Bucs vs. Falcons Spread Prediction
The Falcons had a miserable season thanks in large part to injuries but they can wrap up 2018 on a three-game winning streak if they can beat the Bucs on Sunday. Will the Falcons cover as a small road favorite or is there more value in the home dog?
Game Snapshot
317 Atlanta Falcons at 318 Tampa Bay Bucs
1:00 p.m. ET, Sunday, December 30
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
Public Betting Trends
According to oddsmakers from online sports book BetNow.eu, the Falcons are 2-point favorites to beat the Bucs. The total, meanwhile, sits at 52 points. As of this writing, 52% of the public betting tickets are on the Falcons to cover the point spread.
Atlanta Falcons
Falcons coach Dan Quinn confirmed Julio Jones (hip, ribs) will play Week 17 against the Buccaneers. Tevin Coleman (groin) will also be on the field for Sunday’s finale. Jones hasn’t seen much practice work the past few weeks while battling hip and rib injuries, though neither issue has affected his on-field performance. He’ll go for his second receiving yards title Sunday against a Bucs team he annihilated for 144 yards earlier this year.
Tampa Bay Bucs
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports the “expectation around the league” is the Bucs will move on from Dirk Koetter. The Glazers have yet to make a final decision, but Koetter is a longshot to be back. With most of their assistant coaches on expiring deals, Tampa is set up to clean house this offseason. The Bucs have been connected to ex-Packers coach Mike McCarthy as a possible replacement for Koetter.
NFL Betting Trends
Atlanta
The Falcons are just 2-5 against the spread in their last seven games overall and are 2-6 ATS in their last eight road games.
Tampa Bay
The Bucs are 4-1-1 against the spread in their last six games overall and are 3-1-1 ATS in their last five games versus conference foes.
Prediction
The favorite is 11-4-1 against the spread in the last 16 meetings between these two teams and while the Falcons have historically struggled to win at Raymond James Stadium (and with the Bucs in general), this looks to be a good spot to back Atlanta. The Falcons have played their best defense over the past two weeks (granted against the hapless Cardinals and banged-up Panthers) and their offense is breathing again after a bad five-week stretch that cost them any hope at a wild card spot. Meanwhile, if Koetter is on the outs in Tampa, this should be a pretty lifeless performance from the Bucs.
NFL Week 17 Prediction: Atlanta Falcons -2