins win and cover on the road. Create a betting account now and cash in on the exciting football action around.
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