Here come the Bucs! Tampa Bay moved to within a game of Atlanta in the NFC South with a resounding 28-point victory over Philadelphia on Sunday, and are now suddenly in the talks of playoff contention. They will look to slice that deficit even further when they take on the streaking Indianapolis Colts in a mouth-watering showdown at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Who will emerge victorious in this pivotal clash? Read on below for a preview of this bout and while you’re at it, you can check out our Week 12 previews of Carolina vs. Dallas and Baltimore vs. Cleveland.
[sc:Football ]Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Indianapolis Colts Preview
Where: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis
When: Sunday, November 29, 1:00 PM ET
Line: Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Indianapolis Colts – view all NFL lines
TV Broadcast: FOX
Betting on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-5)
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will head to their showdown with Indianapolis with momentum on their side after trouncing the Philadelphia Eagles, 45-17, on Sunday. It was another impressive victory for the streaking Bucs, who have won two-straight games for the first time in two years.
[sc:NFL240banner ]Starring for Tampa Bay in this one-sided contest was star quarterback Jameis Winston. He tied a rookie record with five touchdown passes in this game. The former Heisman Trophy winner completed 19 of his 29 passes for 246 yards and threw four of those five TDs of his in the first half to four different receivers.
Also impressing for the Bucs in this all-important victory was Doug Martin. The running back torched the Philadelphia defensive line with a whopping 235 rushing yards on 27 carries. Martin finished two yards short of tying Barry Sanders’ record for most rushing yards without a touchdown. Sanders had 237 for Detroit against Tampa in 1994.
They will look to sustain the momentum of that huge win when they take on Indianapolis this coming Sunday. For the Bucs to stretch their unbeaten run, they will need to continue to their excellent play on the offensive end. The Tampa Bay offense was exceptional on Sunday, gaining a mind-boggling 521 yards of total offense, the second-most in franchise history in the regular season. The Bucs also set a franchise record in this contest with 283 yards rushing.
Tampa Bay’s offensive explosion was quite a feat considering the Bucs were averaging just 354.0 yards of total offense prior to their game against Philadelphia. They will be licking their chops at the prospect of facing an Indianapolis side that is sixth-worst in the NFL in total defense, allowing 392.3 yards per game this season.
The Bucs are 3-2 SU and 4-1 ATS on the road this season.
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Betting on the Indianapolis Colts (5-5)
The Indianapolis Colts overcame a sluggish start to record a gritty 24-21 victory over the struggling Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. Adam Vinatieri, the oldest player in the league at 42, kicked the game-winning field goal with 52 seconds remaining to lead the Colts to their second-consecutive win. It was a crucial victory for Indianapolis, who remain tied with Houston at the top of the AFC South standings.
Leading the way for the Colts in this comeback victory was Matt Hasselbeck. He stepped up big time in the absence of the injured Andrew Luck, completing 23 of 32 passes for 213 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions. Hasselbeck calmly led the Colts’ winning drive, covering 56 yards in nine plays. Vinatieri then did the rest, coming through with his 26th game-winning kick in either the final minute of regulation or overtime.
The sterling performance of this veteran duo will serve Indianapolis in good stead ahead of its weekend showdown with Tampa Bay. However, the Colts will have their work cut out for them against the Buccaneers, who have been playing some excellent football of late. Tampa Bay has won four of its last six games.
For the Colts to stop the streaking Bucs, they will need to find a way to stop Jameis Winston. He was exceptional in Tampa Bay’s victory against Philadelphia, finishing with a passer rating of 131.6. The Colts need to clamp down on Winston, particularly on third downs. The Bucs were lethal in this department Sunday, converting nine of their 12 third-down opportunities. In fact, Winston’s last three touchdown passes came on third downs. The Colts are 17th in the NFL in third-down defense, with opponents converting 39.2 percent of their third-down chances.
The Colts are 2-3 SU and ATS at home this season.
Writer’s Prediction
Indianapolis wins, 27-24.
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