NFL Betting – Bucs and Vikings Try To Work Out of Tough Spots

  • In Charles Jay
  • Sat, Oct 25th, 2014 7:25:02 pm
  • By Charles Jay - Exclusive to OSGA


How well will the Tampa Bay Buccaneers be able to rebound from taking another beating? They've had a bye week to think about it, and they go up against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.

Well, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were beaten up once again in their last outing, and this time they have had an extra week to think about things as they get ready to take the field against the Minnesota Vikings. Head coach Lovie Smith has not been pushing the right buttons, and he may soon have a decision to make at the quarterback position, though it probably won't be this week. NFL betting action between these two NFC squads takes place at 1 PM ET at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.

There is the possibility that Josh McCown, who was brought aboard to be the starter at quarterback in Tampa, may be activated for this game. However, it would most likely be as the backup, with Mike Glennon getting the start under center. So far he has thrown seven touchdown passes with three interceptions, which isn't so bad. Actually, the real problems with this team line elsewhere. They just can't get off to a decent start; in fact, the Buccaneers have been outscored 123-27 in the first halves of games. It is very tough to recover from that. Two weeks ago they gave up 28 points in the first quarter against the Baltimore Ravens, and it was pretty much over at that point. So they went into the bye week on a down note, for sure. Now what do they do? They can't defend, and they can't run the ball with any consistency.

In the NFL betting odds that placed on this game by the people at BetAnySports, the Buccaneers are laying points at home:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers -2.5 (-115)
Minnesota Vikings +2.5 (-105)

Over 43 points -110
Under 43 points -110

The Vikings lost 17-16 last week to the Buffalo Bills on a touchdown with one second left, so you could say their psyche is damaged a bit as well. After showing some dynamic ability in his first NFL start, rookie Teddy Bridgewater has come back down to earth, as he has thrown five interceptions and been sacked 15 times. When teams get some game tape on a new quarterback, they tend to be able to take advantage of weaknesses, and this is now the spot where Bridgewater has to take his game to a new level.

Minnesota has scored 29 points in the last three weeks, as they have fallen to a 2-5 straight-up record (3-4 against the NFL betting pointspread at BetAnySports). They have at least gotten some encouragement out of the play of rookie Jerick McKinnon, who ran for 103 yards last week, and Bridgewater may be able to exploit the NFL's worst defense, which has allowed the opposition to complete almost 72% of its passes for 8.5 yards per attempt.

The Buccaneers are 1-5 straight-up and 2-4 against the spread, and on the previous occasion where they were completely manhandled – a Thursday night contest in Atlanta where they lost 56-14 to the Falcons – they came back with a strong effort in Pittsburgh, beating the Steelers. It looks as if the box will have to get their ground attack through Bobby Rainey, who averages 4.9 yards per carry, as Doug Martin has never regained rookie form.

Here's an interesting angle for BetAnySports patrons to explore: Leslie Frazier, the current Tampa Bay defensive coordinator, was the head coach in Minnesota for the last three years, so he's knows a little something about the personnel. Of course, if you can't execute, nothing matters, and that's why the Buccaneers can't afford to play "soft," as All-Pro defensive tackle Gerald McCoy has implied they have.

Don't be like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers; get off to a great start on Sunday by opening up an account at BetAnySports, you can get reduced juice wagering on all NFL games!



Sign-up for the OSGA Newsletter!

Every week get news and updates, exclusive offers and betting tips delivered right to you email inbox.