Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Ahead of their game against the Arizona Cardinals, it's time to release our Tampa Bay Buccaneers Week 16 predictions.

In order to succeed, the Buccaneers must avoid repeating their mistake of committing four turnovers as they did in their loss against Cincinnati. The Buccaneers should be able to take advantage of this weakness and focus on establishing a strong rushing game while allowing Tom Brady to control the pace of the contest. They need to put together a solid performance and rebound with a road win in Arizona. The Buccaneers are hoping to win in Arizona, which could give them a two-game lead in the NFC South with two weeks left to play. He last found the endzone way back in Week 3 against the Chiefs. Keep in mind that the Buccaneers are looking to bounce back after two consecutive losses to the San Francisco 49ers and Cincinnati Bengals. A win will enable the Buccaneers to keep their spot on top of the NFC South. Despite these setbacks, Brady has still performed well this season with 3,897 passing yards and a 67 percent completion rate. In Sunday’s loss to Cincinnati, Tampa Bay RB Leonard Fournette had 10 rushing attempts for 44 yards and caught all four of his targets for 30 yards. They have lost three of their last four games and enter Week 16 just barely clinging on to the top spot in the NFC South at 6-8. He’s also more versatile as he has 16 catches on 18 targets in his past three games. Should the Buccaneers lose hold of first place in their division, they can pretty much kiss the playoffs goodbye.

Happy holidays! Not only is it one of the merriest times of the year, but we also now get a sprinkle of football to go along with the typical NBA Christmas.

[James Conner](https://www.lineups.com/nfl/player-stats/james-conner) [Trace McSorely](https://www.lineups.com/nfl/player-stats/trace-mcsorely) [Cameron Brate](https://www.lineups.com/nfl/player-stats/cameron-brate) [Russell Gage](https://www.lineups.com/nfl/player-stats/russell-gage) [Chris Godwin](https://www.lineups.com/nfl/player-stats/chris-godwin) [Mike Evans](https://www.lineups.com/nfl/player-stats/mike-evans) [Rachaad White](https://www.lineups.com/nfl/player-stats/rachaad-white) [Leonard Fournette](https://www.lineups.com/nfl/player-stats/leonard-fournette) [Tom Brady](https://www.lineups.com/nfl/player-stats/tom-brady) While the Buccaneers defense have remained somewhat elite, their offensive production has drastically fallen off a cliff since their Super Bowl run. Even though their offense didn’t find much success under Kyler Murray before his unfortunate injury, they now lose a dual threat dynamic and become more sluggish than ever. Not only is it one of the merriest times of the year, but we also now get a sprinkle of football to go along with the typical NBA Christmas slate.

Through the first 11 games of the season while Tom Brady was not as explosive as he was in previous years, he was really protecting the football well. Only ...

Even though the execution is on the players, the coaching staff must put them in positions to succeed which they just have not done consistently this year and Sunday afternoon was a perfect example. Will the Bucs defense make McSorely look like a third stringer who is getting his first start of the year? After all a lot of the mistakes were purely on execution, but one thing that was noticeable was the difference in offensive play calling between the first and second half was glaring. In the first half, there was a lot of pre snap motion, play action and being more efficient on first and second down. The Bucs finally got something going on offense in the first half, but went away from what worked and the offense paid the price. Only throwing two interceptions and having the NFL’s best TD-INT ratio, but lately things have changed and not in a positive way.

For the second straight season, the Arizona Cardinals will host a Week 16 matchup at State Farm Stadium on Christmas day. Last year, it was the Colts in ...

Given these circumstances, Conner will struggle to find consistency in the running game. Instead, Arizona will be forced to ram the ball through the ground using James Conner frequently. With Trace McSorley in at quarterback for the Cardinals, this team will have an extremely tough time getting any sort of passing game going.

Up next are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, led by Tom Brady and still very much wanting to make the postseason as NFC South winners despite currently being 6-8.

