1. Tampa Bay at Carolina
LINE: Tampa Bay -5.5
ATS PICK: Tampa Bay
– Bet on this, BetMGM latest line
Do you really think Tampa Bay is going to be that inept twice in a row?
But it’s not just that. The Buccaneers were awful in a tough Monday win over the Giants the week before getting obliterated by the Saints 38-3.
There’s no running game, the line couldn’t keep Tom Brady from being worn as a hat, and the team didn’t look anything like the powerhouse that ripped through Green Bay and Las Vegas with a dominant defense and explosive O.
What did the Bucs do after losing to the Saints to start the season? They came back and beat Carolina 31-17.
The Panthers have Christian McCaffrey back, and the offense hasn’t been bad overall, but they’re on a four-game losing streak with too many problems in the pass defense and not enough consistency on offense.
Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Antonio Brown, Gronk … the weapons are there. Brady is there. Will the defense come up with the four takeaways it did in the first meeting? Doubtful, but winning by 5.5 to get back on track shouldn’t be an issue for a team this strong.