New York Giants vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Pick 9/22/19

New York Giants (0-2 SU, 0-2 ATS) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-1, 1-1 ATS)
When: Sunday, September 22nd, 2019 – 4:05 PM ET
Where: Raymond James Stadium – Tampa, FL
TV: FOX

Point Spread: NYG +6.5 / TB -6.5 (BetNow)
Total: 48

Power Ratings: Tampa Bay -6

Takeaways From Week Two

The Giants once again looked like a maligned franchise with a shallow ceiling for the 2019 season. Hosting the Bills on Sunday, the Giants closed as a one-point underdog but were nowhere near close to covering that number as they were defeated 28-14 by Buffalo. The Giants have now lost both their games this season by an average of 16 points.

The Buccaneers responded to their opening game loss against the San Francisco 49ers with fury when they orchestrated a 20-14 upset of the Carolina Panthers on Thursday Night Football despite closing as a 6.5-point underdog at kick-off. Including their last three pre-season fixtures, Tampa Bay has now improved to 4-1 SU and 3-2 ATS in their previous five results.

How the Public is Betting the New York-Tampa Bay Game

The public has seemingly gotten all over the Bucs from the get-go as we have seen the line rise by 2.5 points from Tampa Bay opening as a four-point favorite to where they rest now as a 6.5-point choice. In spite of these line moves, 51% of the consensus at this juncture now like the G-Men with the points.

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The Historicals

The Giants have more or less had Tampa Bay’s number in recent history as they have won six of the last seven meetings between both sides dating back to 2006. Most recently in 2018, Big Blue edged out Tampa Bay at home in a 38-35 shootout creating a push as a three-point favorite.

Betting Trends

The Giants have been a cash-cow in this series as they have produced a remarkable 5-1-1 ATS in the previous seven contests between both parties. For Over/Under takers, the Over has also cashed in the last four meetings between these NFC foes.

Injury Concerns

As we have highlighted previously, Giants Wide Receiver Golden Tate remains suspended until Week Five due to violating the NFL’s Performance Enhancement Substances policy. For the Bucs, there are no key players that will be missing from their roles due to injuries or suspensions, heading into this contest.

Why We Like The Bucs To Cover

Very simply, I like the Bucs heading into this game because they will be the fresher team of the two sides. Tampa Bay has three more days of rest to prepare for this contest, and they will also be riding the hotter hand with the confidence and momentum built off the Carolina upset. Recent trends will undoubtedly promote backing the Giants, but situationally, the Giants are not a team to trust in their present state. The Giants feature one of the worst passing defenses in the NFL giving up 321 yards through the air each game and also offer up one of the worst scoring defenses giving up 31.5 points per outing. How does Big Blue compensate for this deficiency? By offering up one of the most pedestrian offenses in the NFL with a unit that scores just 15.5 points per match (27th overall). The Giants have one weapon, and his name is Saquon Barkley. However, Tampa Bay’s seventh-ranked rush defense (68.5 yards per game) will undoubtedly slow him down and present a real challenge for the G-Men who have yet to hit their stride on either end of the ball. It is not unimaginable that the Bucs can win this game by a touchdown plus PAT as a result.

Keith’s Pick to Cover the Spread: Tampa Bay Buccaneers -6.5

It’s hard to determine what will come of the Giants this season, especially now with a “changing of the guard” taking place at the quarterback position. It has been announced that Daniel Jones will finally be taking over for Eli Manning. With this breaking news comes a lot of uncertainty surrounding the G-Men, as “Dan The Man” makes his first start this season. Regardless of all that promise that “Dan The Man” may indeed offer for the future, the Bucs are the more well-oiled machine here and now. Very simply, the Bucs have more continuity on both sides of the ball. These differences will show in this game, and perhaps Tampa Bay not only covers here but wins emphatically. I can easily see the Buccaneers cruising to a three-score victory over these New York Giants from a combination of Daniel Jones growing pains combined with an uninspiring performance from their defense.