Jets fans can watch the game’s GOAT quarterback possibly play his final game in New York Sunday.
Tom Brady and his recently-crowned NFC South Division Champion Buccaneers (11-4) invade MetLife Stadium for a showdown with the 4-11 Jets.
Yet, don’t count out the 44-year-old Brady. He is having an MVP-type season with 37 touchdowns, 11 interceptions, and completing 422 of 632 attempts (66.8) for 4,580 yards.
Tampa Bay could be in for a letdown after it clinched its division last week, but the Bucs are still battling for NFC seeding. It is easy to see how the betting odds list them as a favorite of almost two touchdowns.
Jets Vs. Buccaneers Betting Odds
| SPORTSBOOK | POINT SPREAD | MONEYLINE | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|
| DraftKings | Jets +13.5 (-110) Buccaneers -13.5 (-110) | Jets +550 Buccaneers -800 | Over 45 (-110) Under 45 (-110) |
| Caesars | Jets +13 (-110) Buccaneers -13 (-110) | Jets +550 Buccaneers -800 | Over 45.5 (-110) Under 45.5 (-110) |
| FanDuel | Jets +13 (-110) Buccaneers -13 (-110) | Jets +540 Buccaneers -770 | Over 45.5 (-110) Under 45.5 (-110) |
| BetMGM | Jets +13.5 (-110) Buccaneers -13.5 (-110) | Jets +500 Buccaneers -700 | Over 45.5 (-110) Under 45.5 (-110) |
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Buccaneers Update
The Bucs, who have shown some struggling periods this year, top the league with 309 passing yards per game and are in the lead in points scored per game (29.2) and total yards per game (401). They have allowed 21 sacks, the second-lowest total in the NFL.
Brady has looked via the air to the trio of Rob Gronkowski (41 catches), Antonio Brown (39), and Tyler Johnson (27).
This will be Brady’s first game in a Bucs uniform against the Jets, and he has a 29-6 lifetime record against the Green and White.
The Bucs’ lone glitch has been their running game that ranks 25th overall, gaining 101 yards per game. RB Ronald Jones, who has 402 rushing yards this season, will take over the lead role with Leonard Fournette out with an injury.
Bucs’ head coach Bruce Arians’ status was unclear due to a positive COVID test earlier in the week, and assistant head coach Harold Goodwin has handled the duties.
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Jets wary of Tom Brady’s talent
Jets’ head coach Robert Saleh will return to the sidelines after he missed last week’s game with COVID issues. Tight ends coach Ron Middleton led the team to victory over Jacksonville.
Saleh said he understands his team’s task at hand and realizes Brady’s overall presence.
“If you ever wanted to see what a coach would look like if he still had the ability to play, there he is, Tom,” Saleh said. “I mean he’s playing better than he’s ever played. I mean he looks phenomenal. His decision-making, all of it, he’s so precise, he gets rid of the ball and he knows what’s happening.”
It’s safe to say that it will be a mountainous task against the Jets’ defense, which had a decent showing in its 26-21 victory over Jacksonville last week in which it allowed Jaguars’ QB Trevor Lawrence 280 yards passing.
In spite of their victory, the Jets remains last in points allowed (29.9) and total yards allowed (391.3) per game. They rank 30th against the rush and 27th against the pass.
The unit also will not have defensive tackles Quinnen Williams and Sheldon Rankins, linebackers Jarrad Davis and Jamien Sherwood, safety Sharrod Neasman, and cornerback Bryce Hall — all of whom have been ruled out for the game.
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Jets’ Zach Wilson Showing Modest Improvement
Jets’ rookie QB Zach Wilson showed he can be an effective runner with 91 rushing yards, including a 52-yard touchdown run last week. Wilson has thrown for 2,013 yards with seven touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Wilson has thrown for 845 yards with two interceptions over the last five games.
Saleh said liked Wilson’s ability to run the football last week and that he sees progress with the rookie.
“He’s coming along,” Saleh said. “He’s getting more comfortable. He’s calmer back there. He’s in a great headspace and it’s going to be fun to watch him grow, continue to grow.”
