The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-8) and Miami Dolphins (6-9) face off in NFL Week 17 on Sunday, December 28. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET from Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. The game will broadcast live on FOX.
The Buccaneers are 5.5-point favorites over the Dolphins on the spread (Buccaneers -5.5), with the over/under set at 44.5 total points. Tampa Bay is a -250 favorite to win outright, while Miami is +210 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Buccaneers vs Dolphins prediction.
Buccaneers vs Dolphins Prediction
- Buccaneers vs Dolphins pick: Over 44.5 (-110)
My Buccaneers vs Dolphins best bet is on the over. Find the best odds by checking our live NFL odds page.
Buccaneers vs Dolphins Odds
| Buccaneers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-5.5 -115 | 44.5 -110o / -110u | -250 |
| Dolphins Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+5.5 -105 | 44.5 -110o / -110u | +210 |
Buccaneers vs Dolphins NFL Week 17 Preview
Believe it or not, the Dolphins' defensive numbers are actually a bit inflated from a bunch of favorable matchups over the course of the season. They have faced the Jets, Falcons and Saints; the Dolphins haven't really been tested.
Also, I still think the Buccaneers' offense is destined to wake up soon.
Things are looking real bad for Tampa Bay right now. Baker Mayfield might be hurt, plus the Bucs have been heavily leaning on the run. Nobody really knows what’s going on with this team — but I think we are going to see this offense come to life at some point.
The Buccaneers' receivers are all back and healthy. Bucky Irving is back. I just don't see them continuing to consistently underperform like this.
I definitely expect the Bucs to put up points in this game. But I’m not betting on Tampa Bay on the spread or moneyline, mainly because the Dolphins are also capable of scoring points in bunches.
I thought QB Quinn Ewers played a little bit better than the stat sheet showed last week. Even though he had no touchdowns and a couple of picks, he still managed to rack up 8.7 yards per attempt.
If Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel thinks he gives them a better chance than Tua Tagovailoa, then that is saying something.
WR Jaylen Waddle has also been playing well for the Dolphins. Even if they don't have much defensively, their offense is sneaky solid.
Meanwhile, the Bucs are playing below what they're capable of. Their offense is bound to wake up, and their defense has kind of fallen off a cliff. Tampa Bay's defense hasn’t been very good for a couple of months now. Overall, things haven’t really worked out fortunately for them.
Tampa Bay is 1-6 straight up (SU) in its last seven games after starting 6-2, and after last week, the Bucs have now lost seven consecutive games against the spread (ATS).
Buccaneers vs Dolphins Prediction, Betting Analysis
I think both of these teams are going to be able to score points in this game. We might even see a little bit of a back-and-forth shootout.
The weather forecast is currently calling for 75 degrees and clear skies in Miami on Sunday afternoon. However, the game is in South Florida, so you never know for certain.
Pick: Over 44.5 (-110)
Spread
I'm not betting either side of the spread in this game.
Moneyline
No play on the total.
Over/Under
My Dolphins vs. Buccaneers betting prediction is on the over.
