Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Minnesota Vikings Spreads NFL Week 2 Predictions: The Minnesota Vikings host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday Sept 18th, as both teams look for their first win of the 2011 NFL season. . The Bucs won their last meeting over the Vikings 19-13, at home, back in 2008. NFL oddsmakers have the Vikings as -3 point home favorites over the Buccaneers with the over/under set at 40.5 points. Start your NFL Week 2 Picks off right by getting your bet on the latest Buccaneers vs Vikings Spreads available now.
Tampa Bay (0-1) lost 20-27, at home, to the new and improved Detroit Lions. CB Aqib Talib returned a 28 yard interception for the only touchdown Tampa Bay managed until Josh Freeman threw a 5-yard scoring pass to Mike Williams with less than two minutes to go. Tampa Bay is going to need to display some improvement from a pass rush to avoid an 0-2 start. The unit ranked last in the NFC with 26 sacks in 2010 and didn’t get to Detroit QB Matthew Stafford once. It's hoped upgrades to the pass rush will come from the two top draft choices, defensive ends Adrian Clayborn and Da’Quan Bowers. Running into an offense as discombobulated as the current Viking attack could be a blessing. Expect Tampa Bay to focus a bit more on establishing the run this week after almost eschewing the infantry completely in the opener, when QB Josh Freeman ended up leading all Buc rushers with only 26 yards. The menacing LeGarrette Blount, who figured to carry the workload in the backfield, has already expressed his displeasure at his mere five carries in the opener and the offensive imbalance. Give Blount the rock!
Minnesota (0-1) lost 17-24 in San Diego. RB Adrian Peterson, who set the NFL single-game record with 296 yards against San Diego as a rookie in 2007, had 98 yards on 16 carries. QB Donovan McNabb completed seven of 15 passes for 39 yards and a touchdown. The Vikings say they found a lot of positives in the first half. The negatives in the second half outweigh the positives of the first half, but those first-half positives do make you think the team can at least stay competitive. In that first half, the Chargers' offense was held to seven points, and all of them came on a six-yard drive. Few teams do that to the Chargers. Right now, the Vikings have the individual talent to be competitive. But they're also a team in transition at one of the worst times in NFL history to be a team in transition. New faces at key positions, a new offense and a head coach in his first full season are not the recipe for success coming out of a 4 1/2-month lockout. It's tough to take baby steps as a team when you're playing a quarterback like Philip Rivers and last year's No. 1-ranked defense for 60 minutes. Going up against the Bucs should help this week.
Recent Trends to Consider:
Buccaneers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 meetings.
Home team is 13-3-1 ATS in their last 17 meetings.
Under is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings in Minnesota.
Favorite is 5-2 ATS in their last 7 meetings.
Buccaneers are 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings in Minnesota.
Buccaneers are 12-1 ATS in their last 13 games on fieldturf.
Buccaneers are 5-1-1 ATS vs. a team with a losing record.
Buccaneers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games as an underdog.
Buccaneers are 13-3-1 ATS in their last 17 road games.
Vikings are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 home games.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Minnesota Vikings
When: Monday Sept 18th@1:00 PM ET
Pick: Bucs +3
Point-Spreads recommends you check the latest NFL Point Spreads before the Buccaneers vs Vikings game starts.
The Bottom Line: The Bucs can win if they run the rock. Start the 2011 NFL season off right by getting your bet on the latest Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Minnesota Vikings Spreads available now.
