Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. New York Jets Matchup Preview (1/2/22): Betting Odds, Depth Charts, Live Stream (Watch Online)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. New York Jets Matchup Preview (1/2/22)

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have officially clinched their place in the 2021 NFL playoffs after last week’s win against the Carolina Panthers. They also have secured their first NFC South division title since 2007. The Bucs are still fighting for the NFC conference lead to receive the bye week, and a win against the Jets can secure that spot. The New York Jets have been struggling to keep themselves afloat all season. They were ruled out of the playoffs weeks ago, but they’re still trying to get their rookie quarterback more reps to build confidence. This matchup is set between one of the league’s best teams and one of the league’s worst teams. There have been upsets of this magnitude in the past, but it seems very unlikely for the mighty and merciless Buccaneers to lose to a weak and inexperienced Jets.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. New York Jets Betting Odds

This matchup seems like one of the easiest games to bet. The Bucs have a history of putting up large point values and significant yards, while the Jets’ defense hasn’t been able to stop the most mediocre teams. Betting against Tom Brady is always something to contemplate heavily, for he rarely disappoints. In this matchup, the spread is given a hefty gap with the Bucs -12.5 (-110) and the Jets +12.5 (-110). I am usually very wary of taking the spread with a large variety in numbers, but it seems very feasible to accomplish. The Bucs average around 30 points a game, whereas the Jets are averaging 18.4 points per game. The Jets also have one of the worst defenses in the league when the Bucs have the best offense in the league, making for a high potential scoring game for the Bucs. Tom Brady is still trying to recover from a very disappointing performance against the Saints and wants to reestablish himself and help clinch an NFC lead, so he won’t take it easy on the Jets

The over/under has been set at 45.5 points. If Tom Brady returns to his usual play, this can be an easy accomplishment for the Bucs. The Bucs are missing Leonard Fournette and Mike Evans, but they have other powerhouses that can carry the team to high point sums. The Jets have shown improvement with the growing confidence of their rookie QB, leaving me to believe they have chances to score at least once. Because of this, I would project taking the over.

Final Predictions: Bucs Win 35-13, Bucs cover the spread, Over 45.5

TV Schedule

Date: 1/2/22
Time: 1:00 PM ET
Location: Metlife Stadium
TV Coverage: FOX

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. New York Jets Live Stream

Where can you watch Buccaneers vs. Jets online? You can stream this game, and many other NFL games live online with Hulu. Hulu has a 7 Day free trial and is cheaper than cable options at $5.99/month. Watch Buccaneers vs. Jets Free Online Now.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Analysis

As we all know, Tom Brady is the greatest quarterback in the league. However, he has been struggling a bit in his last few games. Against the Saints, Brady and the Bucs were not able to score on any of their drives. They were shut out by their NFC South rivals, which caused one of the biggest upsets this season. He improved again in his last game against the Panthers but was only able to reach 232 passing yards. He normally averages 305 yards per game but hasn’t reached his average in his past two games. The Jets have one of the worst defenses in the league, so Brady will have ample opportunity to find his receivers for yards downfield. Even with a missing Fournette and Evans, Brady will still be able to have unusual completions to keep his team afloat.

In place of Leonard Fournette, the Bucs will start Ronald Jones II. Although he isn’t as large of a target for the Bucs offense, Jones II can hold the place for Fournette fairly well. On the season, he has 402 rushing yards on 91 attempts. Since Fournette has been on the sideline, Jones II has racked up 128 rushing yards. Even though he isn’t their number one target, he can push for the necessary yardage to take a win against the Jets.

Wide Receiver Mike Evans is out for this game due to a positive COVID test, and Antonio Brown is questionable from an ankle injury. The two of them make up a large chunk of the passing offense for the Bucs. Tyler Johnson is the WR3 for the Bucs and can put up yards as an unusual target, always averaging over 10 yards per reception. I don’t doubt that Tom Brady will still be able to make big plays with his team being on their second strings. However, a healthy Antonio Brown may give the Bucs that bump in morale they need to help get them motivated for this matchup.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Depth Chart

QB: Tom Brady
RB1: Leonard Fournette
RB2: Ronald Jones II
WR1: Mike Evans
WR2: Antonio Brown
WR3: Breshad Perriman
TE1: Rob Gronkowski
TE2: Cameron Brate

New York Jets Analysis

The New York Jets are entering Week 17 of the NFL regular season with a record of 4-11. They are in 4th place in the AFC East and find themselves at the bottom of the pack in the overall NFL ranking. Their offense hasn’t been able to find consistency after debate on their starting quarterback, and their defense hasn’t been a match to their opponents in their schedule for this year. Against the Bucs, there is little hope from Jets fans, and their chances of victory seem very slim.

The good news is the Jets have finally seen some improvement in their first-round pick, Zach Wilson. In their last game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Wilson’s stats may look weak, but his performance was very strong. He was only able to throw for 102 yards but ended up with a QBR of 92.4%, which is an incredible improvement compared to his 28.3% QBR average. The young quarterback rushed the ball himself on four attempts that resulted in 91 yards. On one rush, Wilson was able to acquire 52 yards by rushing around the defense and resulted in a touchdown. However, this was against the Jaguars, who have a horrible rush defense, and the Bucs have one of the best. Wilson will have to take his newfound confidence into this week while also being very aware of his defensive surroundings to prevent turnovers. 

The New York team found much success in their rush game last week, which helped lead them to their win. Michael Carter leads his team in yards with 566 yards so far this season. It may not seem large compared to other running backs in the league, but to the Jets, Carter is a star. Last week against the Jaguars, Carter was able to put up 118 yards on 16 attempts. Against the Bucs, Carter will have to be very crafty and will need help from his team to set up crucial clocks to take the ball to the house.

New York Jets Depth Chart

QB: Zach Wilson
RB1: Michael Carter
RB2: Ty Johnson
RB3: Tevin Coleman
WR1: Jamison Crowder
WR2: Keelan Cole
WR3: Denzel Mims
TE1: Ryan Griffin

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. New York Jets Daily Fantasy Picks

The fantasy football season is quickly coming to a close, and missing Leonard Fournette may be detrimental for owners. However, many leagues have Antonio Brown unrostered since he was suspended from the league due to faking his vaccination status. He can be a big contributor of points for any team if he can return healthy for this matchup. He averages 19.3 fantasy points per game and can boom past this since Mike Evans will not be playing in this game. Brown will be one of the biggest targets for Tom Brady against the Jets, and you don’t want to miss the opportunity of playing him this week.

Michael Carter may be the best offensive player on the Jets, but he is not the best starter for a fantasy lineup. He averages 12.1 points per game but has the potential to receive more carries this week due to the unsureness of a young quarterback. If you’re behind in fantasy projections and want to take a risk, Michael Carter may be your riskiest take, but he may shine again this weekend.