Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers looks to finish the season 11-5 and clinch the #5 seed in the NFC Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons.
While Brady is no stranger to the playoffs, his new team will be entering for the first time since the 2007 season, when they lost the NFC wildcard game to the New York Giants.
Meanwhile the Falcons look to finish 5-5 under interim head coach Raheem Morris after a 0-5 start claimed the jobs of former coach Dan Quinn and general manager Thomas Dimitroff.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: January 1st, 8:30 P.M. (EST)
Online sportsbook William Hill has Brady & Tampa Bay favored by 6.5 points with the total line set at 50.5 points in their contest against Matt Ryan & the Atlanta Falcons.
Although the Bucs have already clinched a berth the team Brady states the game is still an important one for his team: “We were 7-5 at the bye week and then won three straight,” the 43-year-old quarterback said. “It’s been really important, and we’ve got another big one … against Atlanta. Whatever happens after that is bonus for all of us.”
Matt Ryan and the Falcons will be playing for pride, having been eliminated weeks ago: “It’s been a strange year, for sure,” Ryan said. “I think like so many people in all kinds of different professions and walks of life, it’s been unique. Disappointing, for sure, up until this point. Hopefully we can finish with a positive. There’s been a lot of chances we’ve had that we didn’t capitalize on, and our story could be a lot different had we done that. Disappointed, but it’s something you have to learn from and be better from moving forward.”
Look for the Falcons to start resting their starters early in this one, despite feigning interest in, let’s face it, clinching a meaningless #5 seed. With the Falcons playing for their coach and possibly jobs next season, this one should be close.
