BUCCANEERS at 49ERS
Take: 49ERS pk
Two of the league’s lesser lights hook up in San Francisco today as the 49ers play host to Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers probably have to qualify as a disappointment to many. While I don’t think most envisioned the Bucs as a contender, forward progress was anticipated and it has yet to show. As for San Francisco, they’ve been about what they were projected to be, and the most interesting thing about this team has been regarding a player who chooses not to stand for the national anthem. When that’s the big story on a team, suffice to say it’s probably not much of a team.
There are a few things I like as far as today’s clash is concerned. I’ve got San Francisco a couple notches ahead of Tampa Bay on my power ratings. That’s not saying a whole lot as these are bottom dwellers to be sure, but the 49ers do have a slight advantage on the numbers. Neither the Bucs nor the 49ers are especially good at anything. Both teams are toward the bottom of the efficiency rankings on both offense and defense, and even on special teams to boot.
If you’re into line indicators, here’s some food for thought. The offshore stores I categorize as the sharpest have this game San Francisco -1 as I’m writing this. It’s also a game where the sharp money certainly appears to have had an impact on the number. This game opened Bucs -2 last Sunday. Yet despite the fact Tampa Bay is getting the majority of the tickets at the shops I am able to track, the line has swung significantly to the point that the 49ers are now the mini-favorite, or pick ’em at the very least.
From a value standpoint, the best numbers have come and gone, and getting the optimum price is of great importance to me in football. In fact, at times I’m downright obsessive about it, although I don’t classify that as a bad trait. So, I ended up leaving this game off the personal service ticket on Sunday but it’s certainly a decent lean at worst. I’ll side with the 49ers as today’s free play.