Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Arizona Cardinals, University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, AZ
Sunday, October 31, 2010, 4:15 pm EST, TV: FOX
Opening Line: Cardinals -3.5
Current Line: Cardinals -3
Opening Total: 40
Current Total: 39
Money Line: Cardinals -175 / Bucs +155
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-2) can tie for the division lead in the NFC West with a road win against the Arizona Cardinals (3-3) on Sunday, something many NFL betting experts would have never imagined possible before the season started. The Buccaneers are 2-0 on the road so far and will try win for the third straight time as a road underdog against the favored Cardinals (-3 on the current NFL point spreads).
Tampa Bay rallied back from a 17-3 deficit to beat St. Louis 18-17 at home last week thanks to three field goals from kicker Connor Barth and a 1-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Josh Freeman to running back Cadillac Williams with 10 seconds remaining for the game-winning score. Barth kicked four field goals overall, including a 53-yarder in the third quarter.
Freeman has been an outstanding clutch player for the Bucs this season with a 117.1 quarterback rating in the fourth quarter when the score is within a touchdown, and he has thrown four fourth-quarter touchdown passes. In fact, Freeman has won games against the Browns, Bengals and Rams by throwing touchdown passes in the last two minutes of the game.
While Freeman has excelled as a second-year player, the Cardinals are hoping rookie Max Hall can do the same for them. Hall suffered a concussion last week in a 22-10 loss at Seattle but believes he will be ready to play against Tampa Bay. Arizona has the NFL’s worst offense with a league-low three touchdown passes and will face a tough pass defense that ranks sixth, allowing just 196.2 yards per game. If Hall does not play, veteran Derek Anderson will make his first start since Week 4.
The Cardinals would be better off attacking the Bucs on the ground since they are giving up 157.7 rushing yards per game. That ranks second-worst in the NFL and could help running backs Tim Hightower and Beanie get on track. The duo showed some signs of life last week against the Seahawks, combined for 113 yards after getting held to an average of 42 yards in the previous two games.
Arizona will be trying to start out 3-0 at home for the second time in three years and has covered three of the last four meetings with Tampa despite splitting them straight-up. A low-scoring game could also be in order, as the UNDER is 9-0 in the last nine games against NFC opponents for the Buccaneers and 6-1 in the last seven meetings between the teams.
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