Remember when the Philadelphia Eagles had top-three odds to win Super Bowl 58? Good times. But they’re over. Philadelphia is instead limping into their NFL Wild Card matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after an epic late-season collapse. Will they live to fight another game? Or is this where their season ends?
- What: Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Philadelphia Eagles
- Date: Monday, January 15, 2024
- Time: 8 p.m. eastern standard time
- Where: Mile Raymond Jones Stadium in Tampa Bay, Florida
- Point Spread: Eagles (-3), Buccaneers (+3)
Fans and analysts alike are naturally concerned about the Eagles losing five of their final six games. And they should be. Quarterback Jalen Hurts is banged up and dealing with a serious finger injury. The defense is swiss cheese. Philadelphia looks like they can lose to anyone. And yet, the latest online NFL playoff betting odds still have them pegged as favorites over the Buccaneers:
Continue to make sure you are double-checking these online NFL betting odds until you actually submit your wager. Our Eagles vs. Bucs betting odds are accurate entering Wednesday, January 10. That gives the best NFL online betting sites plenty of time to make adjustments leading into opening kick-off on January 15.
Monday Night Football during the playoffs is always a storied affair. But we have a feeling the Eagles might be dreading it. More eyeballs than usual will be on them. Lately, they have not been good enough to welcome that extra attention. Will they get their act together in time to make a viable playoff push? Or are the NFC South champs about to catch a massive break?
The Jalen Hurts Injury Looms Over Philadelphia Eagles vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
As if the Eagles don’t have enough problems on the field, they’re dealing with an issue off it. Star quarterback Jalen Hurts dislocated the middle finger on his throwing hand while playing in a game he had no business still being on the field for. Fans were irate. Hurt’s status for the Wild Card game is uncertain. He had an MRI that showed no fracture in the dislocated finger, but even if he plays, significant discomfort will no doubt impact his ability to throw the ball.
Mind you, this says nothing of the defensive warts with which Philadelphia is grappling. They are 30th in points allowed per game on the season and rank 31st in total passing yards and touchdowns allowed. To call them a collective sieve might be an understatement. Because, well, the Eagles are also 31st in both third down defense and the share of opponent red zone possessions that end in a score.
People are going to write off the Bucs anyway. We get the inclination. They played in the incredibly feeble NFC South. Their Week 18 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars was their only victory over a team entering the game at .500 or better for the season.
Even so, we’d be remiss if we just dismissed them. Baker Mayfield is under center in Tampa Bay now, and he’s flashed plenty of chutzpah in the pocket. The improvement of the Bucs’ passing game is paired with a defense that ranks seventh in points allowed per game. Granted, Tampa Bay’s schedule was weak. And they showed plenty of crack when defending the pass. Whether that’s a problem versus these Eagles remains to be seen. Hurts may not be able to do as much damage through the air if he’s playing injured—or not at all. And if Philadelphia is forced to rely more upon the run, well, they’re likely in trouble. The Bucs are eighth in net yards allowed per run attempt. And although they have struggled to get stops on third down (23rd in opponent third-down conversions), they actually place third in red zone defense overall.
Both of these teams are wild cards—which is fitting, given this is the Wild Card round. Recently, though, the Bucs have looked like the better team. And so, we’re riding with them in what will constitute a major upset.
OSB Prediction: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+130)
The Eagles vs. Bucs Point Spread is Further Proof of Philadelphia’s Demise
You can sense further distrust in the Eagles’ performance by looking at the latest NFL point spread betting odds:
- Philadelphia Eagles, -3 (-110)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers, +3 (-110)
This is a game in which the Eagles should technically be favored by at least six points. Especially after they dealt the Bucs a double-digit loss earlier this season.
Once more, though, Philadelphia is not the same team. Hurts is injured, and the defense is deteriorating right before our very eyes. We have Tampa Bay beating the Eagles outright, so this isn’t a hard decision. But if you’re investing in Philadelphia, we recommend going with their moneyline rather than the point spread.
OSB Prediction: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, +3 (-110)
Linemakers May be Underestimating the Value of Offense for Both Philadelphia and Tampa Bay
At first glance, nothing seems abnormal about the latest NFL playoff point spread betting odds for Eagles vs. Bucs:
- Over 43.5 (-115)
- Under 43.5 (-105)
However, once you start to dig into the details, this point total feels low. As Kyle Soppe of Pro Football Network noted:
- Both are top four in percentage of opponent yards gained through the air
- Both have a top-five opponent pass rate over expectation
- Both are bottom-10 third-down defenses (top-10 third-down offenses)
- Both have an above-average opponent aDOT
Trends don’t always hold in the playoffs. We believe this set of tendencies will. It wouldn’t surprise us at all if the final score of Eagles vs. Bucs cruised past the 50-point plateau.
OSB Prediction: Over 48.5 (-110)
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