The NFL season is into the business end of the campaign and Monday Night Football features the reigning Super Bowl champions the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as they look to bounce back after a rough two week spell.
Will the Super Bowl champs get back on track on MNF?
@Giants vs @Buccaneers
1:15am
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They face the New York Giants, who have turned around a poor start to the season to keep their faint hopes of a playoff berth alive.
The Bucs are 4/21 to get the win, while New York are 4/1 to taste victory. The points line is 49.5, with the overs and unders both 25/27.
Defending champs wobbling
Tampa Bay began this season in explosive form, flying out the traps to a 6-1 record after seven games.
Tom Brady was throwing for huge numbers in both touchdowns and yardage and everything seemed to be as normal.
However, back-to-back defeats to division rivals the New Orleans Saints and the struggling Washington Football Team has let the wind out of the Bucs’ sails somewhat.
Tampa Bay lost by double digits to Washington and Brady was intercepted twice in both that loss and the defeat to the Saints two weeks earlier.
Giants form turnaround
New York lost five of their opening six games of the season before their recent three game spell in which they beat the Carolina Panthers and Las Vegas Raiders and were denied a win by just three points against the reigning AFC champions, the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Giants had a bye week last time out so may be fresher than most as they look to continue their good run.
Injury woes
Wide receiver Antonio Brown is out for this game, limiting the Bucs’ offensive options in this one. The Super Bowl champions are also likely to be without defensive tackle Vita Vea after he did not practice all week with a knee injury.
Tight end Rob Gronkowski, cornerback Dee Delaney and defensive tackle Rakeem Nuñez-Roches were all listed as questionable by the Florida team before this encounter.
To make matters worse for the champs, the Giants’ key running back Saquon Barkley looks on the verge of a return after an ankle injury.
Giants may keep it close
With the injury woes piling up for the Buccaneers and with Tampa Bay coming here on the back of confidence-denting losses against the Saints and Washington, it may pay to side with New York here.
The spread of +10.5 for the Giants is 25/27 and considering their key weapon Saquon Barkley looks on the brink of a return, that may be the smart play.
The Giants have covered the handicap in their last three games and also come here on the back of a week off, so may be the fresher side now that we are in the dog days of the season.
With some of his main weapons out, Brady has struggled somewhat and it may be worth going for the unders on the points total. At the 49.5 line the unders would have landed in the Giants last three games.
*All odds correct at time of writing.
