NFL Overreactions Week 17
USAT’s Prince Grimes breaks down the best games of NFL Week 17 and the unfolding playoff picture.
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The Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers play on Saturday, Jan. 3, at the Buccaneers’ Raymond James Stadium in a game on the NFL Week 18 schedule.
Which team will win the NFL Week 18 game?
Check out these NFL Week 18 picks and NFL Week 18 predictions for the game, which can be seen at 2:30 p.m. MST on ESPN (stream with FUBO).
The Buccaneers are a 3-point favorite over the Panthers in NFL Week 18 odds for the game, courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook.
Tampa Bay is -165 on the moneyline, while Carolina is +140. The over/under (point total) is set at 43.5 points.
NFL Week 18 picks: Panthers at Buccaneers | Seahawks at 49ers | Saints at Falcons | Browns at Bengals | Colts at Texans | Titans at Jaguars | Packers at Vikings | Cowboys at Giants | Jets at Bills | Lions at Bears | Chargers at Broncos | Cardinals at Rams | Chiefs at Raiders | Dolphins at Patriots | Commanders at Eagles | Ravens at Steelers | The Republic’s score predictions
Watch Panthers at Buccaneers live on FUBO (free trial)
Jeremy Cluff writes: “The Panthers beat the Buccaneers on Dec. 21, 23-20. The Buccaneers have lost four games in a row. The winner of this game likely wins the NFC South and the final NFC playoff berth. We don’t have much confidence in either team’s ability to win a postseason game, but we’ll take the home team to get there.”
The site’s formula predicts that the Buccaneers will win the NFL Week 18 game against the Panthers.
ESPN: Buccaneers have a 61.5% chance to beat Panthers on Saturday
The site gives the Panthers a 38.2% shot at winning the NFL Week 18 game, with the remaining percentage accounting for a tie.
Odds Shark: Bet the Panthers with the points vs Buccaneers
Ethan Diamandas writes: “Tampa Bay holds home-field advantage and enters as the favorite, but troubling trends suggest Carolina can cover this number. Miami torched them for 217 yards on three consecutive drives in Week 17, while Mayfield’s three giveaways proved costly. Young already demonstrated he can execute in Tampa with a composed performance two weeks ago, and Carolina’s defensive foundation should keep this game tight enough for the Panthers to cover three points.”
Sportsnaut: Panthers 27, Buccaneers 20
Matt Johnson writes: “It is the battle for the NFC South crown, with the winner hosting a playoff game and the loser’s season coming to an end in Week 18. Just two weeks ago, the Carolina Panthers emerged victorious at home (23–20) over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with Bryce Young outplaying Baker Mayfield and winning despite losing the time-of-possession battle (34:36 to 25:24). Carolina has simply looked like the better team over the last two months of the season, and Mayfield’s second-half collapse (9–8 TD-INT, 60.8 percent completion rate, and 77.0 passer rating) is an underrated factor in Tampa Bay’s downfall. Even on the road, we have more confidence in Young and the Panthers’ coaching staff than we do in the Buccaneers.”
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Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.
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