Buccaneers join Cowboys, Rams as NFC wild-card betting favourites

Adam Rank joins Carly Agro on Sportsnet Central to answer some burning questions heading into the NFL's Wild Card Weekend including which divisional leader is most likely to be eliminated.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be looking to extend their straight-up win streak to four games when they host the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday in NFC wild-card weekend action as 8.5-point favourites on the NFL odds at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.

Tampa Bay closed out its schedule with a 41-17 rout of the Carolina Panthers, and has claimed outright wins in seven of eight games going into Sunday afternoon's matchup at Raymond James Stadium.

The Buccaneers have dominated during their 7-1 SU run, scoring 30 or more points six times. Tampa Bay has also topped the Eagles in three straight meetings, capped by a 28-22 road win in October. However, the Bucs have also enjoyed the benefit of a favourable schedule as five of the team's seven recent wins came against opponents with losing records.

The Eagles closed out their schedule with a 51-26 loss to Dallas. Philadelphia built its preceding 7-2 SU run on the strength of four road victories. However, the Eagles have been a major disappointment on the road during the playoffs, losing SU in three of their last four while averaging just 17.3 points per game.

Elsewhere on the NFC wild-card weekend odds, the Cowboys will be looking to build on last weekend's rout of the Eagles as they host the San Francisco 49ers as 3-point chalk at online betting sites. The NFC schedule then wraps up with a clash of NFC West rivals on Monday night as the Los Angeles Rams entertain the Arizona Cardinals as 4-point favourites.

The Cowboys have rebounded from their midseason struggles to generate offence by scoring over 50 points in two of their last three games. However, Dallas has continued to produce mixed results on home turf, losing outright in three of five. The Cowboys have also lost outright in five of their past eight games while favoured at home by four or fewer points.

The 49ers resurrected their playoff hopes during their current 8-3 SU win streak, which has featured SU wins in two of three road dates with playoff-bound opponents.

The Rams saw a 5-0 SU run come to an end with last weekend's 27-24 overtime loss to the Niners. And concerns linger over the health of quarterback Matthew Stafford, who is on the mend from a toe injury that severely limited his mobility in last Sunday's defeat.

That's good news for the Cardinals, whose current 1-4 SU run cost them a shot at the NFC West crown. However, the Cardinals have been impressive on the road, winning eight of nine this season, including six victories as betting underdogs.

When submitting content, please abide by our  submission guidelines, and avoid posting profanity, personal attacks or harassment. Should you violate our submissions guidelines, we reserve the right to remove your comments and block your account. Sportsnet reserves the right to close a story’s comment section at any time.
We use cookies to improve your experience. Learn More or change your cookie preferences. By continuing to use this site, you agree to the use of cookies.
close