The 2022 NFL season is finally here and the Week 1 schedule is chock full of exciting showdowns. One of those games is none other than the Sunday Night Football matchup between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Dallas Cowboys.
With the ageless Tom Brady under center, the Buccaneers are projected to be Super Bowl threats ago. The roster is banged up, though, and lost a few key pieces like Antonio Brown and Rob Gronkowski during the offseason. Nevertheless, never count out a Brady-led team.
Meanwhile, the Cowboys had the best offense in the NFL last year and hope to repeat that success. It'll be easier said than done after trading Amari Cooper to the Cleveland Browns. Still, Dallas nearly beat Tampa Bay last year, leaving time to tell if this game ends differently.
Here's what projection models and experts across the industry have to say about the Buccaneers vs Cowboys Week 1 matchup.
Buccaneers vs Cowboys Projections
ESPN FPI:'Buccaneers (62.5%)
numberFire:'Cowboys (50.8%)
FiveThirtyEight:'Cowboys (51%)
Betting Favorite:'Buccaneers (-2.5)
Projected Winner:'Buccaneers (2), Cowboys (2)
Buccaneers vs Cowboys Expert Picks
ESPN Experts:'Buccaneers (5), Cowboys (4)
CBS Sports Experts:'Buccaneers (5), Cowboys (3)
Expert Totals:'Buccaneers (13), Cowboys (9)
It's hard to find a more evenly matched game than this one in Week 1. Having said that, the Buccaneers appear to have the slight edge, with 59% of experts advocating for a Tampa Bay victory.
gives the Cowboys their best chance at success at 51%, but that still implies that it's close to being a 50/50 game.
Wit h how talented both teams are, fans should expect an entertaining game where the edge slightly goes to the Bucs.