The Washington Commanders will face off against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 4:25 ET on Sunday, September 8th. This matchup is being played at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay.

Washington is +3.5 point underdogs on the road at Tampa Bay in a week one matchup. The game, set for 4:25 ET on Sunday, September 8th at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL, will be broadcast on FOX. The Buccaneers are -175 on the money line, and the over/under line is set at 43.5 points. This is the first game of the season for both teams.

• Date: Sunday, September 8th
• Time: 4:25 ET
• Location: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay
• TV: FOX

Commanders vs Buccaneers

Washington’s struggles at home contributed to their tough season, as they went 1-7 at home and 3-10 as the underdog. The Commanders didn’t win a single game within their division, going 0-6 in the NFC East. They finished the season with a 4-13 overall record. On the road, they were 6-3 vs. the spread, while at home, they were 0-7-1 vs. the spread.

Against teams with losing records, Washington went 4-4, but they were winless in nine games against teams with winning records. The Commanders’ over/under record was 10-7, and their games averaged 49.8 points per game, which was 5th in the league. Their record vs. the spread was 6-10-1.

The Commanders’ ATS record was 6-10-1 last season, including a 6-6-1 mark as the underdog and 0-4 when favored. Washington’s season was tough all-around, as they went 4-13 overall, finishing last in the NFC East with an 0-6 division record. They struggled at home, going 1-7, but were slightly better on the road with a 3-6 record. Against teams with below .500 records, the Commanders went 4-4, but they were winless in six games against teams with above .500 records.

The Commanders’ over/under record was 10-7, with their games averaging a combined 49.8 points per game. Washington’s games had the 5th highest average combined scoring in the league. Their games had an average over/under line of 43, and the Commanders had an 8-8 split in over/under results against the spread.

Commanders Injury Report

• Jordan Magee – Knee (Out)
• Keandre Jones – Undisclosed (Out)
• Efe Obada – Undisclosed (Out)
• Norell Pollard – Undisclosed (Out)
• Taylor Stallworth – Undisclosed (Out)
• Jer’Zhan Newton – Undisclosed (Questionable)
• Marcus Mariota – Groin (Probable)
• Brandon Coleman – Pectoral (Questionable)

Buccaneers Injury Report

• Chase Edmonds – Knee (Out)
• Rakim Jarrett – Undisclosed (Out)
• Silas Dzansi – Undisclosed (Out)
• Sua Opeta – Knee (Out)
• Jordan Whitehead – Quadriceps (Questionable)
• Tyrek Funderburk – Foot (Questionable)
• Joe Tryon-Shoyinka – Shoulder (Questionable)
• Trey Palmer – Undisclosed (Questionable)
• Kaevon Merriweather – Knee (Questionable)
• SirVocea Dennis – Undisclosed (Questionable)
• Yaya Diaby – Ankle (Questionable)
• Christian Izien – Leg (Questionable)

Commanders Offense Breakdown

Washington’s offense struggled to move the ball last season, finishing 23rd in the power rankings and averaging only 19.4 points per game, which was 25th in the NFL. Their rushing game was one of the least utilized in the league, ranking 32nd in attempts and 26th in yards. The Commanders were forced to rely heavily on their passing game, averaging 37.4 attempts per game, the 2nd highest in the league, and finishing 19th in passing yards.

Overall, Washington averaged 312.8 yards per game, with 219.1 of those coming through the air. However, they managed only 4.5 yards per attempt in the passing game, placing them in the bottom half of the league. Additionally, the Commanders struggled on third downs, converting only 35.6% of their third down attempts.

Washington’s Jayden Daniels is set to make his NFL debut after being drafted in the 1st round out of LSU. He is a rookie quarterback and will make his debut against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Daniels is a highly touted rookie, looking to make a smooth transition to the NFL after a successful college career.

Buccaneers Offense Breakdown

Washington’s offense was one of the most pass-heavy units in the NFL last season, ranking 2nd in passing attempts per game. Despite this, they finished 23rd in the league in offensive power rankings, averaging only 19.4 points per game, which was 25th in the NFL. The Commanders struggled to establish the run, ranking 32nd in rushing attempts and 26th in rushing yards, although their 4.5 rushing yards per attempt was 6th in the league.

Overall, Washington averaged 312.8 yards per game, with 219.1 of those coming through the air (19th). At home, they struggled to score, ranking 29th with just 16 points per game, while on the road, they were 12th, averaging 22.3 points per game. On third downs, the Commanders converted 35.6% of their chances.

Baker Mayfield is heading into his 7th season in the league and is now a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after playing 17 games last season. He threw for 4,044 yards, ranking 9th in the league. Mayfield was 6th in passing attempts per game, throwing for 237 yards per game.

Mayfield’s passer rating of 94.6 ranked him 20th among quarterbacks last season. He threw 28 touchdowns (6th) compared to 10 interceptions and completed 64.3% of his passes, which was 31st among quarterbacks.

Commanders Team Defense

Washington’s defense had a tough time getting to the quarterback last season, finishing 20th in quarterback hits and 16th in sacks. Their inability to generate consistent pressure contributed to a tough season in which they gave up a league-worst 30.5 points per game and 388.9 yards per game. They also allowed the most passing yards per game in the NFL, at 262.2.

Opposing quarterbacks had a collective passer rating of 104.49 against Washington, also the worst in the league. Although they did force 18 takeaways, which was 12th in the NFL, their overall defensive power ranking was 31st, according to the data from last season.

Buccaneers Team Defense

Washington’s defense gave up 30.5 points per game last season, the worst in the league. They also allowed the most yards per game, with 388.9, and the most passing yards per game, with 262.2. Their inability to pressure the quarterback contributed to their struggles, as they were near the bottom of the league in both sacks and quarterback hits.

Opposing quarterbacks had a collective passer rating of 104.49 against Washington, the highest in the league. Offenses were also successful on third downs, converting 41.6% of their attempts against the Commanders.

Commanders vs Buccaneers Trends

• Across their last five road contests, Washington has a 3-2 record vs the spread. Their overall mark in these games was 1-4, while averaging 20 points per game.
• When looking at their past three matchups at home, Tampa Bay has an ATS record of 2-1 while averaging 22 per game. The team went 2-1 overall in these games.
• Going back to their previous five games as the underdog, Washington has an ATS mark of 1-4 while going 0-5 straight up.
• Through their previous three contests as the betting favorite, the Buccaneers have a strong record of 2-1. Their record vs the spread in these matchups is 1-2.

Commanders vs Buccaneers Prediction

For this week one matchup between the Commanders and Buccaneers, we have the Buccaneers coming out on top by a score of 24-16. Even though the Commanders are the favorites at +3.5, we like the Buccaneers to cover the spread as home favorites.

As for an over/under pick, with the line sitting at 43.5 points, we like the under, projecting a combined score of 40 points.

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All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

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* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.