NFL: Patriots at Buccaneers
Posted on August 13, 2008 | 9:37 AM ET Filed under:The favorites to win it all in the NFL this season continue their preseason warm-ups when the New England Patriots visit Florida to take on the defending NFC South champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second exhibition game of this season for both teams on Sunday night.
The NFL Network will provide the live television coverage of this game, beginning at 8 pm Eastern.
OddsMaker.com is listing Tampa as a two-point home favorite for Sunday’s game, with a total of 33 ½.
New England, which ended up one game short of perfection last season after losing in the Super Bowl to the New York Giants, began this exhibition season with a 16-15 loss to Baltimore last Thursday. QB Tom Brady, among others, watched from the sidelines as backup QBs Matt Cassel, Kevin O’Connell and Matt Gutierrez combined to complete 17-of-33 passes, but for just 103 net passing yards and three INTs.
O’Connell piloted the Pats on their only TD drive, which pulled them to within a point with six minutes to go, but his pass for the 2-point conversion got batted down and the Ravens held on from there.
New England lost against the spread as 3 1/2-point home favorites vs. Baltimore, and the game stayed under its total of 33.
Tampa began its season with a 17-6 win over Miami last Saturday, outgaining the Dolphins 295-198. Starting QB Jeff Garcia, dealing with a calf injury, watched on as backups Luke McCown, Chris Simms and Brian Griese combined to complete 27-of-39 passes for 189 yards and one TD.
The Bucs won outright as 1 1/2-point road underdogs, and the game stayed well under its total of 31.
These two teams last met in the preseason of last year when Tampa beat the Pats 13-10, and the last regular-season meeting was back in 2005, when New England blanked the Bucs 28-0.
The Patriots led the league in total offense last season at 411 YPG, and ranked 13th in rushing at 116 YPG. On the other side of the ball, New England ranked fourth in total defense at 288 YPG, and 10th vs. the run at 98 YPG.
Tampa ranked 18th in total offense last year at 327 YPG, 11th in rushing at 117 YPG, second in total defense at 278 YPG and 17th vs. the run at 108 YPG.
Over the last three exhibition seasons, the Pats are 6–6 straight up and 6–5-1 vs. the spread, with the totals going 6-6.
Over their last three preseasons, the Bucs are 6–6 SU and 6–4-2 ATS with the totals going 7-5.
OddsMaker.com is listing New England as -1,000 favorites to their win their sixth straight AFC East title this season, +200 to win their second straight AFC crown, and +350 to win Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa in February.
OddsMaker.com also lists Tampa Bay at +175 to repeat as champs of the NFC South, +1,500 to win the NFC, and +4,000 to win the Super Bowl.
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