MetroBet dishes out previews and betting advice for a pair of Sunday Week 6 NFL games.
Carolina Panthers vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (London)
Several factors are indicating that the Carolina Panthers (3-2) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-3) will struggle to move the football effectively at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday.
Spread: Panthers -2
Money line: Panthers -130, Buccaneers +110
Over under: 47 total points
The Panthers are 3-0 and averaging 29.3 points per game since Kyle Allen took over under center for the injured Cam Newton. But running back Christian McCaffrey deserves the lion’s share of the credit as he’s accumulated 866 yards from scrimmage this year, the second-highest total through five games in NFL history behind only Jim Brown. However, McCaffrey will face resistance on the ground from the Buccaneers’ second-ranked run stoppers by yards allowed per game (69.8).
Meanwhile, Jameis Winston will likely be under siege throughout this game by Carolina’s fearsome pass rush, which is second in the league in sacks (20). Two of Tampa Bay’s starting linemen, Alex Cappa and Demar Dotson, have been ruled out of this contest. The Under has cashed in six of the last seven meetings between these two clubs; bettors should ride the wave.
The play: Panthers vs. Buccaneers Under
Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens
The Cincinnati Bengals (0-5) should be able to cover this sizeable spread against the Baltimore Ravens (3-2), a division opponent, on Sunday afternoon at M&T Bank Stadium.
Spread: Ravens -11
Moneyline: Bengals +430, Ravens -525
Betting Total: 48 total points
The Bengals are somewhat unlucky to be winless. Their most recent loss, via a last-second field goal by the Cardinals following a two-minute drill TD, was perhaps their most stinging yet. Andy Dalton will be without wide-out A.J. Green once more but Tyler Boyd, who has the fifth-most receptions in the league (37), has picked up the slack. He is poised to have another big day against a Ravens defense that’s tied for 29th in passing yards allowed per play (8.5).
Cincinnati’s stoppers in are the bottom third of the NFL in just about every meaningful category, but Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson has been regressing over his last few games, completing a modest 61.9 percent of his passes for 6.4 yards per attempt with a 4-5 TD-INT ratio in his last three starts.
The Bengals have covered in five straight as underdogs of at least seven points and are 6-1 against the spread in their last seven road games. The Ravens have dropped four of their last five against the spread as favorites of seven or more points and have failed to cover in five straight home games.
The play: Bengals spread