Heads to IR; Season Over](https://www.si.com/nfl/cardinals/news/arizona-cardinals-place-byron-murphy-injured-reserve) [Sean Payton Assembling Staff; Cardinals a Possibility?](https://www.si.com/nfl/cardinals/analysis/report-sean-payton-piecing-together-all-star-staff-could-arizona-cardinals-be-possibility) [Arizona Cardinals: Three Storylines vs. [Three Pro Bets to Take for Cardinals-Buccaneers](https://www.si.com/nfl/cardinals/gameday/three-prop-bets-take-arizona-cardinals-tampa-bay-buccaneers) [Cardinals Heavy Underdogs to Buccaneers](https://www.si.com/nfl/cardinals/analysis/nfl-picks-tampa-bay-buccaneers-heavy-favorites-week-16-arizona-cardinals) [Byron Murphy Jr. You can question plenty of people's efforts and intentions now that Arizona is sealed out of the playoffs. McSorley is mobile but also carries an insanely high risk of turning the ball over. This doesn't feel like it should be a bold prediction if you've watched Tom Brady since basically the dawn of the internet age, but Brady has thrown for three touchdowns in just two games this season: Last week vs. He's currently tied for 26th in sacks with just 19 times where he's been brought down thus far. Yet when a pass-rusher is hot, he's hot. When that guy is J.J. The dominoes have certainly fallen his way. Antonio Hamilton practiced once this week and is questionable. Byron Murphy was just placed on Injured Reserve and is done for the year. Cincinnati and Week 4 vs.

We've got a pair of touchdown scorer best bets for this Sunday Night Football matchup between the Buccaneers and Cardinals.

As the name suggests, placing a wager on the anytime touchdown scorer market is when you tip a particular player to score a touchdown during a game. If Joe Burrow throws a touchdown pass to Ja’Marr Chase, wagers placed on Evans as an anytime touchdown scorer will cash. [NFL Picks](/nfl/picks/) and [NFL Odds](/nfl/odds/). He must get into the end zone himself, either as a runner or a pass-catcher. A player must get into the endzone, himself, in order to qualify as an anytime touchdown scorer. The Arizona coaching staff will likely try to keep things simple for McSorley, relying on the young quarterback to get the ball out quick and take his checkdowns, especially with Connor’s ability to make plays in space.

The most popular Buccaneers blog on earth. Edgy analysis, and 24/7 Bucs football news on JoeBucsFan.com.

[this guy](https://www.joebucsfan.com/2022/12/former-gm-major-alterations-have-pearl-harbored-bucs-offense/) and [this guy](https://www.joebucsfan.com/2022/12/bengals-beating-bucs-kicked-the-sht-out-of-them/) and [this guy](https://www.joebucsfan.com/2022/12/ian-beckles-wonders-about-todd-bowles-future/), previous strong defenders of Bucs coach Todd Bowles, seem to have turned on him as the Bucs have been circling the drain. This is the time to demonstrate the Bucs are a playoff team. Questionable: OL Kelvin Beachum (knee/ankle), WR Marquise Brown (groin), OL Max Garcia (shoulder), CB Antonio Hamilton (back), S Charles Washington (chest). This is not the time to play turtle football. This is not the time to play for overtime with the ball at midfield and two timeouts left. [Buccaneers Radio Network](https://www.buccaneers.com/fans/listen) WXTB-FM 97.9 in the Tampa-St. Additional stations throughout Florida on the Buccaneers Radio Network can [be found here](https://www.buccaneers.com/fans/listen). The cold desert air will see temperatures drop quickly and by the end of the game, look for it to be 56. Similar runs by recent coaches such as Raheem Morris or former Bucs commander Greg Schiano led to their launching. Since 2021, Hussey’s outfit has called the third-fewest penalties. Temperatures will be in the high 60s and may hit 70 by 3 p.m. [AccuWeather.com](https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/glendale/85301/hourly-weather-forecast/331843?day=2), oh to be in Phoenix.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will travel to the desert to face off with the Arizona Cardinals for a Sunday Night Christmas special. It's time to continue our ...

