Gerald McCoy will have the chance to get a little bit of revenge on his former team when the Carolina Panthers host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday night. McCoy was cut by the Buccaneers in the offseason after six Pro Bowl appearances in nine seasons, and the Panthers were quick to sign their former rival. He has the opportunity to send Jameis Winston and his old teammates to 0-2 on the season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Carolina opened as a five-point favorite per the football betting odds<\/a>, but that line has risen since Sunday night. The Panthers are now -7 as bettors jump off the Buccaneers following a dreadful performance from Winston in Tampa Bay\u2019s opener. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The total has seen action too. Originally, the NFL betting odds<\/a> had the over\/under for this game as 50.5, but it has dropped a point to where it currently sits as of Wednesday morning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Both these teams lost their season opener, but oddsmakers are significantly higher on Carolina\u2019s chances of turning it around than Tampa Bay\u2019s chances. The Panthers are +550 to win the NFC South, while the Buccaneers are +1600 per the NFC South betting odds<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The hosts might not have two players on each side of the ball on Thursday night. Safety Rashaan Gaulden and defensive end Bruce Irvin are both questionable, while offensive tackle Greg Little is questionable and tight end Greg Olsen is probable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tampa Bay won\u2019t have safety Justin Evans for a considerable amount of time after he was placed on injured reserve Tuesday, and cornerback Ryan Smith will be suspended for this game. Back-up quarterback Blaine Gabbert is questionable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Christian McCaffrey is the heart of the Panthers\u2019 offense. McCaffrey was responsible for most of Carolina\u2019s offensive production against the Rams last weekend, leading the team in both rushing and receiving. He accounted for 209 of Carolina\u2019s 343 total yards, and the versatile running back will be the key to the Panthers\u2019 game-plan on Thursday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are going to be plenty of eyes on Cam Newton. The Panthers were one of the best teams in the NFL until Newton hurt his shoulder last season, and he spent the offseason rehabbing the injury. Newton didn\u2019t look great in the opener against the Rams, but he seemed to find his rhythm late, and he developed a rapport with second-year receiver DJ Moore. Moore\u2019s NFL player props<\/a> could be worth a bet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Buccaneers defense was surprisingly good in their first game of the season, holding San Francisco to 256 total yards of offense. That\u2019s promising considering how they performed last season, but a short week will test them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s a new coach and a new offensive coordinator in Tampa Bay, but Jameis Winston remains the same. To say Winston\u2019s debut was disappointing is an understatement, as his three interceptions cost the Buccaneers the game. Two of those picks were returned for touchdowns, and Winston ended the day with an 8.6 QBR. This is Winston\u2019s last chance to sink or swim in Tampa, but with Gabbert backing him up he will get every chance in his final year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n At least the Bucs\u2019 running game looks better. Tampa Bay was one of the worst running teams last year, as neither Ronald Jones nor Peyton Barber could consistently move the chains on the ground. However, Jones and Barber averaged 5.1 yards per carry in the season opener, and that gives Tampa Bay fans hope of a turnaround. The Panthers had issues stopping the run against the Rams last week, so the Bucs want to keep that going. If they can run the ball, Tampa stands a good chance of covering the NFL betting line<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Carolina\u2019s secondary did an excellent job of shutting down the Rams\u2019 vaunted passing attack, so Mike Evans could be held in check once more. Evans only caught two passes for 28 yards on Sunday, and the Panthers put an emphasis on shutting him down last season. In two games, Evans was targeted 16 times, but he caught just five passes for 64 yards. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The \u2018under\u2019 is a solid bet. The line has already shifted down by a point, and it is likely to move more prior to kickoff considering the problems both offenses had in Week 1.<\/p>\n\n\n\nINJURY REPORT<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
WHEN CAROLINA IS ON OFFENSE<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
WHEN TAMPA BAY IS ON OFFENSE<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
PREDICTION<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n