Buccaneers-Cardinals Christmas Week 16 Odds, Lines, Spread and Betting Preview

A best bet for Week 16’s Sunday night matchup featuring the struggling Buccaneers favored by more than a touchdown on the road against the Cardinals.

The Buccaneers (6-8) head to State Farm Stadium in Arizona to face the Cardinals (4-10) for a Week 16 matchup on Sunday night. Tampa Bay is favored by more than a touchdown, and the game total at SI Sportsbook is set at 40.5.

Tom Brady’s team has underwhelmed this season, but still leads the NFC South despite having a losing record. Tampa Bay needs to win this game to keep its playoff hopes alive in a tight, uninspiring division.

Arizona has already been eliminated from the postseason and will be starting its third quarterback of the season in Trace McSorley after losing Kyler Murray to season-ending knee injury and Colt McCoy to a concussion.

This will be the 2019 sixth-round pick’s first career start.

In relief of McCoy last week versus the Broncos, McSorley threw for 95 yards with two interceptions. In his short career, McSorley has a 46.2% completion rate. Despite having one of the NFL’s top receivers in DeAndre Hopkins and a healthy Marquise Brown, it’s unlikely the Cardinals will keep up with Tampa Bay’s defense, which ranks top-ten in the league by allowing 20.6 points per game.

James Conner should be used heavily in this game plan and he has scored a touchdown in six straight games, but he can’t win this one on his own. A better draft pick is more important than winning a game for the Cardinals.

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Brady looked shaky last week in the second half versus the Bengals, giving the ball away on four consecutive drives and blowing a 14-point lead. However, the Cincinnati defense is very different from this Cardinals’ defense which is tied with the Titans for allowing the second-most passing touchdowns (25). Brady should connect with any of his healthy receivers, including Chris Godwin and Mike Evans, who have seen 116 and 107 targets respectively this season, versus a Cardinals team allowing the 10th-most passing yards per game.

Despite a subpar season, Brady still ranks third in passing yards (3,897) behind only Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert. Should the Bucs take the lead early, both Leonard Fournette and Rachaad White will combine to control the clock.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Arizona Cardinals Odds

Moneyline: Buccaneers (-350) | Cardinals (+275)
Spread: TB -7.5 (-110) | ARZ +7.5 (-110)
Total: 40.5 – Over (-110) | Under (-110)
Game Info: Dec. 25, 2022 | 8:20 p.m. ET | NBC

Buccaneers Straight-Up Record: 6-8
Buccaneers Against The Spread Record: 3-10-1

Cardinals Straight-Up Record: 4-10
Cardinals Against The Spread Record: 6-8

Bet on Buccaneers-Cardinals at SI Sportsbook

Odds and Betting Insights

The Buccaneers are 3-10-1 against the spread (ATS), the worst mark in the league. As a road favorite, Tampa Bay is 2-3 ATS. As a home underdog, Arizona is 2-3 ATS.

Games have gone over four times for Tampa Bay, while they have gone over seven times for Arizona this year.

In short, the Bucs have everything to gain if they win and the Cardinals have everything to gain if they lose.

BET: Buccaneers -7.5 (-110)

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