Are the Buccaneers the Safest Super Bowl Bet?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a prime example of teams that can win the Super Bowl without having the greatest odds, or even good odds. Sure, we know they’d contend in 2020 with the arrival of Tom Brady, but we were all asking ourselves if the then 43-year-old Brady had anything left.

Especially following a season in which he only completed 60 percent of his passes. Then, Brady did what he does best: He proved to the entire NFL Universe that even a 43-year-old (44 in 2021) can take it to opponents, some of whom are literally half his age.

His powers are not weak, nor are they weakening. Therefore, the Buccaneers face far more favorable odds to win the Super Bowl in 2021. Today’s post will break down if the Bucs can make another run at the big game, and whether they’re a good bet heading into 2021. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Offseason

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers did little to improve their championship roster. But unlike many championship rosters, they retained everyone. The only real notable free-agent signing was Giovani Bernard, who comes over from a bleak situation in Cincinnati.

Next to Bernard, the Bucs signed low-key gadget players and even drafted for the future. Kyle Trask was their most notable draft pick, and he’s in the prime position to eventually succeed Brady.

Besides Trask, even linebacker Joe Tryon will likely sit the bench or rotate in and out for a handful of snaps. They picked him in the first round, despite already boasting a strong unit that includes Devin White, Lavonte David, Jason Pierre-Paul, and Shaq Barrett.

The Bucs, however, lost a few key contributors via free agency or retirement. Players like A.Q. Shipley, Andrew Adams, Antony Auclair, and Joe Haeg played vital roles in the team’s Super Bowl run, especially in the regular season. Therefore, it shows us a few backups must step up to fill the next man-up role. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Offense

Tom Brady is virtually another species. Though an outlier, he’s proving to everyone age is only a number if you take care of yourself, exercise regularly, eat right, and most importantly, remain motivated.

Brady may be the first 44-year-old to perform at a high level, but as we move further into the 2020s, he won’t be the last. This time last year, we saw a massive decline in his numbers. Then he answered with over 4,600 passing yards, 40 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, and he even rushed for scores.

Rob Gronkowski, a teammate of Brady’s in New England, unretired. He struggled early, but shook off the rust and recorded 45 receptions and 7 touchdowns, re-emerging as Brady’s undisputed TE1.

They still have Cameron Brate and O.J. Howard on the roster. And both could start for at least half the league’s teams. And that doesn’t include the best WR!/WR2 duo in Chris Godwin and Mike Evans, nor a serviceable speedster WR3 in Scott Miller.

They still have Ronald Jones, who has evolved from perennial draft bust into one of the league’s most dangerous backs. Leonard Fournette spells Jones him, and is effective in short-yardage situations, much like a modern-day Jerome Bettis.

Then there’s Ke’Shawn Vaughn, who excelled in a cameo role. Like the tight ends, Vaughn could probably go somewhere else in the league to serve as an RB1 as opposed to an RB3.

On the offensive line, Tristan Wirfs proved to be the best offensive lineman in the 2020 NFL Draft Class. Donovan Smith started 15 games and excelled at right tackle, while Alex Cappa and Ryan Jenson started all 16 games. Ali Marpet is a late-bloomer who is nearly playing at Pro Bowl Status these days.

In short, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers should improve from their 7th-ranked offense in 2020, which also finished 2nd in passing. As long as Brady continues to excel as a starting quarterback and refuses a career expiration date, the Buccaneers are once again one of the league’s safer Super Bowl bets.

But offense is just one side of the equation, so let’s talk defense. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Defense

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ defense boasted that championship-caliber level for a second straight season. Sure, Brady helped catapult this team over the top to win their first Super Bowl Championship since 2002. But we often forget just how well the defense played in 2019.

Problem was, Jameis Winston proved to be a turnover machine and gave opponents short fields to work with. That wasn’t the case in 2020, and the defense responded by allowing just 22.2 points per game, good for 8th in the league.

Given the evolution of players like Antoine Winfield, Carlton Davis, Sean Murphy-Bunting, and Jordan Whitehead, it’s also a safe bet to say that their 21st-ranked passing defense will improve in 2021.

All 4 starters in the secondary are in the 4th season or less, so expect leaps and bounds. In fact, at this point, only Ross Cockrell has over 3 seasons of experience in the entire secondary. Everyone else is heading into their 4th season at most.

However, the Buccaneers will still boast a strong front seven, and it begins with pass rush aces Jason Pierre-Paul and Shaq Barrett. Pierre-Paul and Barrett combined for 17.5 sacks in 2020, with linebacker Devin White pitching in with 8 sacks. White also led the team with 140 tackles, with David taking second with 117.

Ndamukong Suh heads into his 12th season and continues to go at full go. No, he’s not the overly aggressive player he once was, which at one point earned him the dishonor as the “league’s dirtiest player,” he’s one of the most consistent in the game here in 2021.

Vita Vea missed most of last season with a leg injury. But at 347lb, his agility is akin to a dancing bear. The nose tackle also showed in his limited showcase back in 2020 that he can take on one of the most physically demanding positions in the NFL, consistently shredding double and sometimes triple teams.

Tevita Tuliʻakiʻono Tuipulotu Mosese Vaʻhae Fehoko Faletau “Vita” Vea 😁 pic.twitter.com/u5tkpe2E4c

— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) April 17, 2021

If there’s ever a new version of Ted Washington (6’5, 365), it’s Vea.

Finally, William Gholston led the Bucs with 20 quarterback hits in 2020. He’s a jack-of-all-trades defensive end. Never quite putting up big numbers, but he serves the team as an adequate run-stuffer and pass rusher.

Kicker Ryan Succop is arguably the most successful Mr. Irrelevant in NFL history. The final pick of the 2009 NFL Draft, Succop had a bounce-back season in Tampa and earned a raise for his efforts.

Punter Bradley Pinion led the NFL in touchbacks and routinely won the field position game for the Bucs. Yes, punters have among the game’s most overlooked and important roles and without Pinion, they never would’ve been as successful.  

Are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a Safe Bet?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers currently hold +550 to win the Super Bowl, odds provided by BetUS. As of late July 2021, the Bucs odds are the best in the NFC, and second only to the Kansas City Chiefs, despite their 31-9 thrashing over the AFC Champions in 2020.

Look for yet another successful season from the Buccaneers and yes, if you’re looking for a top-tier NFL team to place a bet, the Buccaneers are a great option. Not that they will repeat, but when you narrow choices down to just a few teams, it’s smart to strongly consider the Buccaneers.

They finished in the top ten in both offense and defense in 2020, and by returning all 22 starters (11 on offense, 11 on defense), they have one more season of experience playing as a group than the league’s other 31 teams. 

If you like to be conservative with your bets or if you’re cool with the lower-risk, low-to-moderate reward approach, the Buccaneers are also a good team to take that low risk on. As long as Tom Brady remains in Tampa, this will remain the case. 

Place Your Bets Now!

Conclusion

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are among the league’s most experienced teams with a healthy mix of veterans and young players, led by the greatest quarterback of all time in Tom Brady. Odds are, this team will win the division and make a deep playoff run.

And especially on offense, they boast a deep roster that even if the injury bug hits them, expect a next man up mentality. That’s assuming the bug does not hit Brady. But hey, we all discovered it hit him last year when he played all season with a torn MCL. So maybe even the injury bug won’t stop this team.

What are your thoughts on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers? Do you like them as a legit contender to win Super Bowl LVI? And if so, are you betting on them? Let us know in the comments.