Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Carolina Panthers Prediction, Odds and Picks for Sunday, 12/21/25

Bank of America StadiumFOX
Buccaneers
7-7
Buccaneers
Sun Dec 21
Panthers
7-7
Panthers
Carolina Panthers
Google News

Buccaneers vs Panthers Guest Expert Predictions

Point Spread PickBest Bet
TB Buccaneers -3.0(-108)

Tampa Bay and Carolina enter Sunday’s critical NFC South matchup tied atop the division at 7-7. The Buccaneers have slumped down the stretch, dropping five of their last six games with the lone victory coming by three against the Cardinals in Week 13. Tampa Bay visits Bank of America Stadium against a Carolina squad that lost on field goal in the final seconds of last Sunday’s 20-17 defeat at New Orleans.

 

The Panthers are 5-1 off a loss this season, as Carolina led New Orleans, 17-7 late in the third quarter before the Saints scored the final 13 points of the game.  In the underdog role, Carolina has posted a solid 8-3 ATS mark, including a 4-1 ATS record at home. In their last home game, the Panthers stunned the Rams as 10.5-point underdogs, 31-28 in their highest-scoring game of the season. Carolina has scored 61 points in its last two games off a loss, but has also allowed 55 points in those victories.

Tampa Bay needs to get on track fast as the Buccaneers control their destiny with two meetings against the Panthers over the final three games. The Bucs shouldn’t be in this position, as they lost to two teams at home that are not headed to the playoffs – the Saints and Falcons. In fact, the Bucs are 0-6 ATS in the last six games, but have not been listed as a road favorite in this stretch. Tampa Bay is 2-0 SU/ATS in two opportunities when laying points away from Raymond James Stadium, winning at Atlanta and New Orleans. In the past 10 matchups, the Buccaneers are 9-1 against the Panthers and QB Baker Mayfield has not lost to Carolina since taking over in 2023. The trends point towards Carolina, but this looks like the get-right game for Tampa Bay to save its season, so we’ll lay the points with the Bucs.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Carolina Panthers prediction: Bucs -3 (-108) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

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Game Totals Pick
Over 45.5(-110)

Neither of these division rivals own overwhelming numbers in the totals department. The Bucs are 8-6 to the Over, while the Panthers are 7-7 to the Over. Carolina has been inconsistent in this category due its erratic play this season, alternating Overs and Unders in the last five games, coming off the Under in last Sunday’s 20-17 walk-off loss at New Orleans on a 41.5 total. Tampa Bay is off consecutive Overs in the past two home defeats to New Orleans and Atlanta, while giving up at least 27 points at home for the fourth time last Thursday against the Falcons.

The last two road defensive outings for the Buccaneers have been ugly, yielding 34 points to the Rams and 44 points to the Bills in a pair of losses. In both games as a road favorite, Tampa Bay finished Under the total in the Week 1 comeback victory at Atlanta and the 23-3 rout of New Orleans in Week 8. Tampa Bay and Carolina see each other twice in the final three weeks of the season with the division crown on the line, as both matchups in 2024 sailed Over the total. The Bucs rank 25th in the NFL in yards allowed per game (348.2) and are allowing 25.3 ppg.

Carolina’s roller-coaster season is defined by this number: the Panthers are averaging 18.9 ppg although they have scored at least 30 points in four games. They have also been held to 13 or fewer points four times, so you wonder which Carolina offense shows up on Sunday in this critical showdown. We’ll buy into the trend that the Panthers will score points here against this struggling Tampa Bay defense, while the Bucs can put up points, as well, in what should be an exciting game with first place on the line in the NFC South.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Carolina Panthers: Over 45.5 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable to 46.5.

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Ricky Dimon

Since graduating from Davidson (The College That Stephen Curry Built), I have been writing about sports -- just about any and all you can think of! -- and coaching tennis in Atlanta, GA. Beyond the four major sports, I am an avid tennis fan and cover the ATP Tour on a daily basis. If I'm not busy writing, you can generally find me on a tennis court or traveling the world wherever a sporting event takes me. For Ricky Dimon media enquiries, please email contact@pickswise.com.
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