Meanwhile, Hopkins has 63 receptions for 713 yards and three touchdowns, while Marquise Brown has 57 catches for 584 yards and three scores. However, these Bucs are struggling to score and not running the ball efficiently. The defense has not done well, with plenty of issues. He has rushed 152 times for 624 yards and six touchdowns while averaging 4.1 yards per carry. Meanwhile, White has rushed 107 times for 408 yards and one touchdown. Unfortunately, he was not able to have success this year and the Cards never meshed. However, Davis is still around and has 65 solo tackles and three sacks. Turnovers and bad field position doomed the Bucs last week. The Bucs are 2-3 over the last five games and 2-4 on the road. Meanwhile, James Conner rushed 16 times for 63 yards and a score. Also, Mike Evans caught five passes for 83 yards, while Chris Godwin caught eight for 83 yards and a score. Trace McSorley completed 7 of 15 passes for 95 yards and tossed two interceptions.

Our staff provides their analysis and predictions as two struggling teams match up on Christmas Day.

This game is the last straw for the Buccaneers as there are no excuses to struggle against a depleted 4-10 Cardinals team. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are still fighting to maintain their top spot in the NFC South and will need to finish strong in their last 3 games to hold onto a playoff spot. The Cardinals are down to their third string quarterback and have had trouble this whole season regardless of who’s been behind center. They want to continue to keep their lead in the NFC South and don't want it to trickle out of their hands. The Cardinals have lost four straight games and haven't eclipsed 20+ points in three of the defeats. Since then, the Buccaneers have dropped three of their last four contests but have an opportunity to bounce back in a big way against the lowly Arizona Cardinals (4-10, 1-4 NFC West).

Watch the Tampa Bay Buccaneers play the Arizona Cardinals at 8:20 p.m. on Christmas Day even if you don't have cable.

[fuboTV (7-day free trial)](https://www.fubo.tv/stream/college-football/?irad=399332&irmp=1810047&subId3=xid:fr1670777439379aee xid:fr1671885429624ahi), [Sling (half off first month)](https://go.skimresources.com/?id=126006X1587341&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sling.com%2F&xcust=xid:fr1670777439379fde [— Follow Nebiy Esayas on Twitter @_nebiy_](https://twitter.com/_nebiy_) xid:fr1671885429624gbe), Sling (half off first month) Arizona has not had the best of luck with winning football games this year and is currently on a three-game losing streak. Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady was 30-of-44 passing in that one with 312 yards in the air and three touchdowns, but he also threw two picks.

Analyzing Sunday's Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Arizona Cardinals odds and lines, with expert NFL picks, predictions and best bets.

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, led by quarterback Tom Brady, meet the Arizona Cardinals, led by quarterback Trace McSorley, in an NFL Week 16 NFC football game ...

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The NFL superstar and current Tamba Bay quarterback has always, famously, gotten whatever he wanted. But in 2022, a funny thing happened.

Who reportedly regrets [not spending more time at home as he’d promised](https://pagesix.com/2022/06/15/tom-brady-trying-to-spend-more-time-with-family-during-off-season/), regrets un-retiring, regrets coming back to this team, regrets continuing to get bone-crushed every game by men 100 pounds heavier than him and half his age, regrets assuming — like the rest of the world — that he would find a way to win, again. [the favorable referee treatment](https://www.tampabay.com/sports/bucs/2022/10/09/yeah-o-line-is-important-referees-are-tom-bradys-best-protection/), the apparent inability to age — and now he was about to get even more. This isn’t a reason to hate him. [Tom Brady ](https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/tom-brady-donald-trump-retiring-nfl-great-s-maga-myth-ncna1288381)was going to get away with it. And the worst part about this is that Brady is still probably the best player on his team. This is the exact opposite of what we thought would happen. (Reportedly.)](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/tom-brady-gisele-bundchen-divorce-timeline/puozj1oo0qwu9drovsntd2we) Brady looks slower and, in perhaps an indicator of his mood, grouchier and more prone to tantrums than we’ve ever seen him. Even if you’re a huge Brady fan — and I’ll confess to being Not content to transform the Bucs into a championship team, he was going to make them his second dynasty. [the Tampa Bay Bucs quarterback ](https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/tom-brady-leaving-new-england-patriots-allowing-us-bask-his-ncna1162246)got to live the dream in February: He got to read his own obituaries. ( [I wrote a few myself](https://www.gq.com/story/tom-brady-retirement).) But just a few weeks later [he changed his mind](https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/how-tom-brady-lebron-james-serena-williams-more-older-athletes-ncna1292347), much to the chagrin of many, [including his wife.

