Panthers vs. Bucs Odds
TAMPA, FL (The Spread) – The Tampa Bay Buccaneers unveil a new look and a new coach on Sunday when they host the Carolina Panthers at 4:25PM ET on FOX.
Tampa Bay went just 4-12 last season and the Bucs elected to hire Lovie Smith to take over coaching duties. Carolina is coming off a 12-4 season where it won the NFC South, but lost its first playoff game. Carolina has won four of its last six against Tampa Bay.
Trends show that the favorite is 6-1 against the spread in the last seven games in this series and the two have hit the over in 8 of their last 10 meetings in Tampa Bay. The Bucs are also just 13-29-1 against the spread in their last 43 home games.
According to oddsmakers from Bovada.lv, Tampa Bay is the slight favorite at home, as the Bucs have odds of -2.5 points against the Panthers. The over/under total for the game has been set at 39.5 points (View Matchup). The opening odds for this game had Carolina favored by 2.5 points, but the spread has been consistently fading toward Tampa Bay, now reaching a peak of the Bucs -2.5. The over/under total opened at 40.5 points and hit a low of 39 before closing at 39.5.
The Bucs have a new look and a new quarterback in Josh McCown. Tampa had the league’s worst passing offense in 2013, which shouldn’t be the case given the team has Vincent Jackson to work with. The team also added tall receiver Mike Evans to the mix through the NFL Draft. Defensively, the Bucs should be stronger than the 348 yards per game allowed last season. The team is led by Lavonte David, who had 145 tackles, 7 sacks and 5 interceptions in 2013.
Carolina comes into the season with one of the top defenses in the NFL from 2013. The Panthers allowed just 301.2 yards per game, ranking second in the league in rush defense and sixth in pass defense. Offensively, Cam Newton had a strong season in 2013, posting 3,379 passing yards with 24 touchdowns while rushing for 585 yards and six scores. However, the team let Steve Smith, a receiver whose been with the team his whole career, go to Baltimore in the offseason.
In terms of Injuries, Tampa Bay defensive end Da’Quan Bowers (abdominal) and safety Dashon Goldson (ankle) are both questionable for this game. Carolina defensive end Charles Johnson is probable to play despite a hamstring injury.
The Public Bets for this game are currently backing the Bucs, as Tampa Bay is getting 54% of the wagers with a point spread of -2.5 against Carolina on Sunday.
Want More From TheSpread.com? Follow us on Twitter and Facebook or Subscribe to Our News Feeds!