There's a legitimate chance that the NFL is going to be playing in St. Louis for the very last time on Thursday night. The St. Louis Rams could be in Los Angeles by this time next year, and this is their final home game of the season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
Tampa Bay Buccaneers -1
St. Louis Rams +1
Over/Under 42
ODDS ANALYSIS
We expect to see a lot of fluid line movement in this game this week. The spread opened up with Tampa Bay set as a slight one-point favorite, but that has already swung the other way to St. Louis -1, though that movement isn't a huge one. Any time you see a game on national television with a spread this small, there will be plenty of movement, and in a game where points are going to be at a premium, the difference between getting an early price or a late price might be huge.
Live bettors should expect that whichever team is behind at any point in the game will be the favorite from that point in the game forward.
Expect to see the total in live betting drop quickly as well. The number to beat was set at only 42 at the outset of the week, a number which came down to 41 in the first 24 hours of the lines being open.
WHEN THE TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS HAVE THE BALL
The Bucs pretty much are who they are at this point. They're going to try to take as much pressure off of Jameis Winston as they can by running the ball predominantly with Doug Martin but secondarily with Charles Sims.
Winston has played significantly better than his stats suggest this year due to the fact that his receivers drop more passes than any other unit in the NFL. Vincent Jackson's season might be over after he sprained his MCL, and though Mike Evans has 889 yards, he's probably left another 200 on the table in dropped passes.
That said, Tampa Bay seems to find a way to stay close in every game. Even if it's down by a few scores, Winston doesn't know how to quit, and he's a proven winner. Have confidence in the Buccaneers keeping this one close in live betting for sure, especially against a St. Louis defense which has struggled in fourth quarters this year.
WHEN THE ST. LOUIS RAMS HAVE THE BALL
The key to live betting the Rams is Todd Gurley, and it really is a matter of quantity more than quality. Gurley is always a threat for a huge run, and though the Buccaneers have been strong in their front seven against the run, stacking the box as they often do lends itself to getting burned.
Gurley though, has largely been a forgotten man in this offense. The Rams have been behind in many games and had to abandon the run, and without an elite wide receiver, that's not a great recipe.
It's frustrating to live bet on or against this team. Gurley and Tavon Austin can rip off huge chunks of yardage in a hurry, but there are far too many three and outs thanks to terrible quarterback play by Case Keenum and an offensive line which has had more penalties called against it than any other unit in the NFL this year.
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook! The Week 15 duel between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and St. Louis Rams will go down Thursday, December 17, 2015 at 8:25 p.m. ET at the Edward Jones Dome. The game will be televised live on the NFL Network.
