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| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Carolina Panthers |
After a 1-3 start to this season the Carolina Panthers have won seven games in a row.
After an 0-8 start the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have won three in a row. Not quite the same, but definitely an improvement.
Tampa might not be in the playoff mix but the Bucs-Panthers game in Charlotte Sunday afternoon (1 pm ET, Fox) is suddenly an intriguing contest.
Carolina is the hottest team in the league; Sunday the Panthers won at Miami 20-16 on a Cam Newton touchdown pass with under a minute to go. But they couldn't quite cover at -4.5, breaking a six-game ATS winning streak.
At 8-3 the Panthers are the five seed in the NFC, but only a game behind the first-place Saints in the NFC South. Tampa, meanwhile, has won three games in a row, after upsetting the Lions in Detroit Sunday 24-21.
In the early betting Carolina, which beat the Bucs 31-13 one month ago, was favored by eight points for Sunday's game at Sportsbook. Some trends to consider include the Bucs are 6-0 ATS past six as double-digit road underdogs and the Panthers are 6-1 ATS past seven divisional games.
Supporters of the Buccaneers have seen them go 3-8 and 5-6 ATS so far this season, while the Panthers are at 8-3 and 7-4 ATS. In totals betting, the Panthers are 4-7, while the Buccaneers are 6-5.
View Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Carolina Panthers Odds and Stats.
Sportsbooks such as Sportsbook had the Panthers pegged as 10.5-point favorites in this matchup. The total, meanwhile, was listed by books like Sportsbook at 41.5.
The game pits the Panthers, currently No. 3 in our OddsShark NFL Power Rankings, against the Buccaneers, who rate No. 24 in the latest survey. Meanwhile, math and handicapping models run on this game predict a 27-15 victory for the Panthers.
Last time out for Tampa Bay, they were a 24-21 Sportsbook as they battled the Lions on the road. The Buccaneers covered in the match as a 7-point underdog, while 45 combined points moved the game UNDER for totals bettors. Tampa Bay won its last game, 24-21 over Detroit on Sunday, behind a 108-yard receiving performance from Tiquan Underwood at Ford Field. In their last game, the Panthers were Week 12 Sportsbooks, coming out on top of the Dolphins by a score of 20-16.
How They Match Up:
Offensively, the game matches up Carolina's No. 17-ranked offense (23.45 PPG) against a Buccaneers defense that ranks No. 14 at 23.45 PPG. The Panthers passing attack has averaged 192.55 yards per game, less than the Buccaneers give up through the air (244.45 YPG on average).
In comparing defenses, the Buccaneers own the league's No. 17-rated front 7 in terms of stopping the run, allowing 113.2 yards per game when on the road. Carolina, on the other hand, rates No. 9 this week in generating rushing yards at home.
A few Buccaneers at Panthers trends to consider:
Tampa Bay is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Tampa Bay is 4-13 SU in its last 17 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Tampa Bay's last 7 games
Tampa Bay is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Carolina is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games
Carolina is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Carolina's last 5 games
Carolina is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games at home
Next up:
Tampa Bay home to Buffalo, Sunday, December 8th
Carolina at New Orleans, Sunday, December 8th
