Tampa Bay Buccaneers face steep odds to win NFC South

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have the worst odds of the four teams in the NFC South to win the division in 2019, with the odds set at +1200.

It has been 11 straight years without a playoff appearance for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the odds-makers in Las Vegas are not particularly on their side as they head into 2019 either. Following back-to-back 5-11 seasons and a coaching change, Odds Shark has placed +1200 odds on the Buccaneers to win the NFC South this season.

If you area bettor and a firm believer in the Buccaneers this year, then these odds could make you a very rich person. However, given the lack of game-changing moves made this offseason, the Buccaneers look to be in a lateral position this season as well. The one wildcard, however: coaching is important, and with Bruce Arians steering the ship, he may be able to unlock the potential of his players who have struggled.

The growth and development of quarterback Jameis Winston in the last year of his rookie contract will all but determine the direction that the Buccaneers take in 2019. Helping to establish a run game will help Winston this year as well, so getting Peyton Barber and Ronald Jones over the hump is crucial.

Pro Football Focus (subscription required) has been quite impressed with the moves made by the Buccaneers this offseason and seem to think they could be in a position to make the leap from worst to first this season and end their playoff drought. Analytics are on the side of the Buccaneers and their young core, but they will need to back the data up on the field as well.

While the odds are stacked against the Buccaneers to win the division over the should-have-been NFC champion New Orleans Saints, Atlanta Falcons, and the Carolina Panthers, sports are unpredictable. The odds are in your favor if you are a betting man to cash in big on the Buccaneers.