8:22 pm
September 9

Cowboys @ Buccaneers

Who will WIN this matchup?

Dallas Cowboys (0-0)

@ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-0)

 

Current odds:

Dallas Cowboys: (+350)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: (-430)

 

• The line for this game is Tampa Bay by 9 points.

• Tom Brady is eyeing back-to-back Super Bowl crowns and it comes as no surprise that he is the last quarterback to walk off with two straight championship rings. The 44-year-old Brady begins his pursuit of the achievement as well as Super Bowl ring No. 8 when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers host the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night in the opening game of the NFL season.

• The Buccaneers easily handled the Kansas City Chiefs 31-9 in last season’s Super Bowl and that set Brady up for another repeat. His New England Patriots’ teams won consecutive titles in the 2003 and 2004 seasons — against the Carolina Panthers and Philadelphia Eagles, respectively.

• Brady passed for 4,633 yards and 40 touchdowns in his first season in Bruce Arians’ offense after playing 20 seasons for the Patriots.

• Meanwhile, Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott will be back on the field for the first time since sustaining a compound fracture and dislocation of his right ankle nearly 11 months ago against the New York Giants. Prescott also has been dealing with a strained throwing shoulder, an injury that occurred in practice on July 28. He was a full practice participant on Monday and is in no danger of missing the game.

• Prescott was off to a superb start prior to the gruesome injury. He passed for 1,856 yards and nine touchdowns in less than five games and said he is expecting similar production.

• Dallas struggled to a 6-10 record and missed the playoffs for the second straight season.

• One key player Prescott will not take the field with Thursday is six-time Pro Bowl right guard Zack Martin, who was placed on the COVID-19 list after a positive test. Second-year pro Connor McGovern will start in Martin’s place.

• Tampa Bay ruled out safety Jordan Whitehead (hamstring) on Tuesday. Arians said everybody else is “ready to roll.”

• Dallas has won 15 of the 19 regular-season meetings, including a 27-20 home win in 2018.

7/10
Confidence
StreakSmarter Pick
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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