Giants at Bucs: Which Team Can Cover the Spread in Week 11?

As teams start to separate themselves in the playoff hunt, NFL betting picks should get more straightforward. Yet going into Week 11, some teams are defying expectations. The Monday night Giants at Bucs game is a perfect example of these challenging trends.

The old any given Sunday adage has never been more true than this season. So if you are wondering which team has the best chance to cover the spread, take a deeper look into this Week 11 matchup.

New York Giants

After an extra week to enjoy their massive win over the Raiders, the New York Giants now face an even stiffer test. Unfortunately, the first half of the 2021 NFL season has not been kind to the Giants. Yet at 3-6, this improving squad is showing some grit.

Six days after keeping the Chiefs close, the Giants put on an offensive show last week. And now, New York gets OL Andrew Thomas back as well as running back Saquon Barkley. But with the solid effort from backup Devontae Booker, the role for Barkley could change.

A two-man running attack may add enough pressure on Tampa Bay’s 4th ranked defense to keep this game close. Close games have been a pattern between these two teams. Every meeting they’ve had for the last four years has been decided by 3 points or less.

The Giants yet will have to mount another substantial defensive effort against an angry Tom Brady. The Buccaneers are licking their wounds from two straight losses. Brady and company will be looking to turn that trend around in Week 11.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Despite ranking in the top five in three categories, the Bucs are struggling for answers. Before the bye week, Tampa Bay lost to the Saints, who were without their starting quarterback. Then, they came out flat and got embarrassed by a weak team in Washington.

Three of Tampa Bay’s wins earlier were against teams with losing records. So it’s clear that Tom Brady and company are not stepping up when it counts. They are the reigning champs, but to repeat, a shift in focus will be necessary.

At 6-3, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are running out of chances to get a top seed in the playoffs. Their schedule gets more challenging after the Giants, so Bruce Arians will have to motivate his squad now.

The most significant part of the Bucs problems is with discipline. Penalties continue to plague their progress in critical situations. But the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were in a similar state last year. Tom Brady got his second wind during the end of the season and carried them to a championship.

Giants at Bucs (-10.5)

When considering the teams’ current records, there’s every reason to believe the Bucs will win this Week 11 game. Yet the New York Giants are 5-4 against the spread this season. And the last three games have gone under by more than a touchdown.

This game could end as close as the last four meetings. But if Tom Brady can light a fire under his teammates, this one could get lopsided.

Yet as the vice tightens on the Bucs, the Giants can play loose and relaxed. Every win is a bonus for New York this season, so they can go out and have fun.

Week 11 Prediction

Under normal circumstances, 11 points is not a lot for Tampa Bay to give away. But Giants at Bucs games are traditional battles. So I’m taking New York to cover the spread in Week 11.

Who do you think will come out on top this week? Sign up for an account on BetMGM’s New Jersey sports betting site and place your bets on this game and all the other NFL action this season.