- What: NFL Regular Season Game
- When: December 8, 2024
- Who: Las Vegas Raiders vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Time: 10:00 p.m. PST
- Where: Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, FL)
The Las Vegas Raiders will travel to Florida to play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this Sunday afternoon. The game will kick off at 1:00 p.m. ET at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay.
Las Vegas Raiders
Let’s break it down: the Las Vegas Raiders might have given the Kansas City Chiefs a scare last week, but don’t let that close call fool you.
They’ve now lost eight straight games, with five of those defeats coming by double digits. That’s not just a rough patch; it’s a full-blown crisis.
Sure, Aidan O’Connell looked decent with 340 passing yards and 2 touchdowns, but let’s be real—he’s working with a one-dimensional offense that’s dead last in the league in rush EPA.
The only real threat is rookie tight end Brock Bowers, who’s been a bright spot in an otherwise bleak season. But can one player really carry a team? Spoiler alert: no.
Tampa Bay Bucs
On the other hand, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers may have their own defensive vulnerabilities, but they’re not facing a juggernaut here. The Raiders rank 26th in defensive dropback EPA and give up a whopping 27.8 points per game, which is 28th in the league.
That’s a recipe for disaster when you’re up against a Bucs offense that’s sitting pretty at fifth in offensive success rate.
Baker Mayfield has been solid, and if the offensive line can keep him clean—allowing pressure at the lowest rate in the NFL—he’ll have all day to pick apart a weak Raiders secondary.
Let’s not forget the Bucs are coming off a dramatic overtime win against the Panthers, which, while closer than expected, means they won’t be taking the Raiders lightly. They know they need to capitalize on this matchup, especially at home.
With Bucky Irving and Rachaad White in the backfield, they have the tools to exploit the Raiders’ poor rushing defense. The Bucs are averaging nearly 30 points per game, and with the Raiders’ inability to stop anyone, it’s hard to see how they’ll keep this game close.
While the Raiders might have shown some fight last week, their overall form is concerning.
The Bucs are fresh, motivated, and have the offensive firepower to run up the score. So, when it comes to betting on this game, taking Tampa Bay to cover the 6.5-point spread feels like the smart play.
Raiders-Bucs Best Bet
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Tony Reyes is a sports betting analyst and reporter for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X @TonyParlay.
