How To Watch Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Washington Commanders NFL Wild Card: Preview, Betting Odds

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are hosting the Washington Commanders on Sunday at 5 p.m. PT as part of the NFL Wild Card Round. The offenses of both Tampa Bay and Washington feature dynamic rookies in Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving and Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels.

A fan-favorite during his time with the Oregon Ducks, Irving led all rookies in rushing yards with 1,122. His 392 receiving yards game him 1,514 yards from scrimmage, leading all rookies as well. Midway through the year, Irving replaced Rachaad White as Tampa Bay's starting running back.

According to Pro Football Focus, Irving was the highest-rated rookie during the regular season. Right behind him, however, was Daniels. The rookie quarterback out of LSU is the betting favorite to win Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Sep 8, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (7) runs with the ball as Washington Commanders linebacker Frankie Luvu (4) tackles during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

How to Watch:

The Tampa Bay vs. Washington game will kick off at 5 p.m. PT and will be broadcast on national TV by NBC.

Betting Odds:

According to oddsmakers across the major sportsbooks, the spread favors Tampa Bay over Washington by three points. The Buccaneers' moneyline line is set at -165 while the Commanders are +135. The over/under points total is 50.5.

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Preview:

The odds indicate that Sunday night's matchup between the Buccaneers and Commanders will be a close one. Tampa Bay is the home team as the No. 3 seed by finishing the regular season 10-7 and winning the NFC South. Washington finished 12-5, but the Eagles won the NFC East with a record of 14-3. The Commanders hold the No. 6 seed as the second wild card team behind the Minnesota Vikings.

Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield has a 2-2 playoff record in his career, winning a game in the postseason with the Buccaneers and the Cleveland Browns. In four playoff games, Mayfield has thrown 10 touchdowns and three interceptions, averaging 288.3 passing yards per game.

Dec 29, 2024; Landover, Maryland, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) looks on while leaving the field after defeating the Atlanta Falcons at Northwest Stadium. | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

For Daniels, the Washington quarterback will be making his postseason debut against Tampa Bay. Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix and Daniels are the only rookie quarterbacks to lead their teams to the playoffs.

Irving was listed on the Buccaneers' official injury report during the week with an injured shoulder and shin, but he was a full participant in the team's practices. Other Tampa Bay starters are listed as questionable such as safety Antoine Winfield Jr. and cornerback Jamel Dean.

Washington's injury report also features key players like wide receiver Terry McLaurin and tight end Zach Ertz who both did not particpate in Wednesday's practice. Their status for the game remains unspecified.

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