The offseason was filled with plenty of drama for the Bucs. Most of it surrounds the GOAT, Tom Brady. First, he retired shortly after the season, only to unretire soon after.
Then, at training camp, he took 11 days off for “personal reasons” that left many wondering where his head is at. That said, he is still the best to ever do it and we are sure he will be fully prepared come Sunday night.
Chris Godwin is coming off a season-ending injury and Bruce Arians is no longer running the team. Todd Bowles will be the man leading this team and all have high hopes of returning to the promised land this season.
The Dallas Cowboys lost Amari Cooper during the offseason as he bolted for Cleveland. Michael Gallup slides into the #2 receiver slot and CeeDee Lamb is now the official #1 option.
Dalton Schultz is coming off a strong year and provides Dak Prescott a reliable pass catcher in the red zone. Dallas will look to continue their high-scoring ways that led the league with 30.4ppg last season.
Best Bet: Cowboys +3 (Draftkings)
The Cowboys are certainly a live home dog here as they have the offensive firepower to stay with Brady and his offense. Tampa Bay’s defensive strength is stopping the run and they will need to be at the top of their game as Elliot and Pollard provide one of the strongest 1-2 punches of any backfield in the league. We expect Dallas to not only cover here but to pick up the win in the season opener.
Dak Prescott OVER 268.5 Passing Yards (-114 FanDuel)
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are arguably the best defense in the league at stopping the run. They should be forcing Dak into a bunch of passing situations which he will likely be happy to oblige them.
With CeeDee Lamb, Dalton Shultz, and a couple of backs in Zeke and Pollard who can be pass catchers out of the backfield, Dak should get upwards of 300 in a game that could turn into a shootout.
Tom Brady OVER 0.5 Rushing Yards (-109 Caesars)
Look, we know Brady does not tuck and run much, if at all in a majority of his games. However, if it is 4th and 1, we have all seen Brady get up to the line quickly and sneak it forward for at least 1 if not 2 or 3 yards. We think this play is well worth the risk and will need just one sneak to cash this one.
CeeDee Lamb Longest Reception OVER 23.5 Yards (-115 BetMGM)
CeeDee is a threat to take the top off of any defense in any game. With the Bucs being so tough against the run, we expect the Cowboys to take multiple shots downfield in order to take the pressure off the run game.
If we have to bet on who is going to get the majority of those opportunities, it’s going to be Lamb. In 10 of 16 games last season, Lamb’s longest reception exceeded this number. We like the trend of this continuing.
BONUS 1st Touchdown Dart
We love playing the odds on the 1st touchdown of the game when it is a one-game slate. Here are the three players that we believe provide the most value on the 1st touchdown prop for Monday night:
Mike Evans +800 (DraftKings)
Cameron Brate +1800 (FanDuel)
Dak Prescott +2500 (DraftKings)
