Last year, the Kansas City Chiefs failed in their attempt to become the ninth team in NFL history to repeat as Super Bowl champions, as they suffered a 31-9 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV. The last club to accomplish the feat was the New England Patriots, who won back-to-back titles in 2003 and 2004 with Tom Brady at quarterback. The future Hall-of-Famer begins his quest for another repeat on Thursday when the Buccaneers host the Dallas Cowboys in the 2021 NFL Kickoff Game. 

Kickoff from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla., is set for 8:20 p.m. ET. Tampa Bay is a nine-point favorite in the latest Cowboys vs. Buccaneers odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over-under for total points scored is 52. Before making any Buccaneers vs. Cowboys picks, make sure to check out the expert NFL predictions from SportsLine NFL expert Emory Hunt.

Hunt is the founder and CEO of Football Gameplan, which has been supplying analysis of all levels of football since 2007, and a former running back at Louisiana-Lafayette. He knows the game from a player's perspective.

Hunt has had plenty of success in games involving the Cowboys. In fact, he's on a 27-18 roll on his against-the-spread NFL picks involving Dallas, returning more than $700 to $100 players. Anyone who has followed him is way up.

Now, Hunt has set his sights on Buccaneers vs. Cowboys in the NFL Kickoff Game 2021 and just revealed his NFL expert picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are several NFL odds and betting trends for Cowboys vs. Bucs:

  • Cowboys vs. Buccaneers spread: Tampa Bay -9
  • Cowboys vs. Buccaneers over-under: 52 points
  • Cowboys vs. Buccaneers money line: Dallas +350, Tampa Bay -450
  • DAL: Cowboys are 4-1 against the spread in their last five games as underdogs
  • TB: Over is 8-2 in the Buccaneers' last 10 games as home favorites

Why the Buccaneers can cover

Brady began his first season in Tampa Bay with a solid corps of receivers, and the group got even stronger when the team signed Antonio Brown midway through the campaign. The seven-time Pro Bowler was an excellent addition, as he had 45 catches for 483 yards and four touchdowns in eight regular-season games. The 33-year-old had only eight receptions in three playoff contests, but two were for TDs, including one in the Super Bowl.

The Buccaneers will have the luxury of enjoying a full season from Brown, who signed a one-year contract in April after undergoing offseason knee surgery. Also returning are Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and tight end Rob Gronkowski, who combined for 180 catches for 2,469 yards and 27 touchdowns last season. In addition, Tampa Bay brought in veteran running back Giovani Bernard, who had 43 or more receptions in five of his eight seasons with Cincinnati before inking a one-year deal this past spring.

Why the Cowboys can cover

Dallas boasts a solid receiving corps, led by veteran Amari Cooper and second-year standout CeeDee Lamb. Cooper is entering his eighth season, including his fourth with the Cowboys. In 93 career games played, he has 449 receptions for 6,211 yards (13.8 average) and 38 touchdowns. Last season, Cooper led Dallas in receptions, finishing with 92 for 1,114 yards (12.1 average) and five touchdowns.

Lamb was also explosive, notching a team-leading 18 plays of 20 or more yards. He finished the season with 74 receptions for 935 yards (12.6 average) and five touchdowns. His best game was an eight-reception, 124-yard effort against the New York Giants on Oct. 11. In a loss to the Cleveland Browns on Oct. 4, Lamb had five catches for 79 yards, including two scores.

How to make Cowboys vs. Buccaneers picks

Hunt is leaning under on the point total, and he's also discovered a critical X-factor that has him jumping all over one side of the spread. He's only sharing that pick and the rest of his NFL expert picks at SportsLine.

So who wins Buccaneers vs. Cowboys? And what critical X-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see Emory Hunt's Cowboys vs. Buccaneers pick and analysis, all from the NFL expert who's 27-18 on picks involving Dallas, and find out.