Carolina Panthers vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our week 17 Panthers vs Buccaneers pick and preview and see who we think will win and cover in Tampa Bay.

The Panthers and Buccaneers will face off on Sunday, December 29th at 1:00 ET on CBS. The Buccaneers are heavily favored with a money line of -416, and the point spread is -8 in their favor. The over/under line is at 49.5 points. This week 17 matchup is an important one within the NFC South, and the Panthers are +322 on the money line.

Panthers vs. Buccaneers Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NFL
Teams: Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Where: Tampa Bay at Raymond James Stadium
Date: Sunday, December 29th
Betting Odds TB -8, CAR +322 | TB -416 O/U 49.5

Panthers Preview:

With a 4-11 record, the Panthers sit 32nd in our power rankings and have been eliminated from playoff contention. Carolina is 1-5 on the road and 3-6 at home, including a 36-30 win over the Cardinals in week 16. They were 5.5-point underdogs in that game, and the 66 combined points easily hit the over (47.0).

The Panthers’ O/U record is 11-4, with the over hitting in two straight games. They are 7-8 against the spread, with all seven of their ATS wins coming as underdogs. Carolina has a -11 scoring margin this season.

Panthers Offense Breakdown

Heading into week 17, the Panthers rank 24th in our offensive power rankings. They are 26th in the NFL in points per game, averaging 18.9, and 30th in passing yards per game with 183.5, despite being 15th in pass attempts. On the ground, they rank 16th in rushing yards per game, averaging 112.3, on 24.5 attempts per game. Carolina is 27th in the league in 3rd-down conversions, with a 35.3% success rate.

Bryce Young is coming off a solid performance in week 16, throwing for 158 yards and 2 touchdowns with a passer rating of 107. Chuba Hubbard rushed for 152 yards on 25 carries, while Adam Thielen led the team with 5 receptions for 43 yards and a touchdown.

Panthers Team Defense

Despite giving up 206 yards on the ground, the Panthers' defense played well in their most recent game, holding the Cardinals to 176 yards passing and just 30% on third down. They also forced 3 sacks and came up with 1 interception. Arizona finished with 382 total yards, but Carolina managed to come out on top with a 36-30 overtime victory.

The Panthers' defense was tough to move the ball against through the air, allowing just 20 completions and holding the Cardinals to a 62.5% completion percentage. However, they did struggle against the run, giving up 7.1 yards per attempt and 206 rushing yards.

Buccaneers Preview:

Heading into week 17, the Buccaneers have a 58.1% chance of making the playoffs and a 51.7% chance of winning the NFC South. They currently rank 8th in our NFL power rankings. Tampa Bay is 8-7 this season, putting them 2nd in their division. After three straight wins, the Bucs lost to the Cowboys in week 16, dropping their record to 8-7. Before that, they had wins over the Chargers, Raiders, and Panthers.

Against the spread, the Buccaneers are 9-6, with a +5 scoring margin. Their O/U record is 10-5, with the over hitting in two straight games. Tampa Bay’s games have averaged 51.9 points, compared to an average line of 45.5.

Buccaneers Offense Breakdown

Heading into week 17, the Buccaneers are 9th in our offensive power rankings. They are 5th in the NFL in points per game (28.5) and 3rd in yards per game (389.8). Tampa Bay ranks 2nd in the league in 3rd-down conversion percentage (48.4%) and averages 7.0 points in the 1st quarter, which is also 2nd in the NFL. They are 5th in red zone attempts, but their conversion rate of 5.2% ranks 29th.

Baker Mayfield threw for 303 yards (31/43) and 2 touchdowns in week 16 against the Cowboys. Mike Evans had 5 catches for 69 yards, and Bucky Irving rushed for 68 yards on 16 carries. Before that, Mayfield had a 4-touchdown game in week 15 and a 3-touchdown performance in week 14. Evans had a big game in week 15, with 159 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Buccaneers Team Defense

In their 26-24 loss to the Cowboys, the Buccaneers' defense allowed just 31 rushing yards on 20 attempts, making it tough for Dallas to run the ball. However, they gave up 286 yards through the air, including one passing touchdown. The Bucs allowed the Cowboys to complete 74.3% of their passes and finish with a 33.3% third-down conversion rate.

Tampa Bay's defense managed only one sack in the game and didn't generate much pressure, as they and the Cowboys each had one quarterback hit. Despite their struggles against the pass, the Bucs defended the run well and held Dallas to 1.6 yards per attempt on the ground.

Panthers vs Buccaneers Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Across the Panthers last ten road games, the team averaged 12 points per game while allowing 28. Their record vs the spread in these contests was 3-7, while going 1-9 straight-up.
When looking at their past five home matchups, Tampa Bay has an ATS record of 3-2 while averaging 28 per game. The team went 3-2 overall in these games.
Through their last five games as the betting underdog, the Panthers have a strong record vs the spread going 5-0. Their straight up mark in these contests is 2-3.
In their last ten games as the betting favorite, the Buccaneers have a straight up record of 7-3 and an ATS mark of 5-5.