Our Cowboys vs. Buccaneers prediction takes a look at the Wild Card Weekend matchup that should be tightly contested throughout.
Let’s dive into the current NFL betting odds, key storylines to watch, and make a prediction for the game. Note that all odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook as of Monday, Jan. 9.
Cowboys vs. Buccaneers Odds
- Spread
Cowboys -3 - Moneyline
Cowboys -150, Buccaneers +130 - Over/Under
45 points
Cowboys vs. Buccaneers Prediction
The Dallas Cowboys have now gone 12-5 in back-to-back seasons and hold the No. 5 seed in the 2022-2023 NFL postseason after a concerning loss in Week 18 to the Washington Commanders.
After arguably one of Dak Prescott’s worst games as a professional QB, the Cowboys have a lot to try and correct going into this playoff matchup against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Prescott went just 14-of-37 passing for 128 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, and the offense certainly fell flat.
While Tampa Bay has definitely had its struggles this season, they’re still a team that Dallas can’t overlook going into this game. They have an immense amount of playoff experience on their roster and the offense seemed to potentially get back on track the last time they had all of their starters playing in Week 17.
MORE: Full Wild Card Weekend Picks and Predictions
The key for Dallas to win this matchup is to get their run game back and operational. Over the past two games, the Cowboys have just a total of 151 rushing yards as a team, and that’s not enough to take pressure off of Dak and the passing game.
That won’t be easy, though, against a Bucs defense that’s still a tough matchup for opposing RBs, allowing just 120.7 rushing yards per game. If Dallas wants to advance to the Divisional Round, then they will have to find ways for the ground game to have success.
As for the Buccaneers, they squeak their way into the NFL postseason with an 8-9 record and control of the NFC South. As a result, they’ll host the 12-5 Dallas Cowboys in Brady’s 48th playoff game of his long career as they hope to make a push to win two Super Bowls in the last three seasons.
They’ll have a lot to overcome this postseason, as this offense has certainly run hot and cold throughout the year. They’ll have to hope their performance in Week 17 was a sign that things have been fixed.
If this offense can show the signs of life that we saw just two weeks ago against Carolina, there’s a chance that Tampa Bay can win this game against a Dallas team that has dealt with its own issues of consistency in recent weeks.
They’ll have a tough test against a Dallas secondary allowing the 10th fewest passing yards per game this season. Tampa has the playmakers to put stress on this unit, but can they showcase solid chemistry and cohesion throughout the entire game?
This game may come down to the Brady and Mike Evans connection. If these two can link up multiple times as they did a couple of weeks ago, we could see Tampa Bay pull off the upset against this 12-win Cowboys team.
Cowboys vs. Buccaneers Score Prediction
Buccaneers 24, Cowboys 21