Steelers vs. Buccaneers Point Spread: NFL Pre-Season Week 1 Odds, Prediction
NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis
Both these franchises have quarterback questions after replacing a legendary former Super Bowl winner. Pittsburgh lost future Hall of Famer Ben Roethlisberger to retirement following the 2021 season and selected Kenny Pickett in Round 1 of the 2022 draft. The Steelers certainly hope he’s the long-term future but that’s far from a given, and he will be the starter this year.
The Bucs lost the GOAT of all NFL players, Tom Brady, to his own retirement after the 2022 season. TB12 won his seventh and last Super Bowl ring in the 2020 campaign, his first in Tampa. The Bucs didn’t actually win the NFC South in Brady’s first year but did the past two – only to flame out early in the playoffs.
Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh don’t play this regular season. They did in Week 5 last year in Pittsburgh and the Steelers won 20-18 as nearly double-digit dogs. Pickett left in the third quarter injured and Mitch Trubisky played very well in his place with 144 yards passing and a TD. Brady threw for 243 yards and a score. At one point, the TV cameras caught him screaming at his offensive linemen on the sideline.
Pittsburgh Steelers
How much will starting QB Kenny Pickett play? Entering the 2022 training camp, he was a third-stringer so he played a lot. That surely will not be the case this year. Mitch Trubisky is settled in as his No. 2, so it could be plenty of Mason Rudolph and undrafted rookie Tanner Morgan. They are fighting for a roster spot as no NFL teams keep four QBs into the regular season.
One spot to monitor is left tackle as Dan Moore Jr. is looking to hold off first-round rookie Broderick Jones for the starting job. Moore also could be moved to the right side. All eyes will be on offensive coordinator Matt Canada because most Steelers fans wanted him fired after each of the past two seasons, but Mike Tomlin is loyal. Canada enters the final year of his contract. Tomlin’s Steelers are 37-24 straight up in the preseason.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bucs are one team where the preseason will definitely matter because they have to choose Tom Brady’s immediate replacement between former No. 1 overall pick and Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield and 2021 second-round pick Kyle Trask. Mayfield was expected to win the job fairly easily with all his experience and will start this game but reportedly is having a rough camp to where Trask could win the job. Trask really has no edge having been with the team the past two seasons because he almost never saw the field and the Bucs now have a new offensive coordinator in Dave Canales.
The Steelers have seen Mayfield plenty from his Browns days. Tampa Bay head coach Todd Bowles enters on one of the hottest seats in the NFL after last year’s losing record even with Brady. Bowles’ teams dating to his Jets days are 7-12 SU in the preseason. Another major offensive change this year: The Bucs are moving All-Pro offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs from the right side to the left. Wirfs said he sought a sports psychologist to help him with the transition because of the anxiety it was causing him.
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