Two of the biggest betting on NFL surprises in the 2024 regular season were the Washington Commanders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Following years of losing, Washington was ignored in the future market. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay is the Rodney Dangerfield of the NFL. The Buccaneers simply get no respect. But Tampa Bay took advantage of a weak NFC South to gain the playoffs. Washington benefited from a clean slate at quarterback (Jayden Daniels) and head coach (Dan Quinn). Now comes the challenge of winning a road playoff game against a team that won a 2023 home wild-card matchup.
Washington Commanders vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers NFL Betting Information
| Date and Time: | Sunday, January 12, 2025, 8 p.m. ET |
|---|---|
| Location: | Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL |
| TV Coverage: | NBC |
| Team | Spread | Total | ML | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commanders | +3 -115 | 50½ -105 | +136 |  |
| Buccaneers | -3 -105 | 50½ -115 | -156 | |
| ||||
Washington Commanders Team Overview
Last game, the Washington Commanders won 23-19 against the Dallas Cowboys as 7-point road favorites. The game went under the online wagering total of 43. Washington has a record of 12-5 straight up, 10-6-1 against the spread, and 11-6 over/under the total. Washington ranks 9th for total offense, 18th for passing, 4th for rushing, and 5th for scoring. Defensively, they rank 10th overall, 3rd against the pass, 29th against the rush, and 18th for points allowed. Also, Washington ranks 8th for fewest turnovers lost and 26th for takeaways.
Namely, Jayden Daniels sitting in the second half wasn’t the plan when the playoff-bound Washington Commanders visited the Dallas Cowboys with only seeding at stake. Leg soreness led coach Dan Quinn to make the move. In turn, Marcus Mariota turned it into a winning one.
Mariota threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Terry McLaurin with 3 seconds left, lifting Washington to a 23-19 victory over Dallas on Sunday. Hence, Washinton clinched the sixth seed in the NFC playoffs for the Commanders.
In sum, Mariota threw for two scores and ran for a TD after replacing Daniels. Late on, Daniels said he was fine with his coach’s decision. But he was adamant that they would have had “to drag me off the field” if his team had been in a win-or-go-home situation.
Instead, the Commanders only had playoff seeding on the line. Still, Quinn’s move ended up sparking an offense that produced just 64 yards before the break.
It turned out Washington didn’t need the rally to keep the sixth seed because Green Bay lost to Chicago on a late field goal. But the victory meant the Commanders finished the regular season on a five-game win streak that answered a three-game skid capped by a loss at home to Dallas.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Team Overview
Last game, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won 27-19 against the New Orleans Saints as a 15-point home favorite. The game went over the Betting on NFL total of 44.5. Tampa Bay has a record of 10-7 straight up, 10-7 against the spread, and 12-5 over/under the total. Tampa Bay ranks 3rd for total offense, 4th for passing, 5th for rushing, and 4th for scoring. Defensively, they rank 16th overall, 28th against the pass, 2nd against the rush, and 16th for points allowed. Also, Tampa Bay ranks 22nd for fewest turnovers lost and 27th for takeaways.
Commanders at Buccaneers SBG Free Picks
In this situation, Washington brings the momentum and confidence of a five-game winning streak. Washington’s success is no accident, and they could be the surprise on the playoffs. Both teams trended strongly over the total this year.
Commanders at Buccaneers SBG Best Bet: Washington Commanders and Over the Total.