Carolina Panthers vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers Prediction & Betting Tips - NFL

Prediction published on 06/01/2024, 08:00  by Devesh Jaganath in NFL Predictions

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will head to the Bank of America Stadium to take on the Carolina Panthers in the NFL on Sunday. The Buccaneers are 8-8 and leading the NFC South, while the Panthers are 2-14 and at the bottom of the pile. 

It's a crucial matchup for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as they aim to secure their playoff spot on Sunday against the Carolina Panthers. A victory in this game would clinch the NFC South for the Bucs. Fortunately for them, they face the struggling Panthers, who currently hold the worst record in the league at 2-14 heading into Week 18. The Buccaneers are coming off a disappointing performance against the New Orleans Saints, where their four-game winning streak was snapped. Throughout the season, the Bucs have been averaging 231.1 passing yards and 87.3 rush yards while conceding 260.3 and 93.1, respectively. They maintain an average score of 21.2 points per game, slightly higher than the 20.3 points they allow. Despite Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield missing practice on Wednesday due to sore ribs, he is likely to soldier on in a game of this magnitude. 

Meanwhile, the Carolina Panthers find themselves at the bottom of the NFL standings, officially securing the worst record in the league. Their recent shutout loss to the struggling Jacksonville Jaguars epitomizes a challenging season where they've only managed to win two games, against the Texans and Falcons. Despite briefly showing promise by defeating the Falcons in Week 15 and coming close to upsetting the Packers in Week 16, the Panthers got a harsh reality check with a 26-0 loss to the Jaguars last time out. A significant challenge for the Panthers has been their struggle to score, averaging just 14.8 points per game and tallying only 23 total touchdowns while allowing 49 touchdowns on defense. Offensively, Carolina is averaging 167.1 passing yards (31st) and 102.4 rushing yards (20th), while conceding 175.1 and 123, respectively. With the top pick in the upcoming draft belonging to the Chicago Bears, the Panthers can only hope to build positive momentum as they look ahead to the next season.