Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers: Betting Guide
Brady and Bucs look to rebound after Saints' schneid
The concern for Tampa Bay going into last Sunday night’s home game was a depleted secondary. It was the offense that let the Buccaneers down, however, as Tampa Bay lost, 9-0, to New Orleans. Thus, the chance for a first-division title since 2007 had to wait. The Buccaneers lost more than a game as star receiver Chris Godwin suffered a season-ending knee injury and leading rusher Leonard Fournette also was injured.
Quarterback Sam Darnold (shoulder crack) is expected to be cleared to play for the first time since the Week 9 injury and should see action. Carolina coach Matt Rhule intends to start Cam Newton at quarterback.
Something of note for those who bet online, Tampa Bay is just 4-3 on the road while Carolina is 2-5 at home.
Only Kansas City (+450) and Green Bay (+500) have better odds to win the Super Bowl than defending champion Tampa Bay (+550).
Bucs’ quarterback Tom Brady (-250) has the best odds to lead the NFL in passing yards. It would mark the fourth time he has led the NFL in that category.
- Game: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-4) at Carolina Panthers (5-9)
- Location: Bank of America Stadium
- Day/Time: Sunday, December 26, 1:00 p.m. ET
- Television: FOX
Betting Lines
| Team | Point Spread | Moneyline | Over/Under |
| Tampa Bay | -10½ (even) | -470 | 43 (-110o) |
| Carolina | +10½ (-120) | +3780 | 43 (-110u) |
Head-to-Head
The two teams meet twice over the final three Sundays, wrapping up the regular season on Jan. 9 in Florida.
The visiting Buccaneers were six-point favorites according to the NFL betting lines over the Panthers on November 15, 2020. Carolina led by seven points on three different occasions in the first half.
Tampa Bay tied the game on a Mike Evans touchdown catch with 27 seconds left in the first half. A 98-yard run by Ronald Jones and three Ryan Succop field goals pushed Tampa Bay lead to 32-17. Tampa Bay would cruise to the 46-23 win, sweeping the season series for the first time since 2012.
The game went over the 49½-point total on a touchdown run by Carolina quarterback Teddy Bridgewater early in the fourth quarter. It was the third straight Buccaneers’ game to go over the total.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Next game: at New York Jets
Last Game
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were listed by the NFL picks against the spread as 11½-point favorites against the visiting Saints. However, one of the top offenses in the NFL was limited to 302 yards.
New Orleans kicker Brett Maher accounted for all the scoring with three field goals as New Orleans won both games in the season series against the defending Super Bowl champions.
Tampa Bay had its four-game win/cover streak snapped.
It would have taken 13 more field goals for the game to go over the 45½-point total.
Injury Report
Receivers Evans (hamstring) and Justin Watson (knee), defensive backs Jamel Dean (illness), Antoine Winfield (foot), Rashard Robinson (hamstring), and Richard Sherman (Achilles) are questionable. Running back Fournette (hamstring) is out. Receiver Antonio Brown and safety Mike Edwards are eligible to return after serving three-game suspensions for violating the league’s COVID-19 protocols. Receiver Godwin (knee), running back Giovani Bernard (hip), offensive lineman Aaron Stinnie (knee), and defensive lineman Patrick O’Connor (knee) are on injured reserve. Receiver Breshad Perriman is on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
Another walkthrough for the #Bucs but Mike Edwards returned and Le’Veon Bell was there. Jamel Dean was at practice as well.
Not many offensive players were out there besides the O-line, so didn’t see AB, Mike Evans or Leonard Fournette.
No sign of Antoine Winfield Jr. either. pic.twitter.com/JjZ67ULyAM
— PewterReport (@PewterReport) December 22, 2021
Carolina Panthers
Next game: at New Orleans
Last Game
The visiting Panthers were 14½-point underdogs against the Buffalo Bills according to the Las Vegas odds.
Touchdowns by Devin Singletary and Stefon Diggs in the second quarter gave Buffalo a 14-point lead. A Newton touchdown run and two-point conversion pass made it a six-point game.
When Gabriel Davis’ touchdown catch with 5:52 to play in the third quarter increased Buffalo’s lead to 16, the only drama remaining was whether Buffalo covered. The second TD catch of the game by Davis made it a 31-14 final as Buffalo snapped a two-game losing streak. It was the fourth straight game when the Panthers failed to cover.
The final touchdown pushed the game over the 43½-point total. It was the fifth game in a row that a Carolina game went over the total.
With Zane Gonzalez out for the remainder of the season after injuring a quad in pregame warmups last Sunday, the Panthers resigned kicker Lirim Hajrullahu.
Injury Report
Cornerback Jaycee Horn (foot) is probable. Quarterback Darnold (shoulder) and receiver DJ Moore (hamstring) are questionable. Quarterback Matt Barkley and defensive back Sam Franklin are on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Defensive backs A.J. Bouye (foot) and Donte Jackson (groin), running back Christian McCaffrey (ankle) and kicker Zane Gonzalez (quad) are on injured reserve.
Betting on the Game
Even after being blanked by the Saints, the Bucs the NFL at 29.3 points per game and are second with 402.4 yards of total offense per game. However, Fournette and Godwin won’t play and receiver Evans is ‘iffy’.
Only New Orleans, Houston, and Chicago have thrown for fewer yards than Carolina this season. However, the Panthers are second in the league in total defense (294.4 yards per game).
Tampa Bay is 4-1 against the spread in its last five games and also has covered in four of its last five games against Carolina.
The total has gone over in 12 of Tampa Bay’s last 16 games against NFC South opponents.
Carolina has lost 10 of its last 13 divisional games and is in danger of finishing last in the NFC South for the third time in the last six seasons.
