NFL BAD BEATS BLOG: Bucs win but Cowboys cover; final prop grades

The NFL season is finally here.

The defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers host the Dallas Cowboys in the Thursday opener. The Buccaneers are 9-point favorites with a total of 52.

Refresh this blog throughout the game to track player props, movement on the live betting line, halftime bets and much more.

UPDATES

9:11 p.m.: That’s it for tonight. We’ll be back Saturday for college football. Thanks for reading.

9:01 p.m.: Cowboys-Buccaneers prop grades:

Team totals: Bucs over 30½ (-125), made with two seconds left; Cowboys over 20½ (-120).

Alternate spreads: Cowboys +3½ (+195) cashes.

General props: First score will be a touchdown (-200); largest lead under 14½ points (+140; largest lead was 9); longest TD over 42½ yards (47); game won’t go to overtime (-3,000); won’t be a defensive or special teams TD (-290); won’t be a successful 2-point conversion (-280); both teams will make 33-yard or longer field goals (+110, wins on final field goal); will be a lead change in the fourth quarter (+350); a team won’t score three straight times (+190); won’t be a score in the final two minutes of the first half (+300); game will be tied again after 0-0 (+110).

Bucs props: Tom Brady over 25½ completions (32), over 37½ attempts (50), over 296½ passing yards (379), longest completion over 39½ yards (47), over 2½ TD passes (+120, 4), will throw an interception (+115); Mike Evans under 63½ receiving yards (24), won’t score a TD (-115); Chris Godwin over 59½ receiving yards (105), will score a TD (+150); Rob Gronkowski over 28½ receiving yards (90), will score a TD (+210); Antonio Brown over 54½ receiving yards (121).

Cowboys props: Dak Prescott over 25½ completions (42), over 39½ attempts (58), over 295½ passing yards (403), longest completion under 38½ yards (31), over 1½ TD passes (-140, 3); Ezekiel Elliott under 51½ rushing yards (33), won’t score a TD (-120); CeeDee Lamb over 63½ receiving yards (104); Amari Cooper over 5½ receptions (+110, 13).

8:56 p.m.: FINAL: Buccaneers 31, Cowboys 29. The Cowboys cover as 9-point road underdogs, but the Bucs win outright at -450 ML on a field goal with two seconds left. The game goes over 52½.

8:53 p.m.: Ryan Succop makes a 36-yard field goal with two seconds left to give Tampa Bay a 31-29 lead. It appears the Bucs will survive.

8:42 p.m.: Zuerlein booms in a 48-yard field goal to give Dallas a 29-28 lead with 1:24 to play.

8:35 p.m.: Cowboys favored for the first time all night at -160 on the live line after Lamb runs to the Tampa Bay 34.

8:31 p.m.: Two-minute warning. Cowboys face third-and-11 at their 35.

8:24 p.m.: The Cowboys will get their shot. Godwin fumbles inside the 5, and the Cowboys recover. Dallas has the ball at its 10-yard line trailing 28-26 with 4:52 to go.

8:17 p.m.: The Bucs force a three-and-out and have the ball back with just over 10 minutes to play.

8:09 p.m.: The Cowboys force a punt and take over with 11:53 left in the fourth quarter, trailing Tampa Bay 28-26. The Bucs are -250 on the live line (Cowboys +200), spread -2½, total 67½.

8:02 p.m.: END OF THE THIRD QUARTER: Buccaneers 28, Cowboys 26.

7:57 p.m.: Over bettors can put their feet up. Winners clinched at any number (53 highest).

7:56 p.m.: The Cowboys keep coming. Cooper catches a 21-yard TD pass, and the Cowboys cut the Buccaneers’ lead to 28-26 with 33 seconds left in the third quarter. The Bucs are -320 on the live line (Cowboys +250), spread -3½, total 70½.

7:53 p.m.: Prescott now over on all these props: 25½ completions (34), 39½ attempts (46) and 295½ passing yards (310).

7:46 p.m.: The Buccaneers make the Cowboys pay. Gronkowski catches an 11-yard TD pass, and the Bucs lead 28-19 with 6:23 left in the third quarter. The Bucs are -900 on the live line (Cowboys +575), spread -8½, total 67½.

7:42 p.m.: A ball bounces off Lamb’s hands for an interception. Prescott was -130 to throw a pick.

7:39 p.m.: The Cowboys will have another chance to take the lead after forcing a punt with 8:44 left in the third quarter. The Buccaneers are -260 on the live line (Cowboys +210), spread -4½, total 61½.

7:31 p.m.: Dallas has to settle for a 21-yard field goal to cut the Tampa Bay lead to 21-19 with 9:15 left in the third quarter. The Bucs are -350 on the live line (Cowboys +270), spread -5½, total 62½.

7:27 p.m.: Amari Cooper has several catches on this drive and is now over his prop of 5½ receptions (+110) with eight for 91 yards so far.

7:20 p.m.: The second half is underway. Cowboys receive.

7:08 p.m.: Second-half line: Buccaneers -2½, total 27. The Bucs are -450 on the live line (Cowboys +340), spread -7½, total 64½.

7:05 p.m.: HALFTIME: Buccaneers 21, Cowboys 16. First-half winners: Cowboys +5½, over 26. Dallas bettors avoided a bad beat when the Bucs didn’t get in field goal range in the final seconds.

7:03 p.m.: Zuerlein misses a 60-yard field goal, and the Bucs will have one last shot with 15 seconds left.

6:52 p.m.: Two-minute warning. Cowboys have the ball at their 36.

