Sports books may not adjust the odds on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but the team will have a new starting quarterback.Rookie Josh Freeman will get the start next week as the Bucs face the Green Bay Packers in a game in which they will be huge underdogs at the Internet sportsbook.
Sports books have seen the Bucs play very poorly this season. The Bucs were one of three winless teams this season entering this week’s play. Tampa has a bye this week before facing the Packers in Green Bay next week. Tampa might be an interesting choice next week in sports books odds since the Packers will be in a huge letdown spot since they are hosting Minnesota this week in Internet sportsbook action.
The Bucs started this sports books season with Bryon Leftwich as the starting quarterback but they switched to Josh Johnson. Things didn’t go any better with Johnson in sports books results so now they are turning things over to their rookie quarterback who was drafted 17th overall. Last week in sports books action it was Freeman getting a little playing time in the blowout loss to New England. He completed two of four passes for 16 yards as Internet sportsbook stats showed. Freeman said he felt comfortable in the sports books game against New England. “It’s hard to use the word rusty because I play football every week,” Freeman said. “It’s just that I haven’t been playing on Sundays. I’ve been getting work in practice; I’ve been getting a lot of scout-team reps. I’ve been working with (coordinator Greg) Olson, and he’s brought me along tremendously in the offense. I felt really comfortable out there calling the plays, knowing where the ball needed to go, stuff like that.” The Bucs were 28th in the league in points scored as sports books stats showed. They are hoping that Freeman can give them a spark and get them a win.
The Bucs will be giving Freeman a lot of work in practice and with the first team offense since they have two weeks to prepare for the sports books matchup against Green Bay. The Bucs are not only winless straight up this sports books season they are also a very poor 1-6 against the spread at the Internet sportsbook. Perhaps with Freeman they will be improved versus sports books odds.