Philadelphia Eagles vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Pick and Prediction for Wild Card Weekend (2022)

The Philadelphia Eagles are in the playoffs for the first time since 2019. Their reward? A road game against Tom Brady and the defending Super Bowl champions.

Philadelphia used a late-season surge to make the playoffs as a wild card. Tampa Bay was among the top contenders all season, moving up to the No. 2 spot in Week 18.

I think everyone knows the Buccaneers are the favorite, but what are the odds? Let’s check them out.

BetUS has the odds available for this wild card matchup.

The Philadelphia Eagles were a very respectable 10-7 against the spread this season. They also hit the over in four of their last five games.

On the other side, we have the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tampa Bay is no stranger to being big favorites. They’ve been a double-digit favorite 11 times this season, covering seven times.

Philadelphia rested most of their key players in Week 18, but they still have some question marks for Sunday’s game. They hope to have Miles Sanders back after he missed two games with a hand injury. Their offensive line could have a big boost if Lane Johnson and Landon Dickerson return.

The Buccaneers have dealt with a few key injuries lately. Thankfully it sounds like Leonard Fournette, Lavonte David, and Jason Pierre-Paul will return.

We have the betting trends and injury report. Now, it’s time to break down each team.

The Philadelphia Eagles playoff run isn’t one that many people saw coming. Their preseason Super Bowl odds were among the worst in the league, and they started the season 2-5.

That’s right around the time the Eagles reinvented their offense. They became a run-first team, leading them to new heights. Philadelphia won seven of their next nine games to make the playoffs.

Philadelphia’s only victory against a team over .500 was against the New Orleans Saints. They went 0-6 against playoff teams, including a 28-22 loss in Week 6 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

I know everyone thinks the Eagles run game will lead them to victory, but I don’t think that’ll work against the Buccaneers. Check out their defense this season.

Something will have to give because the Eagles offense leads the league in rushing yards. Jalen Hurts has one game over 200 passing yards since Week 7.

For Philadelphia, they need to establish the run game early. They failed to do that in their first matchup with Tampa Bay. They had success in the second half, but it was too late.

I know the Buccaneers pass defense isn’t great, but I wouldn’t trust Hurts to lead this team to victory. They need Miles Sanders, Jordan Howard, and Boston Scott to shoulder the workload.

Can the Eagles offense keep up with Tom Brady and the Buccaneers? Let’s check out my preview for Tampa Bay.

There was a lot of pressure on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this season. They came in as the defending Super Bowl champions, and you knew everyone was going to give them their best shot.

That didn’t seem to bother the Buccaneers. They went 13-4 to claim the No. 2 seed in the NFC. It’ll be nice to play at home after going on the road in the playoffs last season.

With Tampa Bay, everything goes through Tom Brady and the passing game. At 44 years old, Brady was as good as ever. Check out his numbers from the 2021 season.

Brady was on his way to winning MVP, but a late-season surge from Aaron Rodgers made Rodgers the MVP favorite.

The Philadelphia Eagles have a very respectable defense. They allowed the 10th-fewest yards, but their scoring defense only ranks 19th. That’s not ideal when you play a Buccaneers team that ranked second in yards and points.

Judging by the numbers, you’d say the Buccaneers’ weakness is their run game. However, they had no issues in their first matchup with the Eagles.

What’s interesting about that game is that Tampa Bay’s top two targets didn’t do much. Mike Evans and Chris Godwin combined for seven receptions and 70 yards. Antonio Brown and O.J. Howard were the leading receivers.

Philadelphia’s run defense is much better than in Week 6, but it’s hard to stop a Buccaneers team that arguably has the best offensive line.

The Buccaneers look dangerous, but the 2021 season showed there are no guarantees. Who am I going with for this wild card matchup? Here is my game pick.

This pick comes down to my faith in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and lack of confidence in the Philadelphia Eagles.

The loss of Chris Godwin hurt the Buccaneers, but they remain among the best teams in the league. They have enough talent to beat the Eagles by double digits. Philadelphia’s lack of success against playoff teams worries me. I also don’t think they’ll be able to run as effectively as they’d like.

Make sure you tune into the action Sunday at 1 p.m. ET on FOX. Bettors should keep an eye on our NFL picks page for more playoff picks and content.