Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Prediction, Pick, Odds: Will Tom Brady Take Care of Business?
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Prediction, Pick, Odds: Will Tom Brady Take Care of Business?
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are unfortunately 3-2 on the season and haven’t been solid as their expectations have been. They’re expected to be contenders, but Tom Brady hasn’t been on the top of his game this season.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have been experiencing a downfall this season as they’re only 1-4 through five weeks of the season. They’re trying to navigate their way through starting new quarterbacks and a fresh roster after a long run of being .500 or more.
Steelers vs. Buccaneers Start Time and Where to Watch
- Date: October 16, 2022
- Game Time: 1:00 pm ET
- Where to Watch: FOX
Steelers vs. Buccaneers Odds
Spread: Buccaneers -8.5 (-120), Steelers +8.5 (+100)
Total: Over 45.5 (+100), Under 45.5 (-105)
Moneyline: Buccaneers (-400), Steelers (+410)
Click here for Steelers vs Buccaneers odds
Steelers vs. Buccaneers Prediction
For the Buccaneers to be in a position to go two games over .500 is a good spot for them to be in right now. They can easily turn this season into a big winning season, and there’s no better time for them to take that jump than right now. A jump to 4-2 and a big game from Tom Brady could be the spark they’ve needed so far this season.
For the Steelers, they could be in for a long season that might easily turn into a rebuilding year, which may be what they need. After such a long run with Big Ben, a refresh and quick reset could be beneficial for long-term success rather than getting into a cycle like we see the Indianapolis Colts in.
For this game, it seems as if the experienced team, despite underperforming thus far into the season, will come away with a big win against the Steelers. Tom Brady hasn’t had a season to remember, and definitely not one like seasons past, but he’s thrown seven touchdowns to his one interception this season and we know what he is capable of. He also adds 1,409 yards through the air on the season, leaving him at fourth in the league.
On the ground, Leonard Fournette hasn’t been the most impressive this season, but like Brady, we know he is much more impressive than he’s been playing. He’s only run for 280 yards and one touchdown, but in a matchup where the Bucs could easily have a breakout offensive game, he could get back on track as we’ve seen in seasons past.
The Bucs’ defense allows just 16.6 points per game while the Steelers’ offense only averages 15.4 points per game. All signs point towards the Steelers picking up very few points in this matchup. Their offense is led now by rookie QB Kenny Pickett who has appeared in the Steelers' last two matchups. He has yet to score a touchdown in those two appearances, but he’s picked up 447 total yards and shows signs of life for the Steelers' offense.
Luckily for the Steelers' defense, we’ve seen Brady and the Bucs’ offense struggle against bad teams, so there’s always a possibility that the Steelers can keep this game within striking distance. But again, this is definitely a chance for the Bucs’ offense to find its rhythm and have a confidence-boosting game after ending their losing streak last week. They open up as 8.5-point favorites, which seems low after the Buffalo Bills' big win over the Steelers, but if the Bucs' defense can do its job, the Buccaneers should be able to easily cover.
Steelers vs. Buccaneers Pick
- Pick: Bucs -8.5 (-120) (Bet $120 to win $100)