Eagles vs Buccaneers Weather and Odds: Messy Weather Ahead at Raymond James

Most folks escape to Florida to avoid the bad weather in January.

And while it’s not a wintery forecast, Monday’s NFC Wild Card Round contest between the Philadelphia Eagles and Tampa Bay Buccaneers will have less-than-ideal conditions.

Our Eagles vs. Bucs weather report dives into the potential for a soggy showdown at Raymond James Stadium and all the NFL odds angles and edges that come along with it to help you when making your NFL picks.

Also, check out our Dolphins vs. Chiefs weather report, plus a look at the Steelers vs. Bills weather for Monday night.

Eagles at Buccaneers weather

You’d figure a football game would be safe from bad weather in Florida, right? Nope.

Extended forecasts for Monday’s NFC Wild Card clash between the Philadelphia Eagles and Tampa Buccaneers call for warm and soggy surroundings in Raymond James Stadium for this 8 p.m. ET kickoff.

Thundershowers are expected to ramp up throughout the day in Tampa, serving steady light rain starting at 7 p.m. and continuing into the late evening (70% chance of rain).

Thunderstorms could roll through in the second half as the humidity climbs, with “feels like” temperatures around 80 degrees. That’s not sweltering but could be a little warm for the Eagles in January.

The odds for this final Wild Card game have Philly laying -2.5 on the road while this total dropped from as high as 45.5 points to 44 O/U, as of Tuesday.

Wet weather may lead to slippery conditions and increase the potential for fumbles. The Eagles’ dozen fumbles have them tied for seventh most while the Bucs have only eight on the season. Tampa Bay is also great at creating those loose balls, with 13 forced fumbles (tied for second most) compared to Philadelphia’s eight.

Traction on the Bermuda grass in Raymond James Stadium could also be compromised if that wet weather holds up.

Back in 2021, the surface in Tampa Bay came under scrutiny during January (after Mike Evans injured his knee) with the end zones playing slicker after field crews replaced chunks of sod as well as patched heavy-wear spots at midfield.

The natural grass field has seen plenty of use in recent weeks, hosting the Gasparilla Bowl on Dec. 22, the Bucs’ final two home games on Dec. 24 and 31, and the ReliaQuest Bowl on January 1. Overall, Raymond James Stadium does rank among the better playing surfaces in the NFL.

Anytime there's a possibility of poor footing, I pay attention to the run games and how much those play calls rely on ball carriers to plant and cut to the outside.

Tampa Bay’s rushing attack hits the A-Gap on 48% of run calls (eighth-highest rate), playing a more downhill style rushing attack that won’t depend on cutting outside as much. However, the Bucs finished in the back third of the league in terms of success on the ground and dead last in yards per carry (only 3.2).

Philadelphia’s vaunted ground game does rely on more outside runs, directing 43% of carries off the end of the offensive line (sixth highest rate). That said, this is the top offensive line in ESPN’s run block win rating, so it can make space up the middle if sledding is slippery.

Footing could also play a role in pass coverage and separation, and I give the nod to the offense in those conditions — as the defense must react.

The Eagles mix zone and man concepts, but Tampa Bay does lean into more man-to-man and has given up several explosive plays in that coverage. The health of A.J. Brown — one of the best WRs vs. man coverage — is something to keep an eye on (questionable with knee injury).

Wind won’t be much of a factor with sustained breezes of 9 mph hitting gusts up to 16 mph, blowing SSE from corner to corner at Raymond James.

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