Draft Kings, one of many outstanding fantasy soccer and sports activities betting websites, has come out with its projected NFL staff win totals for the 2024 season forward of subsequent month’s draft.
Whereas Las Vegas sees the Bucs profitable extra video games than final 12 months’s predicted over-under of 6.5 wins, Tampa Bay is projected to have fewer wins than Atlanta this 12 months.
The Bucs at the moment have an over-under of 8.5 wins in 2024, whereas the Falcons are projected to have an over-under of 10.5 wins this season. That’s the best projected win whole of any staff within the NFC South.
This isn’t surprising, with former Minnesota quarterback Kirk Cousins signing with Atlanta this offseason. That transfer makes the Falcons the present favorites to win the division within the eyes of Vegas. It ought to be famous that Atlanta, which is coming off three consecutive 7-10 seasons, has a model new teaching workers led by head coach Raheem Morris. And Cousins solely has a 1-3 report within the postseason.
The arrival of quarterback Derek Carr in New Orleans final 12 months made the Saints the early favorites to win the NFC South. The Saints really tied the Bucs with a 9-8 report, however Tampa Bay gained the NFC South for a 3rd straight 12 months attributable to a tiebreaker benefit.
Bucs DT Vita Vea and Saints QB Derek Carr – Picture by: USA Right now
New Orleans is projected to take a step again this season, based on Draft Kings. The Saints’ over-under for 2024 is 7.5 wins.
Carolina, which additionally has a brand new head coach in former Bucs offensive coordinator Dave Canales, completed 2-15 final season with the worst report within the NFL. Draft Kings has the over-under for the Panthers at 4.5 wins together with the New England Patriots.
The Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, the defending Tremendous Bowl champions, together with the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers have the best over-under at 11.5 wins in 2024.
The Chiefs are the present Tremendous Bowl favourite at -110, adopted by the Ravens at +110 and the 49ers at +125.
Bucs Have No Drawback Being Neglected Once more
Bucs head coach Todd Bowles – Picture by: Adam Slivon/PR
Tampa Bay handled disrespect from Las Vegas and the nationwide media final 12 months, which projected the Bucs to complete with double-digit losses and a Prime 10 draft choose following Tom Brady’s retirement. However the signing of quarterback Baker Mayfield energized the offense and led to Tampa Bay bettering its scoring from 18 factors per sport in Brady’s final season to 21 factors per sport in 2023.
Head coach Todd Bowles and his staff improved from an 8-9 report in 2022 to a 9-8 report final 12 months, along with profitable a house playoff sport over Philadelphia. Tampa Bay superior to the Divisional spherical of the NFC playoffs earlier than dropping at Detroit, 31-23. The Bucs fought arduous and that sport was tied heading into the fourth quarter.
Tampa Bay embraced the underdog position final 12 months and shrugged off being counted out earlier than the 2023 marketing campaign even started. The Bucs will take the identical strategy this offseason and use it as gas for the common season come September.
“It’s no completely different,” Bowles mentioned Tuesday on the NFL Annual Assembly on Tuesday. “If you speak about respect, Aretha Franklin might be the one one who will get that. Everyone else … you type of float. We’re not attempting to win the offseason. We’re attempting to win the season. So our focus would be the similar. It fuels a whole lot of us. It fuels a whole lot of the gamers. We prepare to return again and attempt to defend our title like we did, and simply go additional within the playoffs. That’s all we fear about this time of 12 months.”
Bucs basic supervisor Jason Licht echoed Bowles’ sentiment.
“That’s tremendous with me,” Licht mentioned. “I like being the underdog. This staff likes being the underdog. I like holding receipts.”
