CBS: Fade The Bucs
February 20th, 2026
It seems our friends in the desert have Bucs coach Todd Bowles figured out.
Looking at the win-totals for the Bucs since Bowles took over, the Bucs have eight, nine, 10 and nine wins. So the gambling crowd from DraftKings has decided to average things out to establish the Bucs’ win-total line for 2026. Per R.J. White of CBS, DraftKings has set the Bucs’ season-win total at 8.5 wins.
So if you take the over, you are banking on the Bucs having a winning record. If you take the under, you’re betting on the Bucs having a losing record in back-to-back seasons.
White also thinks gamblers should fade the Bucs’ 8.5 win-total. In other words, bet on the under.
The Bucs are also a strong fade at plus odds having to go up against both L.A. teams.
If the Bucs end up with a losing record, that means Bowles will have a losing record in three of his five seasons as the Bucs’ head coach, including his last two.
Team Glazer generally sets its intolerance level for losing at two straight losing seasons.
February 20th, 2026 at 12:24 am
8.5+8.5=17 hmmm 8.5 That is .500. How could they have come to that one…? HAHAHAH This season is a goner. If they get rid of Dean, Evan, and others an keep Bilgewater you know the fix is in.
February 20th, 2026 at 12:52 am
Going by the end of last season, I would be SHOCKED if the Bucs get 7-8 wins…
With that schedule and subpar coaching, 7 wins is likely the Bucs ceiling…
February 20th, 2026 at 1:10 am
He has 8, 9 , 10 and 8, not 9. Let’s not gift him anything.
Speaking of gifts you forgot to factor in what happens if Todd wins the glazers another participation trophy/nfc south championship in ‘26 at 8-9.
Will the home playoff game and extra money be enough to save him yet again?
February 20th, 2026 at 1:19 am
Oh yeah, awesome….def taking the under (nothing against the players, its the D scheme and Todd.
February 20th, 2026 at 1:35 am
8-9
9-8
10-7
8-9
Average wins in a season = 8.75
It’s really hard to win in the NFL. An average of 9 wins is a winning record. Bowles is almost there.
February 20th, 2026 at 2:16 am
Looks like a brutal schedule this season….
Bowles defensive scheme just exposes players if we have no pash rush…
Simple as that 🤷🏻♂️..
Honestly, wouldn’t be surprised if we see below 6 wins…
February 20th, 2026 at 2:27 am
Yeah. I’m taking under. Except for the “we just have to coach better”. That, I’ll take the over.
February 20th, 2026 at 5:18 am
I know the media has to fill up space even during dead times in the football year like this, but it’s rather ridiculous making ANY predictions at this point in the season. None of us have the foggiest idea what OUR roster will look like come Game 1 in September, nor what any of our opponents rosters will look like.
What we do know at this point is who our 2026 opponents will be. We know that we’ll play all 4 teams in the AFC North and the NFC North. We also get to play the Chargers, Rams, Cowboys and the other 3 teams in our own NFC South twice.
Those 17 games resulted in 141 wins, 146 losses & 2 ties in 2025. And only 4 teams had 10 or more wins (Chargers, Rams, Steelers, Bears). Another 4 teams had 10 or more losses. The rest had mediocre, middle-of-the-pack records last season … just like we did.
Some will fix their major problems and improve. Some will fix very little and struggle once again. It’s not a matter of being overly-positive or overly-negative at this point about the 2026 Bucs. None of us have enough information at this point to be either. Should be a fun ride though. Usually is with the Bucs.
February 20th, 2026 at 5:35 am
Take some action now on the under assuming the Bucs will not be a major player in free agency and-or trading draft capital to get better now. If they just dabble and keep future picks, they’re definitely tanking in 2026 to draft a franchise QB in high 2027. Then plunge your lungs on the under! Note: Keeping Bowles is strong signal they’re intentionally tanking this season.
February 20th, 2026 at 5:43 am
MadMax … ‘nothing against the players, its the D scheme and Todd’.
Like you Max, I’m not enamoured with the defensive scheme that’s been run, nor with Todd Bowles being BOTH the HC AND DC. But I do take issue with the players on defense: nearly half should be replaced because they’re not talented enough to contribute to winning us another championship.
