The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-5) can clinch the No. 5 seed in the NFC playoffs on Sunday when they host the Atlanta Falcons (4-11) as solid home favorites at sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark. Why is that so significant? Because the Buccaneers would open the playoffs against the NFC East champion, a team that will finish the season under .500 – either the Washington Football Team, Dallas Cowboys or New York Giants.
- Date/Time: January 3, 1 p.m. ET
- Stadium: Raymond James Stadium
- TV Coverage: Fox
- Sportsbook Odds: Buccaneers -6 | O/U 50 (Line History)
- Falcons vs Buccaneers Matchup Report
Sportsbook Odds Analysis
The point spread is up slightly to -6.5 in favor of Tampa Bay at some sportsbooks while others have not seen any movement in early betting. It would not be surprising to see it get to -7 prior to kickoff considering what the Buccaneers have to play for in this game compared to the Falcons.
There is no doubt that Atlanta has been a more competitive team under interim head coach Raheem Morris, covering the spread in two straight despite riding a four-game losing streak, with all four games decided by five points or less.
Atlanta News & Notes
The Falcons played the Kansas City Chiefs as tough as any opponent the defending Super Bowl champions have faced this season, falling just short last Sunday in a 17-14 loss at Arrowhead Stadium.
Atlanta covered easily as an 11-point road underdog, but Pro Bowl kicker Younghoe Koo missed a chance to tie the game with nine seconds remaining, failing to connect on a 39-yard field-goal attempt.
The Falcons had led 7-0 after the end of the first quarter and 14-10 with 4:33 left in the game. Regardless, Atlanta should be plenty motivated in this spot with Tampa Bay after blowing leads of 17-0 and 24-7 to the Bucs two weeks ago in a 31-27 loss. The Falcons still covered that game as 6-point home underdogs.
Tampa Bay News & Notes
The Buccaneers looked awesome last Saturday in a 47-7 rout of the Detroit Lions, cashing for backers who took them up to -12, with the victory clinching a playoff berth for them for the first time since 2007.
Of course Tampa Bay still has some work left to do here, as a loss in this spot could mean a trip to Seattle to meet the Seahawks instead of visiting the NFC East Sportsbook.
Future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady needed just one half against the Lions to throw for 348 yards and four touchdowns, and he had 390 and two scores in the first meeting with Atlanta.
Despite some bumps along the way, things are setting up nicely for Brady and company, and they do not want to mess that up with a loss in the regular-season finale to hurt their chances for a deep playoff run.
Betting Pick: OVER 50.5
It is hard to imagine this rematch staying UNDER the total when it was such a high-scoring affair in Week 15. The total is only up half a point right now and should climb another point or two before kickoff.
Both of these teams can score in bunches, so take that into consideration in preparation for what will be the sixth straight OVER to cash in the series.
- The OVER is 9-1 in Tampa Bay’s last 10 divisional games.
- The UNDER is 5-1 in Atlanta’s last 6 games.
- The home team is 5-2 ATS in the past 7 meetings.
