The Carolina Panthers have lost three games in a row. Cam Newton and company are hoping that a date with an NFC South rival they have dominated in recent years can help them get back on track. The Panthers will visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday afternoon. Carolina is just 1-4 on the road this season, with an identical 1-4 record against the spread in those games. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay is just 4-7 overall but owns a 3-2 record at Raymond James Stadium. Can the Buccaneers add to the Panthers’ struggles by earning another home win? Or will Carolina end its slide with a big win on the road?

NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis

The Panthers have been one of the worst road teams to bet on this season. Carolina has covered the spread just once in five road games, which is a big reason why it is just 5-6 against the spread overall this season. However, despite the team’s struggles on the road the Panthers are still listed as 3.5-point favorites this week.

A big part of that is the fact that Tampa Bay is 4-6-1 against the spread this season. The Buccaneers had lost four in a row before last week’s 27-9 win over the San Francisco 49ers. Tampa Bay has also been dominated by Carolina in recent years with a 2-8 record straight up and a 3-7 ATS record in its last 10 games against its NFC South rivals.

Carolina Panthers

If the Panthers are going to turn things around and contend for a playoff spot this season, they absolutely need to find a way to win on the road this Sunday. Carolina is 1-6 both straight up and against the spread in its last seven road games dating back to last season. At 6-5, the Panthers are currently occupying the final NFC Wild Card spot but only barely right now. Carolina has lost three in a row, including its last two games by an average margin of just 2.0 points to the Detroit Lions and Seattle Seahawks. While injuries and some questionable coaching decisions have contributed to their recent struggles, the bottom line is that the Panthers need to be better.

Running back Christian McCaffrey has been absolutely excellent so it would be a good idea for Carolina to get him the football early and often against one of the league’s worst run defences. Meanwhile, Cam Newton will need to build off a strong performance after throwing for 256 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for another 63 yards in last week’s 30-27 loss to the Seahawks. The Panthers have come out on the losing side of some close games the last two weeks. Considering their recent history with Tampa Bay, there is a good chance Carolina gets its season back on track this weekend.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Buccaneers haven’t been any better than the Panthers of late. While everything went right for them in last week’s win over the 49ers, San Francisco isn’t exactly a scary opponent to have to play at home. There were some positives to build on after Jameis Winston threw for 312 yards and two touchdowns without turning over the football. Winston will have a much more difficult time moving the football on the Carolina defence this week and limiting turnovers will be important. Meanwhile, the Buccaneers have struggled to run the ball all season. That won’t be any easier this week against a tough Panthers front-seven. Tampa Bay did step up with a pair of interceptions on San Francisco quarterback Nick Mullens last week. However, Newton has torched them in recent years and will present a much more difficult matchup.

While the Buccaneers are coming off a big win, they will be in tough to hold off a desperate Carolina side this week. The Panthers absolutely need to win this game in order to remain in control of an NFC Wild Card position. While Tampa Bay might be able to keep this game close, Carolina should be able to win this game and cover the point spread on the road.

Panthers vs. Buccaneers Prediction