No, not Mary Kate and Ashley of Full House fame. In order to alleviate their NFL gambling woes, the Carolina Panthers might have to clone tight end Greg Olsen, though they’d be happy if the original were able to play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Olsen, who is sidelined with a broken foot, has a league record of 1,000-plus yards per season for three straight seasons, but he won’t return before the Panthers play the Jets in week 12, which is good news for the Bucs.
- Date: Sunday, 29th October
- Time: 1:05 PM
- Venue: Raymond James Stadium
- Sportsbook Odds for Fans Bet on NFL Games Online:
Panthers +2 (-110) 46 (-110) +110
Buccaneers -2 (-110) 46 (-110) -130
Seek the dog in thyself
This will be the third time the Panthers are road dogs this season but, Sunday’s 17-3 SU and ATS loss to the Bears aside (wherein Cam Newton was sacked five times and took 11 hits, and threw two of his five picks this season), that’s a status they seem to relish, especially when visiting Tampa Bay. Carolina has won and covered in six of their last eight trips to Raymond James Stadium, and is 7-2 ATS in their last nine games as underdog, and 4-2 SU in its last six games on the road. The loss in Chicago could have been, all things considered, the exception that proves the rule. The Panthers are, on the other hand, 1-6 SU and 1-5-1 ATS in their last seven games against NFC South opponents, while the Bucs are 2-9 SU and 1-10 ATS in their last 11 games at home in October, 0-4-1 ATS in their last five overall, and 22-47-1 against the NFL gambling spread in their last 70 at home. The Panthers could obviously care less about the spread, but straight-up-wise, this is what they call a “must-win” game.
These Bucs not making big bucks
The Bucs have lost three games in a row, and they snapped a four-game ATS skid but only because their 27-30 loss to the Bills was a push. Fans can’t blame QB Jameis Winston, though, who threw for 384 yards with three touchdowns against Buffalo, the fourth time he’s had more than 300 yards in five games, as well as Tampa Bay’s four straight game with more than 400 yards. Between Winston and Ryan Fitzpatrick, the Bucs lead the league with 312 passing yards per game. One can only wonder what they’d be able to accomplish if only the offensive line protected Winston better. The total has managed to go over in four of the Bucs’ last five games, which one may attribute to the opposing teams. It might be, against the Panthers, the opposite story; Tampa Bay and Carolina combine for an average of 43 points this season, three shy of the NFL gambling total for their Sunday meeting. Then again, the Bucs offense has been on the upswing, and the Panthers may be without Luke Kuechly after he suffered is third concussion since 2015.
Asked if Kuechly is on pace to play vs TB, RR said, “That’s my understanding” before reminding he still has to clear protocol.
— Bill Voth (@PanthersBill) October 25, 2017