Carolina Panthers at Buccaneers early odds and prediction for Week 17

The Carolina Panthers look to secure a memorable double over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when they travel to Raymond James Stadium in Week 17.

Restricting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to just three points during their first encounter in 2022 was a remarkable achievement. The Carolina Panthers stifled legendary quarterback Tom Brady from start to finish en route to a morale-boosting triumph for interim head coach Steve Wilks in his first home game after replacing Matt Rhule.

Whether they can achieve a similar feat in their penultimate clash of the campaign is another matter. The Panthers come into the encounter on the back of a dominant victory against the Detroit Lions, which was arguably their most complete performance of the season and one that builds further confidence ahead of next weekend.

Wilks is making a strong case to become head coach beyond 2022 whatever happens between now and when Carolina’s fixtures conclude. The Panthers are still fighting with everything they have, which is the biggest sign of the coaching methods bringing better commitment from those taking the field.

The Bucs haven’t been at their best this season, to put it mildly. But any team manned by Brady under center needs to be treated with the utmost respect, even if the Panthers can go into the contest with plenty of confidence.

Carolina Panthers at Buccaneers odds for Week 17

According to the latest odds from FanDuel Sportsbook, the Panthers are 5.5-point underdogs at the Buccaneers in Week 17. This can be bet at -110 whichever side of the spread you fancy (bet $110 to win $100).

Carolina is currently +200 on the money line (bet $100 to win $200), with Tampa Bay tipped to seal the NFC South division at -245 (bet $245 to win $100).

FanDuel Sportsbook set the over/under at 41.0 points, which can be wagered at -110 in both directions (bet $110 to win $100).

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

Carolina Panthers at Buccaneers prediction for Week 17

The Panthers won’t want their 2022 season going out with a whimper after responding positively versus the Lions. But winning on the road has proven difficult for Carolina this season despite beating the Seattle Seahawks a fortnight ago.

Tampa Bay is near a playoff berth after beating the Arizona Cardinals in overtime, who were missing star quarterback Kyler Murray. It’s not been perfect, but getting into the postseason is all that matters to Brady’s men, so they’ll be highly motivated to avenge arguably their worst loss of the season in Week 7.

Based on what Carolina saw from the Buccaneers on Christmas Night, the team’s inconsistencies throughout 2022, and their win over Tampa Bay, they have absolutely nothing to fear. This is also an elimination game for Wilks’ men, which could bring the urgency needed to pull off another major upset.

One potential complication is the injury sustained by stud cornerback Jaycee Horn in Week 16. The South Carolina product is questionable at best due to a wrist injury that’s likely to force him out, which puts the onus on Keith Taylor Jr. to step up with more conviction than he managed against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

With that in mind, backing Carolina on the money line seems risky. But there’s every chance this can be close, which makes the +5.5 points tempting.