Right now (under contract) here’s who I’d keep on defense:
o Safety: Winfield, T Smith, JJ Roberts (if he’s back healthy).
o CB: McCollum, Morrison, Parrish
o ILB: Dennis
o OLB: Diaby, Nelson, D Walker, Braswell (or Mohamed Kamara if he performs better in Training Camp)
o DLine: Vea, Kancey, E Roberts
That’s 14 players. I’d also re-sign FA Izien (Safety). That’s 15.
So we’d still need 1 Safety, 2 CB, 3 ILB, 1 OLB, 3 DLine beasts. We could potentially get as many as 4-5 of those from the draft, but we’ll need to be very active in free agency to pick up 5-6 more defenders who can really help us. By redoing some high-value contracts, Bucs can easily get $80-$100 mil to spend on free agency & draft picks. We just have to spend wisely.
February 20th, 2026 at 6:19 am
I see the Bucs at 9 wins top, 7 wins bottom, so yeah, 8 is in the middle of the two. The under is probably the way to go.
At least the two L.A. games are at home and West coast teams don’t always travel well to the East coast.
I’d be much more concerned that we play the entire NFC Central with away games at Chicago and Detroit. In fact, in addition to all of the NFC South teams, the entire Bucs away schedule is brutal.
That said, the rest of the division has the same or worse brutal schedule, with the exception of the Saints. The Saints get Cardinals, Giants, Raiders. The Falcons get 49ers, Commanders, Chiefs. Panthers get Seahawks, Eagles, Broncos. Bucs get Rams, Cowboys, Chargers.
February 20th, 2026 at 6:29 am
“”None of us have the foggiest idea what OUR roster will look like come Game 1 in September, nor what any of our opponents rosters will look like.””
Very true DR but what we do know is we’ll have the worst coach in the entire NFL back directing this team right into oblivion again.
3rd and 28.
We as coaches have done all we can.
February 20th, 2026 at 8:07 am
Hc/DC is still the same everyone sees it but the glazers bad clock management bad in game decisions bad defensive scheme just a bad hc in general but culture right at least the culture is good I guess so that’s like we won the whole season before it even started yay go bucs.
February 20th, 2026 at 8:21 am
Before last season started I thought the Bucs would win all their NFCS games, The Bucs went 3-3. The Panthers and Falcons are both improving. The Saints are still in salary cap hell.
February 20th, 2026 at 8:26 am
The question is:
Are defensive players developing to slow because of the scheme. Are they focusing on to many things and not becoming good at any??????
February 20th, 2026 at 8:35 am
Yes the fix is in. Ira picked the Bucs to win like 11 games now suddenly this is a team without talent. Bowles is trash and there is nothing about his coaching history that says otherwise or that he should have gotten a contract extension. This team is extending everybody no matter how mediocre it is
February 20th, 2026 at 8:42 am
Fire Bowles now
February 20th, 2026 at 8:54 am
GREAT teams have coaches that can ADJUST their schemes to get the most out of their players talents. Todd refuses to tweak his system to fit the talent he has on the roster. Pretty much this is the way it is going to be – if you can’t buy into it , you will suck or will be gone. His player development is non-existent.
February 20th, 2026 at 9:03 am
Agree
The defense will be more of the same
RINSE AND REPEAT
SMH
February 20th, 2026 at 9:17 am
I just don’t understand this talk about the defensive players not being able to pick up the scheme. Maybe have the opposing QB explain it to them, they don’t seem to have any trouble figuring it out, heck even rookie QB’s go through it like a hot knife through butter.
February 20th, 2026 at 9:39 am
Go Bucs!!!! Fire Todd Bowles
February 20th, 2026 at 10:54 am
Slamming the under. You might get better value after the first 3 weeks. Bowles likes to start out hot. Then the mid season collapse will take place like it does every year and it will be all over after that.
February 20th, 2026 at 11:20 am
The odds are determined by an average but past performance can be misleading. The PATRIOTS were very poor the previous year and made the Super Bowl. The media’s bias shows its ugly head consistently every year. It’s on full display in 2026. The odds of injuries returning this year should be less, and first year players will improve, free agency and the 2026 draft could return the Bucs to the playoffs
Bowles coaching changes hopefully make a difference too, especially at OC. If Evans returns again, that’s a good sign the Bucs will be a playoff team.
February 20th, 2026 at 11:44 am
Moderated to nowhere for no reason.
Nice Joe
February 20th, 2026 at 12:29 pm
Already cancelled Sunday ticket for next year.
February 20th, 2026 at 1:15 pm
dah. Betting the under is the lock of the year. In all honesty, 8.5 wins is too high, especially with that schedule.