The point spreads have been released and the oddsmakers have the Buccaneers taking a step backwards in 2016.
A new year is here, and the Buccaneers have made some big changes leading into 2016. The defensive backfield has been reconstructed, both via free agency and the draft. The same can be said for the pass rush. Vincent Jackson, Doug Martin, and Austin Seferian-Jenkins are back and ready to improve upon a record-setting Bucs’ offense from 2015.
But don’t tell that to the “experts” that set the point spreads.
The spreads have been released for all games from weeks one through sixteen. Take a look through it and count out how many times the Bucs are favored. The total is a whopping four times. That’s right, four.
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Here are the four games the Bucs are favored to win:
- Week 3 vs. Los Angeles Rams (-1)
- Week 9 vs. Atlanta Falcons (-1.5)
- Week 10 vs. Chicago Bears (-2)
- Week 14 vs. New Orleans Saints (-3)
That’s all? Of course it is early, but some of this is still hard to understand. First of all, they are favored by only one over the Rams? Jameis and company aren’t going to dominate at home, and the defense can’t potentially beat up on a rookie quarterback? I am not saying they should be favored by seven, but three or four isn’t unfair.
Moving on, the Bucs are not favored once on the road. That includes not being favored against that juggernaut out west, the San Francisco 49ers. It’s a “pick em” game. Seriously? Remind me, who is their quarterback again? Blaine Gabbert? Colin Kaepernick? With the coach that couldn’t even win after picking his own players, Chip Kelly? For some reason, even in San Francisco, that game doesn’t strike me as even.
I understand that the Super Bowl champions are going to be favored against the Bucs, even in Tampa. But, that is no guaranteed win for the Broncos. As it stands right now, Mark Sanchez is under center. Is there much more to say?
One other team that doesn’t scare me at this point is the San Diego Chargers. They are always a threat with Philip Rivers at quarterback, but they aren’t the dangerous team that they once were. Is it impossible to think that the Bucs could take that one on the road?
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Like I said, it is early. We must take these odds with a grain of salt, considering the fact that the rosters are nowhere near being finalized. But, the Bucs are on the way up, it would be nice to see them get a bit more respect.