Tampa Bay at Carolina prediction, game preview, how to watch: Sunday, December 26
Tampa Bay at Carolina How To Watch
Date: Sunday, December 26
Game Time: 1:00 ET
Venue: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC
How To Watch: FOX
Record: Tampa Bay (10-4), Carolina (5-9)
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Tampa Bay at Carolina Game Preview
Why Tampa Bay Will Win
You think Tampa Bay will be a wee bit jacked up to make amends for the 9-0 loss to New Orleans?
The passing game stalled, the ground game didn’t help enough, and the -2 turnover margin turned out to matter. The ground game might help out a bit.
It won’t be the Leonard Fournette show, but Ronald Jones should be fresh enough to pick up the slack. There’s no Chris Godwin, but the rest of the passing game parts should be okay.
Defensively, it was lost in the clunker to New Orleans that the Buccaneer defense allowed just over 200 yards of offense. The run defense should be able to contain Cam Newton, and there won’t be enough of a Panther passing attack to make up for it.
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Why Carolina Will Win
Carolina might just have the defensive chops to repeat the New Orleans hex on the Buccaneers.
The secondary is among the best in the NFL. It allowed fewer than 200 yards in seven of its last eight games and could take advantage of a Tampa Bay team looking to press a bit.
Offensively, the ground game has to take over right away. The Tampa Bay defense allowed well over 100 yards on the ground in three straight games before stuffing New Orleans, and for all of its problems, Carolina should be able to grind a bit.
However …
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What’s Going To Happen
There’s just no rhythm to the Panther attack.
Tom Brady will throw two early touchdown passes, and then the defense will do the rest. Carolina will hang around, but two turnovers will blow everything wide open in the second half.
The two teams will mead two weeks from now, but neither one will hold back the playbook. It’s statement time for Brady after last week’s debacle.
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Tampa Bay at Carolina Prediction, Line
Tampa Bay 30, Carolina 16
Line: Tampa Bay -10, o/u: 43
ATS Confidence out of 5: 3
Must See Rating: 3
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1: Any present anyone is running out to get you at the last second