The Bucs look to keep their hold on the NFC Southwhen they take on the Cardinals on Sunday night. We have a full breakdown and top bets.

They come into Sunday’s game ranked 18th in the NFL in passing yards per game and have given up the 8th-most sacks. James Conner has also been hobbled by a few injuries this year and has just 624 yards and six touchdowns on 4.1 yards per carry this season. They’re also the 10th-ranked pass defense by DVOA and allow just 194.5 passing yards per game, so I find it hard to believe McSorley can hit over the prop when Joe Burrow threw for just 200 yards last week. We discussed above that Tampa Bay will likely be throwing often on Sunday night, especially against a pass defense that ranks 24th in passing yards allowed per game. The Bucs are just 31st in the NFL in yards per completion with 9.5 yards. They are 4th in the league in passing yards per game with 268.4 as Brady has thrown for 3,897 yards and 20 touchdowns with just seven interceptions. On the season, he has just 568 yards and three touchdowns on 3.6 yards per carry. All of that makes me think we’re going to see a lot of James Conner on Sunday night. Should McSorley take to the air, he does have two solid receiving options in DeAndre Hopkins and Marquise Brown. The Bucs have started to mix in rookie Rachaad White, but he is much farther along as a pass catcher than a runner right now and has only chipped in 408 rushing yards on 3.8 yards per carry. A lot of that struggle for Tampa Bay has been because of the running game. Welcome to another primetime game that looked better on paper in August.

What are the Buccaneers' playoff odds heading into Week 16, and how do their playoff chances change based on their result against the Cardinals?

But Tampa Bay would then be relying on New Orleans to defeat Carolina in Week 18 to send the Buccaneers to the playoffs. The Buccaneers would still have a 47% chance of winning the division and have things in their own power. However, there is a route to the Buccaneers making the playoffs without winning the division. They also have a 64% chance of winning the division, suggesting that the most realistic way for the Buccaneers to make the playoffs is to win the NFC South. However, they can take a step this week to clinch the division in Week 17. Even with a loss against the Cardinals, the Buccaneers would remain atop the division, as they have the head-to-head

SportsLine simulated Arizona vs. Tampa Bay on Sunday Night Football featuring Tom Brady and DeAndre Hopkins 10000 times.

Here are the [NFL odds](https://www.sportsline.com/nfl/odds/futures/) and betting lines and trends for Cardinals vs. Cardinals](https://www.sportsline.com/nfl/game-forecast/NFL_20221225_TB@ARI/) and just locked in its picks and NFL predictions. [You can visit SportsLine now to see the model's picks](https://www.sportsline.com/insiders/buccaneers-vs-cardinals-lines-odds-spread-pick-best-bets-for-nfl-week-16-matchup-from-proven-model/#ttag=12232022_agg_cbssports_picks_football_nfl_model_BucsCardinalsSNFmodel). [DeAndre Hopkins](/nfl/players/1737078/deandre-hopkins/) is a supremely talented pass-catcher with strong hands. [Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Cardinals vs. The Oklahoma product has quick feet and is elusive in space. The model enters Week 16 of the 2022 NFL season on an incredible 157-113 run on top-rated [NFL picks](/nfl/picks/experts/) that dates back to the 2017 season. [Mike Evans](/nfl/players/1824909/mike-evans/) is a physical and strong receiver. [Tampa Bay Buccaneers](https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/teams/TB/tampa-bay-buccaneers/) and the [Arizona Cardinals](https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/teams/ARI/arizona-cardinals/) link up in a Christmas edition of Sunday Night Football. Tampa Bay is favored by 7.5 points in the latest Buccaneers vs. Cardinals odds from Caesars Sportsbook, and the over/under is 40.5. In Week 15, the Buccaneers fell to the Cincinnati Bengals, 34-23.