On paper, Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had a golden opportunity to get their offense in order against the lowly Carolina Panthers on Sunday afternoon.
After all, the Panthers had fired head coach Matt Rhule last week and traded running back Christian McCaffrey this week. Things appeared to be spiraling out of control in Carolina ahead of their matchup against a Super Bowl contender. But true to the “any given Sunday” adage, the Buccaneers struggled mightily in Carolina and ended up losing 21-3.
Once the score went final, the Buccaneers’ Super Bowl odds were adjusted. Though they remain in the top five in terms of betting favorites, it’s a far cry from where they were to start the season.
Check out the full updated Super Bowl odds below, via Fanduel:
It's somewhat surprising the Buccaneers (3-4) would still have the fourth best odds to win the championship (+1100) after such a disappointing start to the season. Perhaps sportsbooks are considering their stout defense, or the Tom Brady Effect, or the weak NFC South. At any rate, anyone willing to make that bet would be taking on quite a risk at this time.
“It’s just execution … it’s an execution game. Too many plays we are not making," Brady said prior to the loss.
Brady again will be forced to answer questions about the lack of production in his offense during a short week. And again they'll search for answers on how to fix their seemingly broken group.
The Buccaneers still find themselves tied for first place in the NFC South, but this brand of football simply won't hold up against true contenders.
Tampa Bay hosts the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday Night Football in Week 8.
