To say it’s been a rough stretch for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers would be an understatement. Despite picking up a victory against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 13, the Bucs returned to their losing ways on Sunday.
In what could be one of the most pivotal matchups in the NFC South this season, the Bucs fell to the New Orleans Saints 24-20 in Week 14, adding more drama to the race for the division crown. Even though the Buccaneers will play divisional opponents in three of their last four games, Sunday’s loss complicates matters for the club.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Playoff Chances Take Huge Hit Following Loss to New Orleans Saints
Things did not go according to plan for the Buccaneers at home during a rainy, divisional showdown with the Saints. Despite coming into the matchup following a victory against the Cardinals, Tampa was unable to ride that momentum to a win. Instead, Saints rookie quarterback Tyler Shough put on a show, rushing for the first two touchdowns of his NFL career en route to the victory.
The Buccaneers came into the game ranked 18th in the NFL according to PFSN’s Defense Impact metric. Despite making some key plays, it was Shough’s feet that made the difference in the end. Following the loss, the Buccaneers’ playoff chances took a significant hit, dropping 15.3%, giving the team a 51% chance of securing a postseason spot. The team’s divisional chances also took a large hit, dropping 14% following the loss.
Despite the defeat, the Buccaneers could still control their own destiny as they are slated to face the Carolina Panthers twice before the end of the regular season. The Panthers, who have been playing well lately, have gone 6-3 over their last nine games, and saw their own playoff chances jump 11.8%.
Tampa Bay will need to sort things out sooner rather than later if it hopes to win the NFC South for the fifth consecutive season. Reinforcements could be on the way, as injured wide receivers Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan have been ramping up activity in practice in hopes of returning before the end of the year.
The unpredictable nature of football is why we love the NFL. However, one thing is clear: the NFC South divisional race is going to come down to the wire. The Bucs are slated to face the Panthers on Dec. 21 and Jan. 4, so this race might be tight, but it is far from over.
