Tampa Bay Buccaneers Vs. Dallas Cowboys 2016: Odds, Point Spread Prediction, TV Start Time, & How To Watch Live Online
Sunday night’s clash between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Dallas Cowboys is a huge game for both teams as Week 15 of the 2016 NFL season concludes the Sunday portion of the schedule. The Cowboys will try to bounce back from only their second defeat of the season, while Tampa Bay keeps making a push towards the playoffs.
It’s hard to think of Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott as rookies anymore as they have played a huge part in leading Dallas to an 11-2 record and the current No. 1 seed in the NFC, but if Dallas should lose to Tampa Bay on Sunday night, should Prescott be looking over his shoulder as the former starter and veteran Tony Romo lurks in the shadows?
Probably not.
The fourth-round pick from Mississippi State has clearly been the steal of the 2016 NFL Draft and is the future for the Cowboys. FOX Sports reports that last week was one of his worst performances in his young career as he completed just 17 of 37 pass attempts for 165 yards. He also threw two interceptions as the Giants beat the Cowboys for the second time this season.
Sure, Prescott looked bad, but every quarterback has their ups and downs. Dallas most likely isn’t going to pull Prescott as a starter, even if they do fall to Tampa Bay Sunday night.
While the ‘Boys are the big favorite in this game, don’t count Tampa Bay out.
The Buccaneers are tied with Atlanta atop the NFC South and come into this clash against Dallas as winners of five consecutive games — their longest unbeaten streak since 2002.
Tampa Bay is a young team, but they have been a disciplined one, which is very important. The Buccaneers control their destiny when it comes to making the playoffs and they know it, but they don’t want to talk about it, or look ahead. Quarterback Jameis Winston just wants to focus on the next opponent, period.
“It’s in my mind, but going 1-0 (each week) is very important to us as a team,” quarterback Jameis Winston said. “We’re not really trying to look forward. (Offensive coordinator Todd Monken) says all the time, ‘Be where your feet are.’ We’ve got to keep winning. As long as we keep getting Ws, the playoffs are going to be in there.”
A Tampa Bay win Sunday night would not just go a long way towards a confidence builder, but it would also show that these Bucs have what it takes to make a deep run in what looks to be a wide-open NFC conference.
A win for the Cowboys combined with a New York Giants loss will clinch the NFC East title and a first-round bye for Dallas. The Cowboys can clinch home field advantage throughout the NFL playoffs with a win, or a Giants and Detroit Lions tie in their Sunday afternoon game.
While all of that sounds a bit complex, the simplest path for Dallas clinching is just winning!
Las Vegas odds makers have Dallas listed as a 7-point favorite with the over/under number set at 46. Dallas plays great at home as their 5-1 record indicates; however, the Buccaneers are one of the best teams in the NFC that doesn’t seem to get a lot of hype.
This game should come down to the final drive or two, and the points look good.
Pick — Tampa Bay +7
Fans can catch all of the action for this big game nationally on NBC. The game will also be streaming live online through NBC Sports Extra. If you are on the go, you can watch every play through your cell phone or tablet by downloading the NBC Sports App. Game time is scheduled for 4:25 p.m. ET.
[Featured Image by Brian Blanco/Getty Images]
