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Week 15 Prediction: Atlanta at Tampa Bay NFL Lines & Expert Pick

Week 15 Prediction: Atlanta at Tampa Bay NFL Lines & Expert Pick

Written by on December 15, 2017

NFL News and Betting Previews| Xbet.ag
Atlanta comes off a 10-day break to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday Night Football. The Falcons took down New Orleans last Thursday moving them into the second wild card position in the NFC. The Buccaneers are effectively out of the postseason race at 4-9 and have dropped three in a row, beginning with Atlanta and continuing with losses to Green Bay and Detroit. Can Tampa Bay play the spoiler against the Falcons? Or will Atlanta move a win closer to playoff contention? Read our NFL lines perspective on this prime-time matchup before you commit to your wagers.

Week 15 Prediction: Atlanta at Tampa Bay NFL Lines & Expert Pick

When: Monday, December 18, 2017, 8:25pm ET Where: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL TV: ESPN Radio: 92.9 The Game (Atlanta) / (Tampa Bay) Live Stream: NFL Live NFL Lines: Atlanta (-6), O/U 50

Weather Forecast

  • Clear: 21°C/70°F
  • Humidity: 90%
  • Precipitation: 6%
  • Wind: 1 mph WSW
  • Cloud Cover: 11%
  • Type of Stadium: Open

Why should you bet on the Falcons?

Julio Jones finally found his old form when these two teams squared off the first time, back on November 26. Jones had 12 receptions for 253 yards and two scores in a 34-20 Atlanta win. He combined for 177 receiving yards against Tampa Bay in the teams’ two meetings last year. In the teams’ 2015 meeting at Tampa Bay, Jones had eight catches for 93 yards. So let’s just say that Jones knows how to get open against the Buccaneers. How about that defense? Well, Jameis Winston is expected to play, but news reports indicate that his relationship with coach Dirk Koetter is suffering because of the way the team has handled his injury. So Atlanta’s defense should be able to take advantage of a Tampa Bay team that appears to be in some disarray. Their pass rush has improved over the past month — a big factor in ending a streak in which they lost four of five. If you like Atlanta, you see them continuing a trend of better play on both sides of the ball while the Buccaneers continue to struggle.

Why should you put your money on the Buccaneers?

It’s hard to argue for picking Tampa Bay. Winston has eight interceptions and ten fumbles on the year, a lot of which comes from playing nervous with that injured shoulder. The defense has also been in a shambles, permitting 389.3 yards and 24 points per game. Defensive tackle Gerald McCoy (torn biceps) is not likely to play, which leaves a hole in the middle of their defensive line. The Buccaneers have only covered the spread twice in their last 12 games and once in their last 11 games against NFC opponents. However, there is the fact that this is an NFC South game, and the game is in Tampa. The frustrations that come from dropping three straight games to the Falcons are likely to arise, and we could see a huge effort out of the Bucs. There’s also the X factor in Atlanta’s psyche, which still could have some fragility after that Super Bowl collapse and some of the comebacks they’ve allowed this season. If you pick Tampa Bay, you think that the Buccaneers will use that anger and frustration to give Atlanta all they can handle and that the Falcons will wilt once again.

Latest NFL Lines Trends

  • Atlanta is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 games
  • Atlanta is 4-1 SU in the last 5 games
  • The total went UNDER in 7 of Atlanta’s last 10 games
  • Tampa Bay is 2-9-1 ATS in the last 12 games
  • Tampa Bay is 2-8 SU in the last 10 games
  • The total went UNDER in 8 of Tampa Bay’s last 9 games at home

Expert Pick and Final Prediction

I still think that Jameis Winston will be a successful NFL quarterback and lead his team to multiple postseason visits. However, this is not going to be one of those years. His shoulder is still balky (from the way it looks when he throws), and if he’s carping with his coaches in public, the locker room has to be getting toxic. I don’t see that as the sort of environment that leads to a big win. I see Atlanta seizing the opportunity to move a game closer to locking down one of the wild card positions in the NFC with a big offensive day. My final score prediction is Atlanta 38, Tampa Bay 16.  
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