Saints vs. Buccaneers Point Spread: NFL Week 13 Odds, Prediction
Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers try for the season sweep of NFC South rival New Orleans on Monday night. The Bucs are 3.5-point favourites on the NFL odds.
NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis
The Saints had given Tom Brady and the Bucs major fits in the past couple of regular seasons, but Tampa Bay beat New Orleans 20-10 in Week 2. Brady lost his cool in that one, helping to incite a skirmish that led to the ejections of Saints cornerback Lattimore and Bucs receiver Mike Evans, then threw a go-ahead touchdown pass to Breshad Perriman. Lattimore and Evans just don’t like each other so keep an eye on that.
Former Bucs No. 1 overall pick Jameis Winston was the New Orleans starting QB then and threw a TD pass but also had three interceptions. His TD pass was to receiver Michael Thomas, but the former NFL Offensive Player of the Year is now done for the season. The Saints have been hit hard by injuries all year, part of the reason they are struggling under first-year coach Dennis Allen and likely will miss the playoffs.
The road team is 4-1 against the spread in the past five meetings.
New Orleans Saints
The Saints come off a 13-0 loss at San Francisco on Sunday as QB Andy Dalton and the offence managed just 260 yards – might be time for a switch back to Jameis Winston under centre. San Francisco forced two fumbles from Alvin Kamara (first game of career with two lost fumbles) and ended the NFL’s longest active scoring streak at 332 games and nearly 21 years. New Orleans was last blanked also against the 49ers in the 2001 finale. The Saints have only amassed more than 100 net rushing yards once in the past six games. Pro Bowl cornerback Marshon Lattimore missed another game due to injury. The Saints are 2-5 ATS in their past seven games.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
It was thought that the Bucs might have fixed their issues with back-to-back wins entering their Week 11 bye, but they were upset Sunday in Cleveland, 23-17 in overtime. Tom Brady completed 29 of 43 attempts for 246 yards and two touchdowns but also overthrew receivers downfield on a handful of attempts. Pro Bowler Mike Evans was targeted nine times but only caught two for 31 yards. Running back Leonard Fournette was out but has a good chance of playing this week. Tampa Bay’s offensive line has been devastated by injury this season and lost the team’s best one in right tackle Tristan Wirfs to a high ankle sprain in the loss. He’s likely out 3-4 weeks. Wirfs is just the ninth offensive lineman since 1990 to be named a first-team All-Pro in his first two seasons. The Bucs are 1-5-1 ATS in their past seven at home.
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