Detroit (0-2) at Tampa Bay (2-0)
When: Friday, August 24th 2018
Where: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL
Time: 8:00 ET | TV: CBS
Opening Odds: Pickem/44.5
Jameis Winston may not be on the field for the first few weeks of the regular season, due to a suspension, but that hasn’t stopped him from helping his Tampa Bay Buccaneers race out to a 2-0 preseason start. The Bucs will look to keep the momentum going when they host a struggling Detroit Lions team in Week 3 preseason action on Friday night. The Lions have scored just 27 points in dropping both games thus far, while Tampa Bay’s offense is clicking with an average of 28 points a contest – good for fourth in the league. This game opened as a Pickem, but has been quickly bet up to Tampa Bay -3 by the sharps and public. The total has gone from 44.5 to 45.5 – one of the highest on the Week 3 board.
First-year head coach Matt Patricia is having a rough go of it early-on, especially with his offensive line. Quarterback Matt Stafford took seven hits in the opening quarter of last week’s 30-17 loss to the New York Giants before leaving the game, and that is something that needs to be improved before the regular season starts. The running game, which added LeGarrette Blount and Kerryon Johnson, has averaged just 3.4 yards a carry in the preseason – another sign the line is not doing its job. The defense played well in Week 1, giving up just 16 points to Oakland, but gave up 30 to the New York Giants last week.
Winston and Ryan Griffin combined for 314 passing yards and three touchdowns in last week’s 30-14 win over the Tennessee Titans, as Winston continues to see a lot of action. With Ryan Fitzpatrick also taking snaps, the Bucs depth at that position is one of the best in the league. The running game has been a little weak thus far with rookie Ronald Jones really struggling. Peyton Barber averaged 5.3 yards a carry last week and leads the team with 53 total yards on the ground.
The Lions seem to be a mess right now and the Bucs offense is cooking with Winston seeing a lot of playing time. Tampa Bay has more depth at the skill positions and that’s what you need in the preseason.
Pick: Bucs -3
Betting Trends:
- Lions are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 vs. NFC.
- Lions are 4-11-1 ATS in their last 16 games on grass.
- Buccaneers are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 vs. NFC.
- Over is 6-2 in Lions last 8 vs. NFC.
- Under is 24-11 in Lions last 35 road games.
- Under is 5-1 in Buccaneers last 6 home games.
- Lions are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 meetings in Tampa Bay.
- Lions are 10-2 ATS in their last 12 meetings.
- Road team is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 meetings.
- Under is 3-1-1 in the last 5 meetings in Tampa Bay.
- Underdog is 8-3 ATS in their last 11 meetings.
