Pick: Buccaneers over 5.5 wins (-165)

Things couldn’t have been worse for Lovie Smith in his return as a coach in Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers finished 2-14 and had the worst record in the NFL while playing in the worst division in the league.

It was a forgettable 2014 but there were several bright spots for the Buccaneers. Rookie Mike Evans proved to be the right pick in the first round of the 2014 Draft. The record was misleading becasue Tampa Bay played in a lot of close games and were on the wrong side of the result. The team still has defensive tackle Gerald McCoy and middle linebacker Lavonte David who two of the best players at their position. The Buccaneers had the No. 1 pick in the draft and took quarterback Jameis Winston, who will be an upgrade from Josh McCown.

Asking the Buccaneers to win six games is very reasonable. Winston might be shaky at times but he will at least bring excitement to a fanbase that didn’t have anything to cheer about in 2014. I wouldn’t be surprised if Tampa Bay makes a run at the division title in the NFC South. I’m going to look at the win total with them and believe over 5.5 wins is a very strong pick.