Carolina aims for its fourth win in four games and is favored by a TD Sportsbook Week 8 as they visit Tampa Bay in the NFL Thursday Nighter.
* Editor Note: Doug Martin officially out for Tampa Bay, check for line moves.
They visit a winless Tampa team that has struggled bigtime in this role as home underdog over the years. The Bucs are a bankroll-draining 5-17-1 ATS in their past 23 games as a home pup, according to the OddsShark.com NFL database.
Not that Carolina has been a beast as road favorites. The Panthers are 1-4 SU & ATS in their past five games in this role.
After the Giants' unimpressive MNF win, Tampa joins fellow Floridians Jacksonville is the last winless teams in the NFL. And they have a short week to try to stop the bleeding against a surging division foe.
Of note for totals bettors, the OVER is 7-2 in the past nine meetings between these teams in Tampa Bay.
The Buccaneers sport records of 0-6 and 1-5 ATS heading into this matchup, while the Panthers sit at 3-3 and 3-3 ATS on the season. The over under records are 2-4 for the Buccaneers and 3-3 for the Panthers.
View Carolina Panthers vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers Odds and Stats.
Those siding with the visitors in this matchup saw the Panthers listed as 3-point favorites at shops such as Sportsbook. Meanwhile, the over under line for the matchup was at 39.5 over at Sportsbook.
The Buccaneers sit at No. 31 in the current NFL Power Rankings here at OddsShark, while the Panthers are at No. 4 on that chart. Math models have concluded that the Panthers will win this game 26-10.
The Panthers were a 30-15 Sportsbook in their most recent outing at home against the Rams. They covered the 7-point spread as favorites, while the total score (45) made Sportsbooks of OVER bettors. Tampa Bay lost its last outing 31-23 against Atlanta on Sunday, getting a 138-yard receiving performance from Vincent Jackson in a losing cause at Georgia Dome.
How They Match Up:
Offensively, the game matches up Tampa Bay's No. 31-ranked offense (14.5 PPG) against a Panthers defense that ranks No. 2 at 13.83 PPG. The Buccaneers passing attack has averaged 196.67 yards per game, less than the Panthers give up through the air (217.67 YPG on average).
In comparing defenses, the Panthers own the league's No. 15-rated front 7 in terms of stopping the run, allowing 104.67 yards per game when on the road. Tampa Bay, on the other hand, rates No. 19 this week in generating rushing yards at home.
A few Panthers at Buccaneers trends to consider:
Carolina is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Carolina is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Carolina is 4-9 SU in its last 13 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Carolina's last 6 games
Tampa Bay is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games
Tampa Bay is 1-12 SU in its last 13 games
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of Tampa Bay's last 17 games
Tampa Bay is 1-4-1 ATS in its last 6 games at home
Next up:
Carolina at Atlanta, Sunday, November 3rd
Tampa Bay at Seattle, Sunday, November 3rd
