Bengals vs. Bucs NFL Week 15 Odds, Props, Predictions for Marquee Matchup

NFL Week 15 features a matchup between two teams looking to make a final push for the playoffs. Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals make the trip to Florida to battle it out with Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Let’s dive into the Bengals vs. Buccaneers odds, props, and a prediction. 

Bengals vs. Buccaneers Betting Lines: Points Spread, Moneyline, Total

The Bengals opened as a slight -2 point favorite on last week’s look-ahead line. After their impressive victory against the Browns (while the Bucs laid an egg against the 49ers), the line re-opened at -3 on Sunday evening. Money has flowed steadily on the Bengals and moved the line another point higher. The point spread currently sits at -4 across most major sportsbooks.

The total for this matchup opened at 42 points. Bettors expect a high-scoring affair, as the total has been pushed as high as 44 points at most sportsbooks.

Here are the latest odds from legal US sportsbooks on this NFL Week 15 showdown.

Cincinnati Bengals vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Betting News

The Cincinnati Bengals are building momentum at the right time. After a fairly average start to their season, the Bengals have flourished, winning five straight games. All of a sudden, this scrappy squad from the AFC North has emerged as a Super Bowl contender in the tougher of the two conferences.

Many pundits predicted the Bengals’ playoff hopes were toast after star receiver Ja’Marr Chase went down with a hip injury in Week 7. But Burrow and company played through the adversity, winning three of four games without Chase in the lineup. Since his return, the good times keep rolling. Chase was a big factor in the Bengals’ upset victory over the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead two weeks ago.

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Despite their losing record, the 6-7 Tampa Bay Buccaneers currently sit atop the miserable NFC South division. Brady and company have failed to build any sort of team chemistry and have looked lost in each of their games this season.

The Bucs have been outplayed in just about every matchup this season. Four of their six victories have come by less than a single score and without a few last-minute Brady heroics, the Bucs’ playoff hopes would have been dashed weeks ago. In their losses, however, the Bucs have been stomped. Blowout losses to the 49ers, Cowboys, and Panthers (!) indicate just how awful this team has been. Their one-sided offense ranks 29th in the league, averaging just north of 17 points per game on the season. And their rushing attack? Dead last in every relevant statistical category. 

Cincinnati Bengals vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Betting Trends

Cincinnati Bengals

• The Bengals are 5-0 straight up (SU) and against the spread (ATS) in their last five games
• The Bengals are 0-5 ATS in their last five games against the Buccaneers
• The total has gone Under in eight of the Bengals’ 13 games this season
• The total has gone Over in seven straight Bengals’ games against the NFC South

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

• The Buccaneers are 1-10 ATS in their last 11 games
• The Buccaneers are 4-1 SU in their last five games at home
• The total has gone Under in 10 of their last 13 games
• The Buccaneers are 0-5 in their last five games against the AFC North

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Cincinnati Bengals vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Prediction

As of writing, bettors are heavily favoring the Bengals in this NFL Week 15 matchup. More than 80% of the tickets have come in on Burrow and the Bengals. What’s more, heavy hitters are targeting the visiting team as more than 85% of the money wagered has flowed toward the Bengals as well.

In spite of the fact this line has already moved from -2 to -4, it still feels about two points too low. Seven-time Super Bowl Champion Tom Brady continues to get a lot of respect from both the betting public and bookmakers, but this Bucs team is terrible.

The Bengals are averaging more than 26 points per game on offense, almost ten points higher than the Bucs. Look for this team to keep their winning streak alive with a statement victory on the road in Tampa Bay.

The Pick: Cincinnati Bengals (- 4)

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Cincinnati Bengals vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Props

Cincinnati Bengals Over 23.5 Team Total Points (-115 DraftKings)

While backing the Bengals against the point spread is the more popular bet this week, there’s another way to get some exposure on their high-octane offense. For this, we turn to the prop market and target the Bengals’ team total.

The Bengals’ offense has been explosive this season, averaging more than 26 points per game. They’ve also cleared this reasonable number in seven of their last ten games, making this a sneaky way to back the Bengals against a far inferior opponent.

Cincinnati Bengals To Win Both Halves (+250 FanDuel)

Not to bang the drum TOO hard, but the Bengals are a lot better than the Bucs.

Betting a team to win both halves carries some risk, as garbage time points are always possible for the losing team. I just don’t see a scenario where the Bucs can hang with the Bengals this week. Any prop offering plus money on the better squad is worth a small splash. Looks for the Bengals to get out to an early lead and keep their foot on the gas. Brady’s last-minute theatrics are stuff of legend. Don’t expect the Bengals to make the same mistake the Saints did…

Bengals vs. Buccaneers Broadcast and Game Day Information

• Game Day: Sunday, Dec. 18th, 2022
• Game Time: 4:25 p.m. ET
• Location: Raymond James Stadium | Tampa Bay, Florida
• Channel: CBS

Also read: NFL Week 15 odds | Super Bowl 57 odds