Fellow rookie RB Michael Carter ran for a season-high 118 yards last week and has a total of 566 on the year. The Jets ran for 273 yards as a team last week.
Braxton Berrios, who had a 103-yard kickoff return for a score and caught five passes, will again team with Keelan Cole and Denzel Mims as the leading receivers.
The Jets’ offense has scored an average of 18.4 points per game, ranking 15th in passing and 26th in rushing. New York has allowed 43 sacks.
Familiar Face Leading Bucs Defense
Most people may forget that this will be former Jets’ head coach Todd Bowles’s first homecoming back to MetLife. Bowles proved that defense is his forte, as his unit helped the team to a Super Bowl title last season.
This season, the Bucs again are in the league’s top half, ranking ninth in points allowed (20.9), third in rushing defense (87.3), 24th in passing defense (289.6), and 10th in yardage allowed per game.
Shaquil Barrett leads the team with 9.5 sacks, and he has added 9 TFL, 50 tackles, and one interception, but he is out for the rest of the regular season with a knee injury. The Bucs are also missing LB Lavonte David. Devin White leads the team in tackles with 122, including 7 TFL, and 3.5 sacks. Antoine Winfield Jr. leads the team with two interceptions and has added 72 tackles, 3 TFL, 1 sack, and six passes defended.
Injuries
The Bucs are banged up and COVID-ridden. Brown (ankle) and Winfield were listed as questionable (ankle) as well as DE Jason Pierre-Paul and CB Richard Sherman (Achilles).
WRs Mike Evans (COVID) and Chris Godwin (ACL) along with RB Leonard Fournette (hamstring), OG Sadarius Hutcherson (ACL), and CBs Sean Murphy-Bunting (COVID) and Jamel Dean (COVID) have been ruled out.
The Jets’ defense will be severely hampered by the absences of Neasman, Hall, and Williams all to COVID along with Sherwood (Achilles), Rankins (knee) and CB Zane Lewis (knee).
Center Connor McGovern (knee), RB Tevin Coleman (COVID), and TE Tyler Kroft (COVID) being out places a damper on the offense. Coleman has been a perfect complement lately for Carter.
Jets Vs. Buccaneers Betting Analysis
The Jets may have a legitimate shot here with the Bucs’ defense suffering some recent hits. Wilson and Carter will both need big efforts, and the Jets’ patchwork defense can’t afford to give up big plays. Jets’ offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur will need to be creative again as he was last week with even more wrinkles. Kicker Eddy Piniero, who has been effective since he joined the team a few weeks ago, could be a factor.
Brady doesn’t have all of his weapons so look for more of a typical Brady-like Patriots’ methodical effort. Bowles certainly will pressure Wilson with a number of blitzes, and his run defense could cause major issues for Carter.
The Jets are 5-10 against the spread overall and 3-5 ATS at home, and the Bucs 8-7 ATS overall and 3-5 against the spread on the road.
Jets Vs. Buccaneers Betting Picks
Point Spread (Take Buccaneers -13.5)
The Jets don’t have enough weapons on both sides of the ball. If the Jets did, they could make it an interesting game with the Bucs also missing some key people on both sides of the ball.
Total (Take over 45)
With injuries and COVID issues on both sides, this should be a slow-paced game. Brady should be able to do enough to keep the Bucs in control even without Evans. It will be tight, but the Bucs should cover.
Player Props (Zach Wilson under 210.5 passing yards at DraftKings; Over 0.5 passing TDs at Caesars)
Wilson will have trouble running the ball unlike in his 91-yard effort last week that included a 52-yard scoring scamper. He hasn’t hit the 210-yard mark since Dec. 5 against the Eagles, and he has done it four times this season.
Score Prediction: Buccaneers 30, Jets 16
About the Author — Jeff Moeller
Jeff has covered countless sports events on the high school, collegiate and professional levels in Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey for 37 years. He has worked for The Associated Press, Gannett, and numerous weeklies, dailies, wire services, and websites.