TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers see winning the NFC South as their best route to the NFL playoffs this season. To achieve that, they will require a bit of luck along with their own successes, particularly by winning their last two home games against the Carolina Panthers and the New Orleans Saints. Meanwhile, they need the Atlanta Falcons to drop at least one of their final two games.
At present, the Buccaneers, holding an 8-7 record, share the best record in the division with the Falcons. However, the Falcons own the tiebreaker having won both encounters in the season series. Tampa Bay, which has clinched three consecutive division titles, is the only team from the NFC that has qualified for the playoffs in each of the past four years.
“We’ve got to take care of business or else we’ve got no shot,” quarterback Baker Mayfield expressed after a narrow 26-24 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, which robbed the Buccaneers of their stronghold in the division race. “This one, we’ve got to take it on the chin. It’s a short week. It’s Christmas week. We’ve got to focus on Carolina and figure out a way to win.”
Should Atlanta keep its lead, the Buccaneers could still enter the playoffs as a wild card by winning out and hoping the Commanders suffer two losses. Coach Todd Bowles has expressed confidence that his team understands the task at hand and will address the errors made during the recent loss that halted a four-game win streak. “We’ve got to win a ballgame (this week). If we don’t win a ballgame, we don’t give ourselves a chance,” Bowles stated. He underlined the need to focus internally, correct past mistakes, and focus on securing victories in the upcoming matches.
The Buccaneers’ offense has been performing well, ranking third in the NFL with an average of 389.8 yards per game. Despite the recent defeat, they managed to accumulate 410 total yards against the Cowboys, marking their fifth consecutive game with over 400 yards of offense, a feat that leads the NFL. Additionally, Tampa Bay’s rushing offense has improved significantly, currently ranking seventh with 143.7 yards per game, contrasting starkly with their last two seasons where they ranked last.
However, the defense struggled, particularly in the loss against Dallas, allowing 292 passing yards, with 226 of those yards surrendered in the first half. Bowles highlighted poor tackling as a significant concern rather than coverage issues. Star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb dominated early, catching six passes for 100 yards and a touchdown, though he was held to just one catch for 5 yards after halftime.
On a positive note, Baker Mayfield has been developing a solid connection with rookie wide receiver Jalen McMillan, who has amassed 27 receptions for 336 yards and five touchdowns this season. In the game against Dallas, McMillan recorded five catches for 57 yards and a touchdown, contributing significantly to the Bucs’ offense.
On the downside, turnovers proved detrimental against the Cowboys. Mayfield’s interception in the end zone denied the Buccaneers a chance to narrow the score, and a fumble by Rachaad White in the final moments dashed their hopes for a comeback victory. “We knew they were going to rake at the ball going into the ballgame,” Bowles remarked. “We just have to have two hands on the ball. That’s priority No. 1 – taking better care of the football.”
Injury updates remain a concern, with Bowles stating it is too soon to know the availability of several starters, including safety Antoine Winfield Jr., who has missed the last two games due to a knee issue. Tight end Cade Otton (knee) and linebacker K.J. Britt (ankle) were also inactive against Dallas, while wide receiver Sterling Shepard exited the game with a hamstring injury.
A notable statistic is that Bucky Irving leads all NFL rookie running backs with 920 rushing yards. He only needs 80 more yards over the next two games to reach the 1,000-yard milestone. His seventh rushing touchdown scored against the Cowboys brings him close to Tying franchise records for rookie rushing touchdowns.
Up next, the Buccaneers will host the Carolina Panthers this Sunday.
