Lots can change over the course of 1 Sunday within the NFL. Final week, a Falcons win over the Giants on Sunday afternoon mixed with a Bucs loss to the Cowboys on Sunday evening value the Bucs management of their future within the NFC South race.
As a lot as that harm for Tampa Bay, the fact that quite a bit can change in a single Sunday remained the identical heading into Week 17. In reality, there was an opportunity for the roles to be reversed, with the Bucs enjoying within the afternoon whereas the Falcons had the Sunday Night time Soccer slot towards the Commanders. With a win over the Panthers and a Falcons loss to the Commanders, the Bucs could be proper again atop the division heading into the ultimate weekend of the common season. Not solely that, however Tampa Bay would have a win-and-in state of affairs in its finale.
Bucs WR Mike Evans, RB Bucky Irving and QB Baker Mayfield – Photograph by: USA In the present day
The Bucs took care of their half first, storming out to a 27-7 lead over the Panthers within the first half earlier than happening to win 48-14. Baker Mayfield had as many incompletions as he did landing passes, ending 27-of-32 for 359 yards and 5 touchdowns. Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan each caught two touchdowns, whereas Bucky Irving surpassed the 1,000-yard dashing mark whereas posting 190 all-purpose yards. In the meantime, the Tampa Bay protection racked up 5 sacks and held Carolina to 2-of-9 on third down and simply 203 complete yards.
With the win, the Bucs improved to 9-7, matching their win complete from 2023 with one sport left to play. Additionally they put some stress on the Falcons heading into their Sunday evening matchup with the Commanders, as they went into play realizing they’d want a win to remain atop the division and keep management of their future.
As soon as Tampa Bay took care of its enterprise, all it might do was watch as a Sunday Night time Soccer thriller unfolded between Atlanta and Washington. The Falcons went up 17-7 heading into halftime, however the Commanders managed the ball and the sport within the second half on their technique to a 21-17 lead. However after having to accept a subject objective contained in the 5-yard line to make it a seven-point sport, Washington let Atlanta again into it, with Michael Penix Jr. main a game-tying landing drive. A late missed subject objective by Falcons backup kicker Riley Patterson then despatched the sport to time beyond regulation.
And in time beyond regulation, the Bucs obtained the assistance they wanted. As a lot because the Falcons would possibly’ve lived by the NFL’s time beyond regulation guidelines of their Week 5 win over the Bucs, they died by those self same guidelines on Sunday evening as Jayden Daniels led the Commanders down the sector for a game-winning landing with out Penix and the Atlanta offense getting to the touch the ball once more.
With that Commanders victory, management of the NFC South is again within the Bucs’ fingers.
Right here’s an up to date have a look at the NFC South standings by means of Week 17:
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 9-7 (3-2 within the NFC South)Atlanta Falcons 8-8 (4-1 within the NFC South)New Orleans Saints 5-11 (2-3 within the NFC South)Carolina Panthers 4-12 (1-4 within the NFC South)
Now, with a win over the Saints at residence in Week 18, the Bucs will seize a fourth straight NFC South title and the Falcons will as soon as once more miss out on the playoffs. Tampa Bay would additionally clinch the division with an Atlanta loss to Carolina, however it’s finest for Todd Bowles and his squad to care for its personal enterprise on its residence subject.
COMMANDERS WIN!
The 9-7 #Bucs are actually again on high of the NFC South!
Falcons fall to 8-8 with the OT loss at Washington.
A Tampa Bay win vs. New Orleans or an Atlanta loss to Carolina subsequent week provides the Buccaneers a FOURTH straight NFC South title. pic.twitter.com/XzApv4uhro
The place The Bucs Now Stand In The NFC Playoff Image
With the Bucs again in first place within the NFC South, they at the moment personal the No. 4 seed within the NFC playoff image. Extra on them in a minute.
Lions HC Dan Campbell and Bucs HC Todd Bowles- Photograph by: USA In the present day
Let’s get the to-be-determined stuff out of the best way relating to the No. 1 seed within the NFC heading into Week 18. As of publication time, the Vikings maintain the highest spot within the NFC at 14-2 due to their 27-25 win over the Packers on Sunday afternoon. In the interim, that technically bumps the Lions all the way down to the No. 5 seed, which is the highest wild card spot. However that’s solely as a result of Detroit performs on Monday Night time Soccer, hitting the highway to tackle the already-eliminated 49ers.
No matter what the Lions do on Monday evening, the race for the NFC North crown and the No. 1 seed within the NFC will come all the way down to subsequent week, because the Lions and Vikings will match up in Detroit. The winner of that sport will earn the No. 1 seed and a first-round bye, whereas the loser would be the high wild card workforce and face the NFC’s No. 4 seed.
The Eagles destroyed the Cowboys 41-7 on Sunday, clinching the NFC East title and the No. 2 seed within the playoffs. As of proper now, they might host the No. 7 seed Packers on Tremendous Wild Card Weekend.
The Rams beat the Cardinals 13-9 on Saturday evening, choosing up one other ugly win to carry on to the No. 3 seed within the NFC with one week left to play. With the best way the present playoff image seems, Los Angeles would host No. 6 seed Washington within the first spherical of the playoffs.
But when the Rams lose to the Seahawks in Week 18 and the Bucs beat the Saints to clinch the NFC South, the Bucs would declare the No. 3 seed within the NFC by way of the convention document tiebreaker
As talked about earlier than, the primary wild card spot will go to the loser of subsequent week’s sport between the Vikings and Lions. As of now, that workforce could be heading to Tampa to tackle the Bucs.
Commanders QB Jayden Daniels – Photograph by: USA In the present day
With the Commanders’ win on Sunday evening and the Packers’ loss to the Vikings, the Commanders are actually in possession of the No. 6 seed and might clinch that spot with a win subsequent week.
Right here’s a have a look at the complete NFC Playoff Image by means of Week 17:
1. Vikings – 14-2 (NFC North chief)2. Eagles – 13-3 (NFC East chief)3. Rams – 10-6 (NFC West chief)4. Bucs – 9-7 (NFC South chief)5. Lions – 13-2 (NFC Wild Card No. 1)*6. Commanders – 11-5 (NFC Wild Card No. 2)7. Packers – 11-5 (NFC Wild Card No. 3)——–Within the Hunt——–8. Falcons – 8-8
*Lions nonetheless to play at 49ers on Monday Night time Soccer
NFL.com at the moment provides the Bucs a 81% likelihood to make the playoffs.
The Bucs will host the Saints at 1:00 p.m. subsequent Sunday, and a win will safe them a house playoff sport on Tremendous Wild Card Weekend.
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