Buccaneers vs. Steelers Prediction, Odds, Spread, Trends for NFL Preseason Week 2

Sean Treppedi | Aug 16, 2025

Todd Bowles will be giving his starters some significant playing time against the Steelers in Saturday's preseason game. / Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Tampa opened the summer with a 29-7 rout of Tennessee behind a suffocating defense and a ground game that chewed through 41 carries, while Pittsburgh’s passing attack erupted in a 31-25 win over Jacksonville with Skylar Thompson throwing three touchdowns in relief of Mason Rudolph. 

This will be their first meeting since last year’s regular-season tilt, when the Bucs held off the Steelers 23-20, with both rosters undergoing textbook preseason management. The difference is that Todd Bowles will be leaning toward giving his starters meaningful snaps, while Mike Tomlin will be resting most of his. 

With Aaron Rodgers, DK Metcalf, Jonnu Smith, and T.J. Watt all confirmed out on Saturday, Pittsburgh’s lineup will look far closer to a depth-chart audition than a starting unit showcase, while Tampa enters with an intact core — just minus Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans.

Buccaneers vs. Steelers Prediction and Pick

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook

Run Line

• Buccaneers -2.5 (-115)
• Steelers +2.5 (-105)

Moneyline

• Buccaneers (-148)
• Steelers (+126)

Total

• Over 38.5 (-110)
• Under 38.5 (-110)

Buccaneers vs. Steelers How to Watch

• Date: Saturday, August 16, 2025
• Time: 7 p.m. ET
• Venue: Heinz Field
• How to Watch (TV): ABC
• Buccaneers Record: 1-0
• Steelers Record: 1-0

Buccaneers vs. Steelers Betting Trends

• Todd Bowles is 12-14 straight up and 14-12 against the spread in the preseason
• Mike Tomlin is 40-28 straight up and 37-30-1 against the spread in the preseason.

Buccaneers vs. Steelers Prediction and Pick

Bowles has confirmed most of his starting defense will play at least a series, and even a cameo from the Antoine Winfield Jr.-led secondary should be a sharp contrast to Jacksonville’s coverage unit that Pittsburgh picked apart last week. The Bucs front seven, now with Haason Reddick, can collapse pockets quickly enough to disrupt Rudolph and Thompson, neither of whom faced a sustained pass rush in Week 1 anyway. Then for the offense: Tampa has the rare luxury of preseason quarterback depth: Kyle Trask was hyper-efficient against the Titans (12-of-16, 129 yards), and Teddy Bridgewater — an 11-year veteran — will debut behind an offensive line returning all five starters from a division-winning season. 

Even without Mayfield, that’s a significant stability advantage over Pittsburgh, whose offensive line rotations will protect backup quarterbacks throwing to a receiving corps missing its WR1 and TE1. Tampa also has the more consistent run game, with Rachaad White and Bucky Irving capable of controlling tempo against a Steelers front missing Cam Heyward. Factor in that Bowles’ second-string defense allowed just 3.1 yards per play last week, and the matchup tilts toward a Buccaneers team that will be fielding more proven talent for longer stretches. In preseason betting, depth and rotation quality often outweigh star power — and Tampa checks both boxes decisively.

Pick: Bucs -2.5 (-115 at FanDuel)

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