NFL Monday Night Football – Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Carolina Panthers
This could be the most important game in the NFC South Division this season. Both the Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a game ahead of the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC South. The Bucs lead the NFC South at this point because they beat Carolina the first time these two teams met. Jon Gruden has a very good football team in Tampa Bay this season.
Sports betting fans have love how the Tampa Bay Bucs have garnered a straight-up record of 9 and 3 and a record against the BetUS online sportsbook betting spread of 7 and 5. The Buccaneer D is about as good as any defense in the NFL. Even though middle linebacker Barrett Rudd won’t get any press to win the NFL Defensive Player of the year award, he’s the type of guy that could dominate from the linebacker position.
The Carolina Panthers aren’t slouches either. Their defense is almost just as good as Tampa Bay’s. Whatever they might lack defensively, the Panthers make up for it on offense where quarterback Jake Delhomme and wide receiver Steve Smith are beginning to click. The addition of rookie running back Jonathan Stewart from Oregon has really impacted this team. He’s a bruising runner that defenses have to pay attention to. That allows Smith to get single coverage against cornerbacks.
Game-day: 12/08/2008
Kick-off: 8:35 pm EST.
Here are the BetUS online sportsbook betting odds for this game:
Tampa Bay Buccaneers + 3 Ev + 145 O 38 – 110
Carolina Panthers – 3 – 120 – 165 U 38 – 110
Here are a few online wagering trends that might help us find a good online bet in this game:
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are 5 and 2 against the spread in their last 7 games versus a team with a winning record.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are 2 and 5 against the spread in the last 7 meetings between these two teams in Carolina.
The Carolina Panthers are 6-2-1 against the spread in their last 9 games at home.
The Over is 4 and 1 in the Carolina Panthers last 5 games overall.
This is going to be a great battle between two expertly coached teams. The difference might actually be the Bucs’ quarterback, Jeff Garcia, who has the intangibles to will his team to victory.
Coach Jon Gruden and quarterback Jeff Garcia really understand each other. These two teams know each other so well that the communication between coach and quarterback might be the one thing that takes the Buccaneers over the edge.
It’s hard to make an online bet against the Carolina Panthers at home, but that’s what I’m going to do. I see the Bucs going into Carolina and playing an excellent game.
Bucs vs. Panthers Monday Night Prediction:
I have to roll the dice in this one. I’ll be making an online wager on the Bucs to beat the Panthers straight up on the road at the BetUS online sportsbook football betting money line odds of + 145.
