Bucs Are A 6 1/2-Point Favorite Against Carolina; Game Not Sold Out

December 26th, 2022

An official Tampa Bay Buccaneers photograph.

The NFC South crown is on the line Sunday at The Licht House! It’s the Bucs against the Panthers and another bad quarterback at 1 p.m.

Joe is fired up!

Bucs games are low on entertainment value these days but great for aggravating GERD and irritable bowels, and for inducing intermittent migraines. And if you like underachievement capped by spirited comebacks against sorry-ass football teams, then you might want to buy a ticket for the upcoming New Year’s day affair.

Tickets are available. There are unsold tickets and plenty on the secondary market, where Joe saw a bunch for under $100 after the Bucs edged the Cardinals in overtime last night.

Tampa Bay opened as a 7 1/2-point favorite against Carolina but the line moved quickly to 6 1/2 points.

(Fun fact: Carolina is on a streak of 40-plus losses when trailing after three quarters. They don’t have Tom Brady!).

On Sunday, Bucco Bruce Arians will be inducted in the Buccaneers Ring of Honor, so that’s a great reason to go to the game. His induction speech at halftime should be fun.

Arians will be the fourth Bucs head coach inducted, though Team Glazer cancelled Jon Gruden and stripped him of his rightful place last year. Team Glazer proudly has been all about second chances with players (Antonio Brown, Jerramy Stevens, Jameis Winston, Warren Sapp and more), but Chucky got ex-communicated in a hurry. Hypocritical!

Joe is just so glad the Bucs have destiny in their hand and can wrap up the division Sunday. A Week 18 to rest veteran players would quite a tonic for this team. Tristan Wirfs, Lavonte David, Will Gholston, Leonard Founette and so many others could use a week off to freshen their legs for the playoffs.

35 Responses to “Bucs Are A 6 1/2-Point Favorite Against Carolina; Game Not Sold Out”

  1. Tucker Says:

    Sigh I’ll keep watching them because they are always going to be my team but these games are rough to watch that’s for sure frustrating as all get out.

  2. Sean Says:

    I cannot imagine the Bucs winning by more than 3 against the Panthers assuming the win at all. I just have a sick feeling about Carolina. Arizona should have been a “get right” game for Tampa Bay and it really wasn’t. Bucs badly need a week of rest to preserve whatever remaining strength they still have and to cook up something (anything!) offensively to make a Wildcard game against Dallas respectable. Dallas is a paper tiger but the Bucs are a few plays away from bottom 5 pick.

  3. 1sparkybuc Says:

    It’s hard to believe that the Bucs are favored against any team in the league. There are some college teams that I would have my doubts about.

  4. Pete I Says:

    6 and 1/2 point favorites? WHY?

  5. BucsFan81 Says:

    Take Carolina and the points. The Bucs are going to get pounded by Carolina.

  6. OrlandoBucFan Says:

    The Bucs team that played last night will not beat Carolina. Carolina will control the line of scrimmage, force Brady into mistakes, and run for 200+ yards. It pains me to say this, but I predict a 23-6 Panthers victory. I hope I’m wrong.

  7. Allbuccedup Says:

    Last night had to take a heart pill even though they won something is terribly wrong with this team.

  8. EEK Says:

    Will Carolina hit 300 yards of rushing?

  9. GABucBall Says:

    If I’m Vegas I’m setting the over/under for total points by the Bucs at 6 1/2…

  10. Mike C Says:

    Non of the players had a public comment about the owners @%# #%@$ so … that might have something to do with it.

  11. Mike C Says:

    GABucBall…..I will take the under

  12. Fansince76 Says:

    Great second paragraph and very funny Joe!

    you are totally correct, my stomach was turning watching that game
    last night, almost lost Christmas dinner when Cardinals scored to
    go ahead in the game but thankfully all good!

    Merry Christmas Buc’s Fans!

  13. Cchead Says:

    Easy money. Take the stinking panthers and the points.

  14. NEfan Says:

    If Toilet Bowls comes out with the same O game plan and not the one they used against Cincy, it’s going to be another 21-3 loss.

    I can see it now, Carolina wins by a landslide, Saints win, Bucs, Carolina & Saints playing for the division. Bucs beat Atl because half the team wants to make their tee time, Saints beat Panthers and painfully the Bucs sneak into the PO’s.

  15. Simeon97 Says:

    Bring a 6.5 point favorite when you average 17 points makes no sense.
    Vegas has Killed on Bucs ats bets this year.

  16. Simeon97 Says:

    Does this team need week 18 rest or reps? I’d say the latter.

  17. Mike Johnson Says:

    Carolina is playing decent ball these days. This is anybody’s victory here. And I do believe the Panthers are a little tougher than the AZ cards. I have no faith in our Bucs.Better have my pepto bismol handy. If the bucs play like they did against the cards, we lose.

