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Buccaneers Bets: Tampa Bay looks to stay hot against Colts

By Joshua Omoregie

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 01: Jameis Winston #3 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers celebrates a touchdown during the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at TIAA Bank Field on December 01, 2019 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 01: Jameis Winston #3 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers celebrates a touchdown during the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at TIAA Bank Field on December 01, 2019 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images) /
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LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 13: Ryan Jensen of Tampa Bay Buccaneers prepares to pass the ball during the NFL match between the Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 13, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Burstow/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 13: Ryan Jensen of Tampa Bay Buccaneers prepares to pass the ball during the NFL match between the Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 13, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Burstow/Getty Images) /

The Buccaneers have looked sharp in games and against the spread the past two weeks. Will they keep it up against Indianapolis?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are one of the most confusing teams in the NFL in terms of roster talent-to-consistent play ratio. Nevermind the daunting 49- day road trip the team faced in between home games earlier this season.

At 5-7 ( 3-1 SU in the last four games) and playing with, arguably, one of the toughest schedules in the entire league, the Buccaneers find themselves trending upward on the final home stretch of the schedule. Bettors, too, have begun to notice the late season trend as well.

What has changed?

After Tampa Bay squeezed by the Arizona Cardinals in Week 10, 30-27, a major personnel move would force a shake-up in the secondary. After being benched in the Arizona win for lack of effort, long-time starter, Vernon Hargreaves, was cut by the team just two days later. Here’s the play that lead to Hargreaves benching:

At first glance, the moved looked more like a reach given the Buccaneer’s roster depth issues at corner at the time. But for whatever reason, in the three games since Hargreaves’ departure, the Buccaneers defense has looked stifling. Notably, the play of the secondary. Was Hargreaves, who was once the go-to leader and oldest member of the secondary group, not fit to lead?

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