The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in a weird position heading into their preseason Week 1 opener. Jameis Winston is having an impressive training camp, but he won’t be available once the regular season begins since his three-game suspension kicks in. But he can and will participate up to that point. And it appears as though Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill will take the field for the first time since December of 2016. Both clubs have plenty to prove as they head into a pivotal season for their head coaches.
This battle in Week 1 of the preseason will go down Thursday, August 9, 2018, at 7 p.m. ET at Hard Rock Stadium.
NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
Tampa Bay Buccaneers +1.5
Miami Dolphins -1.5
Over/Under 34
Odds Analysis
This game is as close to being a toss-up without actually being one. The Dolphins didn’t even get the standard field goal for home field advantage instead they opened as 1.5-point chalk for the in-state battle with the team from Tampa. Both teams did some major tinkering with rosters after missing the playoffs last season and it’ll be interesting to see how the first preseason game goes with the new players.
Players to Watch
It’s always about the quarterbacks in the NFL, but we’ll get a good look at the starters for both teams in this game. Tannehill is going to play on Thursday we just don’t know how long Adam Gase will keep him on the field. Tannehill was having a stellar campaign in 2016, leading the Fins to the postseason until he suffered an injury in Week 14 that forced him to miss the remainder of the year and the playoffs.
During training camp last season, Tannehill suffered a season-ending ACL tear, forcing the team to sign Jay Cutler to a one-year deal. The Fins went 6-10 missing the playoffs for the eighth time in nine seasons. “I’m excited to get out there and play some real football,” Tannehill said after a recent practice. He isn’t expected to play much, maybe a series or two, but it’s more than most starters play at this time of the season.
The Bucs need to get Winston and Ryan Fitzpatrick some reps and they’ll both see the field on Thursday. Fitzpatrick has been through this many times before during his lengthy career and he’ll be the team’s starter once the regular season begins, at least for the first three games. Winston can be with the team and play during the preseason, but once the regular season opens he is prohibited from being around the team’s practice facility.
In order to keep him sharp Dirk Koetter would like to get Winston as many snaps as possible, while also getting Fitz adequately prepared to start the year. And don’t forget about Ryan Griffin, who will serve as the backup during Winston’s suspension. It’s a balancing act for Koetter and his staff, who can’t afford a slow start in the most competitive division in football.
Coaching History
Both coaches popped up on the first-to-be-fired list during the offseason, but Gase probably has more slack than Koetter at this point. The Fins started retooling their roster last season and the purge continued this offseason. There’s a different culture in South Beach and it screams surprise. Gase split his eight preseason games, but he is 2-0 with a pair of covers in Week 1.
Koetter got a reprieve after he was nearly canned last season and that has to be an inspiration. There was some talk that the coach lost the locker room, but he’s back to give it another go. He has a 3-5 preseason record and is 0-2 in Week 1 with both games staying below the closing total.
Free ATS Pick
The Dolphins made a lot of adjustments to their roster since last preseason with hopes of changing the culture of the organization. We’ll see a lot of those new faces on Thursday and the biggest is Tannehill, who hasn’t played in nearly two full years. With a bunch of new players it’s up to Gase and his staff to milk a few wins out of the group to show the moves have paid off.
It’s a different story on the other side. Sure the Bucs would like to get a victory, but for them it’s about making sure the quarterback reps go to the right people and the players are given enough snaps to prepare for what’s ahead. I can see points being scored in this one with several series featuring starters and the Fins will come away with a victory on their own turf.
NFL Odds: Dolphins 23, Buccaneers 18
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook! This battle in Week 1 of the preseason will go down Thursday, August 9, 2018, at 7 p.m. ET at Hard Rock Stadium.
