The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the NFC South for the second straight season and will host the Washington Commanders in the wildcard round. The Buccaneers are coming off a win at home last week against the New Orleans Saints, 27-19. Conversely, the Commanders are coming off a buzzer-beating win against the Dallas Cowboys, 23-19.
With this being the first time the Commanders have made the playoffs since 2024, can they make a surprising playoff run? Or will the Tampa Bay Buccaneers make the divisional round for the second straight year? Let’s dive into this playoff game and cook up a winning slip!
Washington Commanders vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Odds
| Team | Spread | Total | Money Line |
| Washington Commanders | +3 (-115) | Over 50.5 (-105) | +138 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | -3 (-105) | Under 50.5 (-115) | -166 |
| **Odds Subject to Change** | |||
Washington Commanders vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Match Details
- Fixture: Washington Commanders @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Date and Time: January 11th, 2025 @ 8:30 PM EST
Key Stats
Nov 10, 2024; Landover, Maryland, USA; Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin (17) catches a pass as Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (24) defends during the second half at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn ImagesWashington Commanders
The Washington Commanders are coming off a win on the road last week against the Dallas Cowboys, 23-19. Rookie sensation Jayden Daniels only played the first half and completed 6 of his 12 passes for 38 yards. Terry McLaurin was great in the game with 8 catches for 62 yards and caught the game-winning touchdown with 2 seconds left. This has been one of the surprise teams in the NFL this season. Daniels has had an exceptional season and is in the driver’s seat to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year. If Washington is going to go on a Cinderella run, it rests on Jayden’s shoulders.
Despite their offense being one of the more electric offenses in the NFL, their defense has been shaky at times. For the season, they are ranked 18th in points allowed per game, 3rd in passing yards allowed per game, 30th in rushing yards allowed per game, 20th in offensive touchdowns allowed, 11th in sacks, and 20th in takeaways per game.
Regarding injuries, Jamison Crowder, Cornelius Lucas, Tyler Biadasz, Brandon Coleman, Jeremy Chinn, and Clelin Ferrell are all listed as questionable for this game. If Chinn and Ferrell can’t play, that weakens a defense that is going against a red-hot Tampa offense.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the New Orleans Saints last week 27-19. Baker Mayfield was great when they needed him to be. He completed 21 of 32 passes for 221 yards, 2 touchdowns, and an interception. Mayfield was 7/7 for 114 and a touchdown in the 4th quarter. Mike Evans led the team in catches and yards with 9 catches for 89 yards. Evans surpasses 1,000 receiving yards for the 11th straight season. That is legendary consistency. Bucky Irving had a good game as well with 89 rushing yards on 19 carries and a touchdown. This is a top 5 offense in many categories this season.
Defensively, they have been up and down. Earlier on in the year, they were injury-riddled and now they are getting healthy. They are ranked 16th in points allowed per game, 29th in passing yards allowed per game, 4th in rushing yards allowed per game, 14th in offensive touchdowns allowed, 6th in sacks, and 16th in takeaways per game.
There are some injury concerns though. Tristian Wirfs, Cade Otton, Sterling Shepard, Lavonte David, Tykee Smith, Jamel Dean, Logan Hall, and Mike Edwards are all questionable. If there is a weakness in this Tampa Bay Buccaneers team, it is their secondary.
Prediction
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are going to defeat the Washington Commanders and cover the 3-point spread in this game. Despite the great season from the Commanders, a rookie quarterback can only go so far. Todd Bowles has a record of 10-6 against rookie quarterbacks. Baker Mayfield has been a great player since coming to Tampa and I expect him to continue in this game.
The Buccaneers are the hotter team coming into this game, winners of 6 of their last 7 games. Yes, Washington has won five straight, but you can not run on this Tampa defense which forces a rookie into a dropback game. Tampa moves on and advances.
