Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Carolina Panthers Picks and Predictions December 29th 2024

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Carolina Panthers December 29th 2024

The Panthers and Buccaneers will face off on Sunday, December 29th at 1:00 ET on CBS. The Buccaneers are the heavy favorite with a money line of -416, and the point spread is -8 in favor of the Buccaneers. The over/under line is set at 49.5 points for this week 17 NFC South matchup at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL.

Carolina vs. Tampa Bay Key Information

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 this season and 3-6 at home, including a 30-14 loss to the Cowboys in week 15. They bounced back in week 16 with a 36-30 win over the Cardinals, snapping a 5-game losing streak.

Carolina is 7-8 against the spread, with all of their ATS wins coming as underdogs. Their O/U record is 11-4, with the over hitting in their last two games. Panthers games have averaged 48.7 points this season, with an average line of 43.3.

Heading into week 17, the Panthers rank 24th in our offensive power rankings, averaging 18.9 points per game, which is 26th in the NFL. They are 30th in passing yards per game (183.5) on 32.3 attempts per game, and they rank 16th in rushing yards per game (112.3) on 24.5 attempts per game. Carolina ranks 27th in the NFL in 3rd-down conversions, with a 35.3% success rate, but they are 13th in red-zone conversion percentage.

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Bryce Young is coming off a strong performance in week 16, throwing for 158 yards and 2 touchdowns with no interceptions, posting a passer rating of 107. Chuba Hubbard rushed for 152 yards and 2 touchdowns on 25 carries, while Adam Thielen had 5 catches for 43 yards and a touchdown. Carolina scored 36 points in their week 16 win over the Cardinals, including 13 points in the 2nd quarter.

Despite giving up 206 yards on the ground, the Panthers’ defense played well in their most recent game, as they picked up a 36-30 overtime win over the Cardinals. Carolina limited Arizona to just 3-of-8 on third down and allowed only 176 yards passing. The Panthers also recorded three sacks and came up with one interception.

Carolina’s defense held the Cardinals to a 46.2% third-down conversion rate and limited them to just 3.2 yards per attempt on the ground. Even though they gave up 206 rushing yards, Arizona ran for 7.1 yards per attempt, with one big run going for 41 yards. In the passing game, the Panthers gave up just one touchdown.

Heading into week 17, the Buccaneers sit at 8-7, giving them a 58.1% chance of making the playoffs and a 51.7% chance of winning the NFC South. Tampa Bay ranks 8th in our NFL power rankings, and they are 9-6 against the spread this season. Their O/U record stands at 10-5, with the over hitting in their last two games.

After three straight wins, the Bucs fell to the Cowboys in week 16, dropping their record to 8-7. They couldn’t cover the 4.5-point spread as favorites, and the 50 combined points in the game went over the 47-point line. In week 15, Tampa Bay beat the Chargers 40-17, covering as 3-point underdogs.

Heading into week 17, the Buccaneers are 9th in our offensive power rankings. They rank 5th in the NFL in points per game, averaging 28.5, and are 3rd in passing yards per game with 246.1. On the ground, they are 7th in rushing, with 143.7 yards per game. Tampa Bay has been strong on 3rd down, converting 48.4% of their attempts, which ranks 2nd in the league, but they are 29th in red zone conversion percentage.

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In week 16, Baker Mayfield threw for 303 yards and 2 touchdowns, completing 31 of 43 passes against the Cowboys. Mike Evans led the team with 69 receiving yards, and Bucky Irving had 68 rushing yards and a touchdown. Tampa Bay scored 14 points in the 2nd quarter and converted 6 of 12 3rd downs, going 3 for 3 in the red zone.

In Tampa Bay’s 26-24 loss to the Cowboys, their defense allowed just 31 yards on 20 rushing attempts, giving up only 1.6 yards per attempt on the ground. Despite this, the Buccaneers allowed 286 passing yards, with Dallas completing 74.3% of their passes and averaging 8.2 yards per attempt. The Buccaneers’ lone sack came on defense, and they also held Dallas to a 33.3% conversion rate on third down.

For this week 17 matchup between the Panthers and Buccaneers, we have the Buccaneers pulling off the upset by a score of 29-25. If you are looking to place a bet on this game, we like the Buccaneers to cover the spread at home, as they are currently sitting at +8 point underdogs.

As for the over/under, with the line at 49.5 points, we have these teams combining for 54 points, making the over a great bet to target in this one.

Chasing Playoff Berth, Buccaneers Take on Panthers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers remain firmly in the hunt for a playoff spot, but with the stakes rising, there’s no room for error. On Sunday, the Carolina Panthers will visit Tampa Bay, aiming to play spoiler for the second consecutive week.

Buccaneers Eye Postseason Despite Uncertainty

The Buccaneers (8-7) share the top spot in the NFC South with the Atlanta Falcons. However, Atlanta holds the tiebreaker, meaning Tampa Bay needs to win out and hope for some help to secure the division title.

“We understand where we are,” Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles said. “It’s great to be playing December football. We just have to take care of ourselves and look up at the end and see where we’re at.”

Quarterback Baker Mayfield echoed the urgency of the moment.

“We’re in playoff mode,” Mayfield said. “We’ve got to take care of business or we have no shot.”

The Buccaneers saw their four-game winning streak snapped in a 26-24 loss to the Dallas Cowboys last weekend. Mayfield passed for 303 yards in the defeat, his highest total in seven games, as Tampa Bay came up just short in a hard-fought contest.

Panthers Embrace Spoiler Role

The Panthers (4-11) ended a four-game losing streak with a dramatic 36-30 overtime victory over the Arizona Cardinals last week. That win officially eliminated the Cardinals from playoff contention and demonstrated Carolina’s ability to disrupt postseason plans.

“It has been my hope all year to build a brand of football that we’re proud of,” first-year Panthers coach Dave Canales said.

Canales, formerly Tampa Bay’s offensive coordinator, now has a chance to upend his old team’s playoff aspirations. The Panthers nearly won their first meeting with the Buccaneers on Dec. 1 but fell 26-23 in overtime. Carolina had taken a late lead before Tampa Bay kicker Chase McLaughlin forced overtime with a 51-yard field goal and later sealed the game with a 30-yarder.

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Key Matchups to Watch

• Baker Mayfield vs. Bryce Young: Mayfield threw for 235 yards in the teams’ first meeting, while Carolina rookie Bryce Young passed for 298. Both quarterbacks will need strong performances to guide their respective teams.
• Chuba Hubbard’s Ground Game: Hubbard rushed for 152 yards and two touchdowns against Arizona last week, pushing his season total to 1,195 yards. However, Tampa Bay held him to just 43 yards on 12 carries in their last matchup.
• Defensive Adjustments: Tampa Bay’s defense could get a boost with the return of safety Jordan Whitehead, who’s been sidelined with a pectoral injury. Meanwhile, Carolina’s secondary is navigating injuries to cornerback Jaycee Horn (hip) and rookie receiver Xavier Legette (hip/wrist), who is pushing to return before the season ends.

High Stakes for Both Teams

With just two games left in the regular season, every play counts for the Buccaneers. Meanwhile, the Panthers are relishing the opportunity to shape the playoff picture despite their own postseason hopes being long gone.

“We’ve got to make sure that our bodies are right for this weekend, especially going down to Tampa, where it’s going to be a little warmer down there,” Canales said.

The Buccaneers will close out their regular season next week at home against the New Orleans Saints, while the Panthers finish their season on the road against the Atlanta Falcons.