6:50 p.m.: Brady already hits his TD pass prop of over 2½ (+120). Brown was +170 to score a TD.

6:48 p.m.: The Bucs answer in a flash. Brown catches a 47-yard TD pass, and the Buccaneers lead 21-16 with 2:38 left in the second quarter. The Bucs are -400 on the live line (Cowboys +300), spread -6½, total 67½.

6:45 p.m.: Zuerlein makes his first kick of the night, a 35-yard field goal, and the Cowboys take a 16-14 lead with 3:16 left in the second quarter. The Buccaneers are -230 on the live line (Cowboys +185), spread -4½, total 61½.

6:44 p.m.: A ball bounces off a running back’s hands, and Dallas intercepts it. Tom Brady was +115 to throw an interception.

6:38 p.m.: Dallas forces a fumble and closes the gap. Amari Cooper catches a 5-yard TD pass, and the Cowboys cut the Buccaneers’ lead to 14-13 with 4:20 left in the second quarter (extra point misses). The Bucs are -380 on the live line (Cowboys +290), spread -6½, total 59½. Prescott already clinches his TD pass prop of over 1½ (-140).

6:30 p.m.: The Cowboys miss an opportunity. Greg Zuerlein misses a 31-yard field goal, and the Buccaneers still lead 14-7 with 6:36 left in the second quarter. The Bucs are -800 on the live line (Cowboys +525), spread -10½, total 55½.

6:17 p.m.: Gronk. Rob Gronkowski catches a 2-yard TD pass, and the Buccaneers take a 14-7 lead with 9:48 left in the second quarter. The Bucs are -600 on the live line (Cowboys +420), spread -9½, total 57½. Gronkowski was +210 to score a TD.

6:08 p.m.: The Buccaneers and Cowboys trade punts, and Tampa Bay has the ball back with the game tied at 7 with 12:41 left in the second quarter. The Bucs are -400 on the live line (Cowboys +300), spread -7½, total 55½.

6:01 p.m.: END OF THE FIRST QUARTER: Buccaneers 7, Cowboys 7. First-quarter winners: Cowboys +3, over 10.

5:59 p.m.: Buccaneers receiver Antonio Brown is already over his receiving yards prop of 54½ with three catches for 71 yards.

5:57 p.m.: The game will be tied again after 0-0 cashes at +110.

5:56 p.m.: Dallas strikes back. CeeDee Lamb catches a 22-yard TD pass, and the Cowboys tie the Buccaneers at 7 with 1:35 left in the first quarter. Tampa Bay is -300 on the live line (Cowboys +240), spread -6½, total 56½. Lamb was +170 to score a TD.

5:43 p.m.: Tampa Bay strikes first. Chris Godwin catches a 5-yard TD pass, and the Buccaneers lead 7-0 with 5:23 left in the first quarter. The Bucs are -700 on the live line (Cowboys +475), spread -12½, total 51½. Godwin was 10-1 to score the first TD and +150 to score a TD at any point.

5:35 p.m.: A good Cowboys drive stalls out, and Dallas ends up punting. No score with 9:32 left in the first quarter. The Buccaneers are -380 on the live line (Cowboys +290), spread -7½, total 47½.

5:28 p.m.: The Cowboys force a three-and-out, but they start buried on their 2-yard line.

5:25 p.m.: We are finally underway. The Bucs receive the kickoff.

5:22 p.m.: A lot of opening night pageantry. Still waiting for kickoff.

5:15 p.m.: The game is about to kick off:

— Cowboys (+375) at Buccaneers (-9, 52½, -450), 5:20 p.m.

5:05 p.m.: As kickoff approaches, the Buccaneers are still 9-point favorites at the Westgate SuperBook, total 52. The money line is Bucs -450/Cowboys +375.

Sportsbook directors have reported heavy action on the Buccaneers in all forms — straight bets, parlays and teasers.

4:55 p.m.: Here are some of the props we’ll be tracking tonight (lines from Westgate):

Team totals: Bucs 30½ (over -125), Cowboys 20½ (over -120).

Alternate spreads: Bucs -14½ (+190), Cowboys +3½ (+195).

General props: First score will be a touchdown (yes -200/no +175); largest lead over/under 14½ points (over -160); longest TD over/under 42½ yards; will the game go to overtime (yes +1,200/no -3,000); will there be a defensive or special teams TD (yes +245/no -290); will there be a successful 2-point conversion (yes +240/no -280); will both teams make 33-yard or longer field goals (yes +110/no -130); will there be a lead change in the fourth quarter (yes +350/no -420); will either team score three straight times (yes -220/no +190); will there be a score in the final two minutes of the first half (yes -360/no +300); will the game be tied again after 0-0 (yes +110/no -130).

Bucs props: Tom Brady 25½ completions, 37½ attempts, 296½ passing yards, longest completion 39½ yards, 2½ TD passes (under -140), will throw an interception (yes +115/no -135); Mike Evans 63½ receiving yards, will score a TD (yes -105/no -115); Chris Godwin 59½ receiving yards, will score a TD (yes +150/no -170); Rob Gronkowski 28½ receiving yards, will score a TD (yes +210/no -250); Antonio Brown 54½ receiving yards.

Cowboys props: Dak Prescott 25½ completions, 39½ attempts, 295½ passing yards, longest completion 38½ yards, 1½ TD passes (over -140); Ezekiel Elliott 51½ rushing yards, will score a TD (yes +100/no -120); CeeDee Lamb 63½ receiving yards; Amari Cooper 5½ receptions (under -130).

Contact Jim Barnes at jbarnes@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0277. Follow @JimBarnesLV on Twitter.