The final week of the NFL season begins with a Saturday matchup between the Carolina Panthers (8-8) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-9).
Carolina can win the NFC South with a win over the Bucs, while Tampa needs a win and an Atlanta loss on Sunday to win the division and reach the playoffs.
Naturally, this is one of the most important NFL Week 18 games, so let’s look closer at this matchup, as I share my Panthers vs Buccaneers predictions.
Panthers vs Buccaneers Odds
All NFL odds used for these Panthers vs Buccaneers best bets are current as of Wednesday, Dec. 31, and courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
- Moneyline: Panthers (+120) vs Buccaneers (-142)
- Spread: Panthers +2.5 (-102) vs Buccaneers -2.5 (-118)
- Over/Under: Over 43.5 (-115) / Under 43.5 (-105)
Panthers vs Buccaneers Predictions
Score Prediction: Panthers 21, Buccaneers 17
The Buccaneers are in freefall at the moment, making them hard to trust in a big game, even at home.
They’ve lost four in a row and seven of their last eight games, with their only win during that stretch coming against the Cardinals.
In fairness, Tampa’s last four losses have come by a total of 11 points, so the games have been close. However, the Bucs aren’t a strong defensive team, and they’ve only scored more than 20 points once in their last six outings.
Granted, the Panthers are a flawed team as well. But they are a little better defensively and have a better rushing attack, which will give them a chance on the road.
Carolina has wins over the Packers and Rams this season, showing that the Panthers can rise to the occasion in big games, which is what I expect from them in Week 18.
Panthers vs Buccaneers Best Bets
Panthers ML (+120)
Everything is trending against the Bucs heading into this game, as they’ve lost seven of eight and failed to cover the spread in all eight games.
They are also just 1-6 against the spread at home, so playing in front of their fans hasn’t given them much of an edge.
It’s hard to trust a team like that as a favorite, especially when the Panthers are 8-5 against the spread as an underdog and haven’t melted down late in the season despite some inconsistency.
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Under 42.5 Total Points (-105)
With so much at stake in this game, both teams may be more cautious than usual.
That conservative approach should lead to a low-scoring game, which has been the trend for both teams in recent weeks.
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Panthers’ games have gone under the total in each of their last three contests, including their 23-20 win over the Bucs two weeks ago.
Meanwhile, four of Tampa’s last six games have stayed under the expected point total, which is why my Panthers vs Buccaneers predictions include a defensive slugfest.
Baker Mayfield: Over 0.5 Interceptions (-141)
Mayfield has had a problem with ball security down the stretch, which is part of the reason for Tampa’s losing streak.
He has thrown at least one interception in four straight games, with eight of his 10 picks this season coming in Tampa’s last seven games.
The fact that he has been limited in practice this week with knee and shoulder issues isn’t going to help.
Finally, the Carolina defense has 14 interceptions this season, so the Panthers are more than capable of taking advantage of Mayfield’s issues in this area.
I’m backing the Buccaneers’ quarterback to throw an interception as my NFL pick of the day.
