The Tampa Bay Buccaneers wrapped up their regular season on Saturday with a division matchup against the Carolina Panthers. The Buccaneers came away with a 16-14 win, making things interesting in the NFC South.
To win the NFC South and secure a playoff berth, the Buccaneers had to beat the Panthers and get some help elsewhere. However, had the Panthers won, they would have been the division champions.
What has to Happen for the Bucs to Win the NFC South?
If the Bucs had won the first matchup against the Panthers two weeks ago, they would have made the playoffs after their Week 18 win over Carolina.
However, the Buccaneers now have to hope for the New Orleans Saints to defeat the Atlanta Falcons. If the Falcons beat the Saints, then the Bucs, Panthers, and Falcons would all finish with an 8-9 record, and the Panthers would win the division.
The reason the Panthers advance in a three-way tie scenario is that they swept the Falcons this year and also beat the Bucs. In that scenario, even if they lose in Week 18, the Panthers would be 3-1 against the Bucs and Falcons, while Tampa Bay would be 2-2.
To recap, if the Saints beat the Falcons on Sunday, Tampa Bay will win the NFC South.
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Of course, the Bucs are only in this position because of a disastrous second-half collapse. The team started the season on fire with a 5-1 record, but then went 2-8. The team’s only two wins in that stretch were against the Saints and the Arizona Cardinals, which are two of the worst teams in the NFC.
Buccaneers’ NFC South Streak on Life Support in Week 18
The Buccaneers have won the NFC South for four consecutive seasons. The last team to win the NFC South other than them was the New Orleans Saints in 2020. The Panthers have not won the division since 2015, when they made it all the way to the Super Bowl with Cam Newton.
Back in October, it seemed like the Bucs would easily coast to another title. However, they’ve been among the worst teams in the league for two months now.
Injuries certainly haven’t helped, but the struggles have been on both sides of the ball. PFSN’s Offense Impact Metric has the team’s offense ranked at 22nd in the league, while PFSN’s Defense Impact Metric has the team’s defense ranked at 19th.
