Tampa Bay Bucs @ Carolina Panthers

Panthers - 3 O/U 38.5

The battle for first place is on the line tonight when the Bucs and Gruden travel to Ericsson Stadium to battle the Panthers tonight. This should be the marquee matchup of the weekend and a great Monday night game. In the NFC South this game means so much that the winner will essentially get a first round bye in the playoffs, while the loser will have to fight and claw to even make it in. With the Atlanta Falcons and Dallas Cowboys just a game behind the loser after tonight this game is a division rival, first place on the line, and Monday night battle! The line opened up at 3 and is sitting at that number. The 3 number is given for homefield pretty automatically which shows that the oddsmakers think these teams are exactly even. But history says something different. In the past 9 meetings between the two teams only one game was decided by 3 or less points , one by 8 points and the rest double digit wins. For stats, trends, weather and injuries on a recorded message call 1-888-850-8211. These two teams played earlier in the year with Tampa winning convincingly 27-3. In his first game off the bench Jeff Garcia beat Carolina for the 5th straight time, and hasn't looked back since. Since Garcia took over the Bucs are 6-1 and look like the top team in the South. The reason why Garcia gives the Panthers such fits is his ability to avoid the rush, which is Carolina's bread and butter. But Carolina might have something to say about that. The Panthers have had 13 sacks in its last five games, but Garcia has not been sacked against the Panthers in each of his last two games against them but has been brought down 9 times in the past two games. For Tampa to win the Bucs will have to contain all-everything defensive end Julius Peppers, who had two sacks in a win over Green Bay last Sunday. Peppers has six sacks in six career home games against Tampa Bay. The weather in Carolina will be very surprising for sure tonight as well. Do not expect sunny and mild. For a recorded message about tonight's weather conditions call 1-888-850-8211. Although there are some great trends on the total tonight, including a 4-0 last 4 games in Carolina as well as 11-5 ATS last 16 games trend I am laying off this total because of the weather uncertainty. The game says a close tight affair but the history says a 10 point win by someone.I think that Carolina facing that tough signature cover-2 defense where Tampa rushes just 4 and drops 7 into coverage means the Bucs will effectively take away Steve Smith. I think Carolina's 25th ranked 3rd down conversion offense will have problem tonight as well. Although Tampa will have some red zone trouble like all season I think Jeff Garcia continues his winning ways and gets a victory here. Garcia can give a defense fits and his mobility will be the key. Add to that the return of Cadillac Williams and I think Tampa is the class of the division. Williams wil now be playing game #3 and I think he will now be used to taking some hits, they will take the reigns off and let him pound the ball, add Garcia's dink and dunk attack and I'll say Tampa Bay wins outright, so I'll take the +3 as a gift. For more on the weather and state call for a free recorded mesage 1-888-850-8211 , if any news or injuries happen it will be updated right up until gametime.