Maybe the Tampa Bay Buccaneers haven't figured things out after all.
It certainly felt that way during their Week 12 loss to the Cleveland Browns. After winning two straight, the Bucs suffered a letdown using their same old formula. The defense did their job, while the offense continued to struggle—and ultimately failed—to hit the 20-point benchmark.
Following a loss like that, in which Tampa Bay mustered just 16 points, their odds to make the NFL playoffs are starting to slide. That, in turn, has made their Week 13 matchup with the New Orleans Saints a must-win affair. Can they get it done? The linemakers over at MyBookie seem convinced they will, as you can see from their latest NFL online betting odds below:
Of course, you'll need to recheck these online NFL betting odds until you actually place your wager. Our Buccaneers vs. Saints betting odds are accurate entering Tuesday, November 29. While we aren't bracing for any surprisingly huge changes, these football betting lines will continue moving prior to the opening kick-off on Monday, December 5, at 8:15 p.m. EST.
To stay up to date with all the latest odds on the NFL, you need to be using a reliable sportsbook. Fortunately, we have your back. Our reviews of the top online sportsbooks have the tools you need to find the best NFL online betting sites for the 2022 season.
But you need more than just a sportsbook to bet on the NFL. You also need to make the right picks. Once again, we have your back. Below you can find our Buccaneers vs. Saints predictions for the moneyline, point spread and over/under.
We are Feeling Cautiously Optimistic About the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 13
On some level, we cannot explain this feeling. The Buccaneers have not earned the benefit of the doubt. They are under .500, with one of the league's absolute worst offenses.
Did you ever anticipate saying such a thing for a team piloted by Tom Brady? We didn't, either. But the lack of long-yardage plays in this offense is starting to catch up with them. Brady can still manage the clock and move the chains on short-yardage gains, but he doesn't have the arm strength—or receiving speed around him—to get the ball downfield.
Tampa Bay isn't getting any relief from their rushing attack, either. They rank 32nd in net yards per rushing attempt. Most of the games they've won have come purely down to their ability to manage possessions. Well that, and their defense.
The Bucs have cobbled together an elite defense on the year. They are first in interceptions and seventh in points allowed per game. That has been the biggest difference-maker in their victories this year, and we expect it to be the case again versus New Orleans. The Saints rank in the bottom five of interceptions thrown, making them uniquely vulnerable to Tampa Bay's style in the secondary and at midfield.
It is somewhat puzzling that the Bucs check in closer to -200 than -135, but that could just be some home-cooking on the action front. Either way, we're taking them to win.
OSB Prediction: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-186)
You Might Want to Consider Picking the Saints to Cover the Spread...But We Can't Do It
Here are the latest NFL point spread betting odds for Buccaneers vs. Saints in Week 13:
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers, -3.5 (-110)
- New Orleans Saints, +3.5 (-110)
A 3.5-point spread doesn't seem that large on the surface. But when you're picking the Bucs to win and they're averaging under 19 points per game, it makes you rethink your position.
Picking Tampa Bay to cover is a risk. They haven't scored much better at home on the season. Still, we trust the defense. Especially against a Saints offense that has scored under 14 points in three of their past four games.
Sure, New Orleans has turned in a couple of scoring outbursts this season. But their frontline is cooked, and their quarterback-by-committee approach can be sloppy. It wouldn't surprise us if this is a game the Bucs win 16-9.
OSB Prediction: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, -3.5 (-110)
Tampa Bay Has Been an Under Machine, But The Week 13 Line is Very Low
Below you can the latest NFL over/under betting odds for Saints vs. Buccaneers in Week 13:
- Over 40 (-110)
- Under 40 (-110)
The Bucs have so far been one of the best under bets in the NFL. Nine of their 11 games have failed to clear the over; only the Denver Broncos have hit the under on a larger share of their games.
With that said, 40 points is an awfully low total. And yet, we're going under anyway.
New Orleans has been too much of an offensive wild card to count on them to top 10 to 14 points, let alone sniff 20 points.
We'd feel differently if the Bucs were in better shape, but they're not. They haven't scored more than 21 points since Week 4—and that was the only time they cleared the 21-point benchmark all season.
OSB Prediction: Under 40 (-110)
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