  18. Waterboy Says:

    Favored by 6.5 over Carolina! Have these guys watched the Bucs play?

  19. Bosch Says:

    Save the price of admission and use it to bet on Panthers instead. Hurry up and place the bet while you can still get 6 1/2 points.

    Joe, I am not one to defend the Glazers because the are the epitome of losers. Prematurely inducting Arians into the Ring while he is literally taking them for a ride is a classic example. However, the are not hypocrites for removing Gruden from the Ring. We all know what he said to Bruce Allen in his email (although Allen’s response was even funnier). How can anyone expect them to look the other way?

  20. AMy Says:

    It will be a sell out croud watch the bucs get knocked out of the playoffs. The betting is meant to get 1/2 of people to bet on each team. It has no bearing who they thing will actually win. Oh, well. there’s always next year without brady or leftwhich.

  21. ClwJB Says:

    What a joke, it’s gonna take another Christmas miracle

    Hope Vea is back, it’s gonna be a long day against the run without him

    And never thought I’d be hoping for a DSmith return….

    Bowles gameplan plays right into the Panthers hands, they are built for their style, unlike us

  22. Winny Testaverde Says:

    Seems like a sucker bet/line after last week.

    I think Gruden was railroaded in many ways…but you can’t make gay jokes about one of the owners…have it go public…and remain on the stadium wall as it turns out.

    Am I the only one who wishes Matt Rhule was still The Panthers coach right about now?

  23. Swanee Says:

    Take Carolina to pound Buccaneers by 17 points Sunday. Owners are hypocritical and need do what is right. Reintate Gruden back into Bucs hall of fame, then step down as any involvement in football operations. Hire a competent outstanding CEO to remove the GM, BA and head coach. Address the Tampa Bay Area residents and full apology for their blunder, inaccuracies. While knowingly and consciously, that it was double-dealing, when installing Todd Bowles as head coach.

  24. Stu Says:

    sad and frustrating=2022 Bucs

  25. Sal Says:

    Take the panthers they can actually score points #!!

  26. Sorryjackchuckiesback Says:

    Only white people get cancelled these days! Let’s not pretend it’s any other reason!! White privilege is a friggin joke!!

  27. Sucatkane Says:

    Maybe the bucs were faking this whole time and this week we end up destroying the panthers lmao that’s still my dream

  28. firethecannons Says:

    Panthers are playing for their lives, everything is on the line, they have alot to prove to the rest of the league. They cannot wait to play the Bucs, they see it as easy pickens. The Bucs are awful. The Panthers should be ready to pound, honestly unless the Bucs get it together, they do not stand a chance.

  29. Mr. Magoo Says:

    No way the Bucs should be a favorite. Must be a lot of stupid money being bet on one side that Vegas needs to balance out.

  30. Costa Rica John Says:

    I better put some money on the Panthers and watch it on tv.

  31. View from 132 Says:

    Not sold out? Anyone selling Club for sub-$50, I’m down. Otherwise, this game is overpriced.

  32. Wokeizdunn Says:

    I passed on buying playoff tickets, and gave my last tix away for the season finale…division title or not. The Bucs are my team but the lost decade is squarely on the Glazers in bad decisions about fan experience, GM picks, and goes worse from there…sure a SB thanks to TB12 who wanted to come here.

    So here is to another lost decade coming up soon. Hope I’m wrong, but have been with this team thick and thin since ’76 and it’s too awful to take after this year. This is the worse, most head-scratching year I’ve ever EVER seen. I’ll save my money, and watch at home!

  33. NFL Lover Says:

    It is one to criticized Brady for his many shortcomings this year, but man to see many of this comments showing no faith is another. The guy had a family issue, lousy coaching, banged up team roster, but still wills himself to fight it off and try to win games. He is human after all. I think he’s in a deepest hole of his career this year and despite the mental toughness of Brady, this time it’s really hard to shake it off. And that’s where the fans become the source of strength to the player. That no matter what, we can pick and diced him, tell them how bad they are, but we are definitely be there for them. Brady expects more to and the greatest critic of himself. That’s why he’s the goat. I know they are payed athletes but aren’t the other teams to? And look at they’re standing. But still rallies behind they’re team. I think this is the culture of Patriots nation when Brady was with that team, he proved himself and earned the respect of the fans and Brady felt the genuine love and faith of fans to him. That protective bubble made and carried their team to many struggles and of course many SUPERBOWL championship.

  34. Purplepirate Says:

    The easiest money ever. Put everything you have on Carolina.

  35. Purplepirate Says:

    The Bucs have won two games by six points or more all year…the Falcons by 6 and the Saints by 10