Washington Commanders vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers Prediction & Betting Tips - NFL

Prediction published on 08/01/2021, 11:09  by James | Modified on 08/01/2021 at 12:09 in American Football Predictions

The NFL Super Wild Card week is upon us, and it pits Washington Football Team against the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday night. The Buccaneers made it through the NFC South with an 11-5 record, while Washington advanced from the NFC East despite having a negative record of 7-9. The narrative of this fixture makes it compelling. Washington are in this spot against all odds, and they have a starting quarterback who personifies that underdog story in Alex Smith. A severe injury kept Smith on the sideline for more than two years. It looked as though his career was long over - there were even doubts about whether he could keep the injured leg, such as the severity of the injury. However, he is likely to start this weekend as he has started many of Washington's previous matches. While Smith's individual stats aren't outstanding, the team's record when he is playing is 5-1. The credit for this form deserves to go to Washington's defence though, the second-best in the NFL.

If Washington's offence was half as good as their defence, they would shoot up the list of Super Bowl contenders. Instead, they have the third-worst offence in the NFL. This ineptitude means a Tom Brady-led Tampa Bay can dominate this game. The better-balanced side, they are seventh in offence and sixth in defence. Brady, an evergreen 43-year-old, is a big reason behind their passing being the second-best in the NFL. We think the Alex Smith fairytale ends here. Back Tampa Bay -8.5.