The Bucs Report Best Bets are back after a week hiatus. It’s a new week and a clean slate. To this point of the year my picks sit at an even .500. However, now that the sample sizes are a little larger things should be looking up. Here are the games I feel confident in this week.
Bengals vs Lions under 47.5
The Lions have scored less than 20 points in their last four games. This passing attack is as lifeless as crypt. On top of that, their best offensive player, center Frank Ragnow, is injured. For a total as high as this, it sure seems like Detroit isn’t going to contribute a ton to the final score.
It feels like a lot to ask of the road team, with a quarterback who was put in the hospital last week, to come out and score 27-30 points. This game might turn into an interesting one to watch, but I would expect it to be pretty low scoring.
Cowboys – 3.5 vs Patriots
Everyone has their own preferences when it comes to betting. Some people stay away from road favorites, but I personally just bet on good teams beating bad teams. That will be the case in this game.
The Cowboys have won four games in a row after their opening night loss to the Bucs. The Patriots have looked like a team that struggles to score points. Don’t overthink this one, Dallas is four points better than New England regardless of where they play.
Vikings – 1.5 vs Panthers
It’s become painfully obvious that the Panthers offense will only go as far as Christian McCaffery will take them. And with the star running back being injured, you can count on Carolina stumbling along in this game. The Panthers have lost the last two games since his injury and I don’t see that trend changing this week.
On the other side of things, the Vikings star running back is expected to return this weekend after practicing on a limited basis this week. This will only help the Vikings impressive group of pass catchers. With such a tight margin of victory, I’ll put my money on the team that’s trending healthy.
Bills vs Titans Over 54.5
There has been no hotter team in that NFL than the Buffalo Bills over the last month. They have blown opponents out and have scored at least 35 points in their last four games. That isn’t a trend that I expect to change going against a Titans defense that ranks in the bottom third in points allowed.
Tennessee is no scrub on offense themselves. They rank 10th in points per game and can hurt defenses with the run or pass. I expect the Bills to win this one, but The Titans will score their fair share of points.
Buccaneers – 6.5 vs Eagles
Thursday night football is always weird and I’m always hesitant to bet on it. However, this is as lopsided of a matchup as you’ll see. The Eagles have scored two or fewer touchdowns in more than half their games. Additionally, their defense is bottom five against the run and the pass.
The Bucs, on the other hand, have the front runner for MVP at quarterback and on pace to be the best rushing defense in NFL history. Philadelphia might hang around for longer than some are expecting, but by the end of the night the Bucs will probably win this game by two touchdowns. This looks like easy money to me.
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