The Tampa Bay Buccaneers head to New York on Sunday to take on the Jets in search of a higher playoff seed and, if possible, home field advantage through the NFC bracket. With an 11-4 record, the Bucs have won five of six (with their lone loss coming against New Orleans), but their season finishes in a friendly way, and they have an excellent shot at finishing with a 13-4 slate. The Jets (4-11) have dropped three of five but did edge Jacksonville last week, 26-21. At this point, the Jets are basically jockeying for draft position; they currently hold the fourth selection in the next draft. Will the Jets play the spoiler or help their cause in the draft?
Don’t miss our online NFL betting prediction for Sunday’s game.
NFL Preview: Tampa Bay Buccaneers at N.Y. Jets (Sunday, January 2)
When: Sunday, January 2, 2022, 1:00 pm ET
Where: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
TV: FOX
Radio: WXTB 97.9 FM Tampa / WEPN 98.7 FM New York City
Live Stream: Hulu
NFL Lines: Tampa Bay -13 / O/U 45.5 // Tampa Bay -800 / New York +550
Why should you bet on the Buccaneers?
The Buccaneers outscore the opposition by 8.7 points per game on average (29.5 to 20.8) and outgain them by almost 70 yards per game. They did suffer a shutout two weeks ago in New Orleans, but the team had a lot of injuries then. Things have not improved much since then, as the team has 13 players either on injured reserve or the COVID-19 list, with three more questionable. However, the return of Antonio Brown sparked the Bucs in their big win over Carolina last week. Tampa Bay’s focus is on getting healthy for the postseason.
In the NFC playoff picture, Tampa Bay currently holds the fourth seed, but they are just a game behind top-seeded Green Bay. If the Buccaneers can win out while the teams above them lose at least one game, then they would slide into the top seed, which comes with a first-round bye and home field advantage all the way to the Super Bowl. The Buccaneers have covered in five of their last six games overall, with the lone exception that 9-0 loss to New Orleans. If you like the Buccaneers, you see the return of Antonio Brown continuing to spark the team.
Why should you put your money on the Jets?
If you think that the Buccaneers have a lot of injury and COVID problems, the Jets have more than twice as many players (30) either on the injured reserve or COVID lists, as well as two are questionable. Their position in the draft is locked in, and there is no chance at the postseason. Any motivation comes from a desire to play the spoiler, as the team’s real focus will be evaluation of young players on the roster going into next year.
As you might expect from a 4-11 team, the Jets struggle on both sides of the ball. They only score 18.4 points per game while permitting 29.9. Even when the Jets were not riddled with injuries, they had a talent gap with much of the rest of the league. This is a high point spread, so the Jets could cover given the number of injuries on Tampa Bay’s side of the ball. The Jets have failed to cover in four straight games coming after a straight up victory, and they have also failed to cover in their last four as a dog at home.
Final Score and Betting Prediction
I don’t expect much in terms of effort from the Jets – but I also don’t expect the Buccaneers to keep the hammer down the whole way, as I think they will pursue a more conservative approach to get the win without risking injury to any more of their key contributors. I predict a final score of Tampa Bay 23, New York 13 – and I like the “under” a lot more than picking either side of that spread.
Rams: Bet the Game Today
NFL Betting Odds
Love betting NFL football? | Xbet Sportsbook offers up to date NFL lines
Check out XBet’s NFL Calendar: Dates, Scores, Tips, Previews, and Predictions
