Seahawks Buccaneers Betting – Teams On The Playoff Bubble Collide In Tampa
If you were a betting person, then it may have been difficult for you to put money on the possibility that a 7-9 record would win an NFL division in 2010. But the Seattle Seahawks (6-8) have a chance to put themselves in the driver’s seat in the NFC West with a win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-6). But the Bucs are in desperate need of a win and have no intentions on rolling over for Seattle.
- What: NFL betting
- When: Sunday, December 26th, 4:15 PM ET
- Where: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL
- Pick: Tampa Bay Buccaneers -6
What’s On The Line
The Seahawks are battling the St. Louis Rams and San Francisco 49ers for the NFC West title. All three teams are in danger of finishing the season below .500, but someone has to win the division and get the home playoff game. In order to put some space between themselves and the other two teams, the Seahawks need to win.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are tangled up with the New York Giants and Green Bay Packers for the final NFC wild card spot. Anything can happen, and the only way that the Bucs can stay in the hunt is to keep winning. Tampa will not put together enough wins to take the NFC South by any stretch, but they can keep themselves in the wild card discussion if they win their last two games.
Offensive Matchups: Seahawks Buccaneers Betting
The Seahawks are pushing an unproductive offense down the field behind an injured and inconsistent offensive line. Long-time starting quarterback Matt Hasselbeck was pulled in last week’s game in lieu of Charlie Whitehurst, but the Seahawks still lost to the Atlanta Falcons. The football betting world can see that there is little effective offense in Seattle, and the Seahawks are running out of ways to generate points.
The Buccaneers are not a prolific offensive team, but they know how to put up points when they need them. Quarterback Josh Freeman is limiting his mistakes and giving his team a chance to win. Freeman has 18 touchdown passes this season and only six interceptions. He has only lost two fumbles all year. LeGarrette Blount is the primary running back in Tampa and he has racked up 777 rushing yards this season while carrying the offense between the 20 yard lines. It is an efficient offense in Tampa Bay but it does not pack the punch to scare top teams.
Betting Edge: Buccaneers
Defensive Matchups: Seahawks Buccaneers Betting
The one shining light for the Seahawks in this game is that the Buccaneers defense is ranked 29th against the run. However, the Tampa defense is 12th against the pass and has a persistent pass rush that has been able to put pressure on a lot of quarterbacks this season. Tampa has a good secondary but lacks pursuit speed up front.
The Seahawks defense is ranked 29th against the pass and 21st against the rush. When Seattle comes up against a balanced attack like the Bucs have, the Seahawks usually lose. The Seahawks have no pass rush and cannot create any pressure against the run or the pass up front. Their secondary is inconsistent and tends to give up big plays on a regular basis.
Betting Edge: Buccaneers
Notable Injuries: Seahawks Buccaneers Betting
Seattle is reporting no injuries coming into this game.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers also come into this game healthy.
Betting Edge: Buccaneers
Outlook and Pick: Seahawks Buccaneers Betting
The Seahawks will try every trick in their book to win this game, while the Buccaneers will just keep playing balanced and measured football. The Seahawks will look desperate while the Bucs will look completely in control. It will not take long for the Bucs to grad a hold of this game and push themselves closer to the playoffs.
