What Happened To The Tampa Bay Buccaneers And Can They Fix It In Time?
Injuries, a post-bye slump, and tiebreakers now define Tampa Bay’s playoff chances.
Remember when analysts (including me) were discussing Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield as a potential NFL MVP? Yeah, that was a LONG time ago.
The Bucs started 5-1 and Mayfield was playing arguably the best football of his career. Tampa Bay moved to 6-2 with a win over the New Orleans Saints in Week 8 and headed into their bye week with a ton of momentum and a two-game lead in the NFC South.
While the bye week often serves as a reset for teams to get healthy and come back stronger, the Bucs' bye apparently came at the most inopportune time. On Sunday, Tampa Bay lost to the Carolina Panthers and relinquished the division lead for the first time this season.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost the lead in the NFC South after losing to the Carolina Panthers in Week 16, but Tampa still controls its own playoff destiny despite a late-season slump.
(Bob Donnan-Imagn Images)
Since the Week 9 bye, the Buccaneers have gone 1-6 with losses to the Patriots, Bills, Rams, Saints, Falcons and Panthers, with their only win coming in Week 13 over the Cardinals. While the first three losses are somewhat excusable due to the level of competition, losing three straight to NFC South opponents is quite disheartening.
Buccaneers Season on Life Support After Another Loss
Tampa looked like a lock to win the NFC South for the fifth straight season after the Week 8 win over New Orleans. But now they sit at 7-8 and trail the Panthers by one game for the division lead. The Bucs have dealt with a slew of injuries, particularly on offense. Starting running back Bucky Irving has missed seven games.
Future Hall of Fame receiver Mike Evans has missed nine games. Fellow receiver Chris Godwin has missed eight games. Second-year receiver Jalen McMillan, who had eight touchdowns as a rookie, recently returned to the lineup after missing the team's first 13 games. The team also has three offensive linemen on injured reserve.
Obviously, the injuries have taken a major toll. But no one is going to feel sorry for the Buccaneers because all NFL teams are typically banged up at this point in the season. Despite the tough stretch, the season isn't over yet.
Path Remains For Bucs Playoff Berth
The Buccaneers cannot earn a wild-card berth because they are incapable of catching the Green Bay Packers, who are 9-5-1 and the current seventh seed in the NFC. But Tampa can still win the NFC South and, amazingly, control their own destiny. That's because Tampa Bay and Carolina play again in Week 18.
Tampa can be eliminated from postseason contention in Week 17, but Carolina cannot. If the Buccaneers lose to the Miami Dolphins and the Panthers beat the Seattle Seahawks, the Panthers win the NFC South. However, if Tampa Bay beats Miami, then the division comes down to the Week 18 rematch between Tampa and Carolina. Carolina isn't really playing for much in Week 17. Win or lose to the Seahawks, they can still win the division by beating the Buccaneers in Week 18.
Quarterback Bryce Young and head coach Dave Canales have put the Carolina Panthers in position to win the NFC South for the first time in 10 years.
(Bob Donnan-Imagn Images)
The tiebreaker scenarios get a little convoluted, so I won't bog everyone down with the minutiae. But the easy way to look at it is this: Carolina wins the NFC South with a win in Week 17 and a Tampa Bay loss in Week 17, or a win in Week 18 over Tampa (regardless of Week 17 results).
Tampa Bay needs to win in Week 17 (or lose and have Carolina lose) and then beat Carolina in Week 18. Either way, both teams technically control their own destinies and the NFC South is almost certain to come down to a showdown in the NFL's final regular season week.
The question is whether the Bucs, who have limped their way down the stretch, can get it turned around in time to save their playoff position. The Panthers have hovered around .500 all season, but all they have to do is beat Tampa Bay in Week 18 (or win next week and hope the Buccaneers lose) and they win the NFC South for the first time since 2015.
Got all that?
Good, glad I could help.