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After opening at -1 in favor of Atlanta, the Falcons-Bucs line has moved to -1.5, now favoring the home team Tampa Bay. Early spread action on the -1.5 line was on the Falcons at nearly a 95 percent clip, which suggests another drop in the line by week’s end.
“This is a bizarre line and the bookmakers are vulnerable,” notes Don Shapiro of Gambling911.com.
Stan Simmons of BetOnline.com offered this: “Both of these teams are better off when they are rushing the ball and using the running game to open things up through the air. The Falcons may have the more talented offense, but they will need to come together defensively after an emotional Sunday night win now that they have to travel to hostile territory and face a tough NFC South rival in Tampa Bay.”
Not so sure about the “hostile territory” when one considers it’s been tough getting people in Tampa to the stadium and the Bucs haven’t exactly played their best games at home.
Both these teams come into Week 3 with 1-0 records. The NFC South is up for grabs with even the Carolina Panthers at 0-2 looking like a potential threat in the weeks to come.
The home team is 5-2 outright in this series.
One of the more intriguing stats is that the away team has gone 5-0 Against The Spread. Last year, Atlanta won both its games against a much improved Tampa Bay team.
The Falcons are 6-2 Against The Spread in their last 8 games following a Straight Up win while the Buccaneers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games following a S.U. win.
The Falcons are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games overall.
The Buccaneers are 5-17 ATS in their last 22 home games.
- Don Shapiro, Gambling911.com
