The Tampa Bay Buccaneers picked up a huge victory in Week 15 on the road against the Green Bay Packers. Quarterback Baker Mayfield had a day to remember, putting together the best performance by a visiting player in Lambeau Field history, leading his team to a 34-20 win.
That victory improved the Buccaneers’ record to 7-7 on the season and now has them in first place in the NFC South after the New Orleans Saints lost on Thursday Night Football to the Los Angeles Rams. Will the Buccaneers stay in that spot?
Based on projections done by ESPN’s Matt Bowen, they will be, but it won’t be easy. The projections have the Buccaneers getting blown out in Week 16 by the Jacksonville Jaguars, 28-11. That sets up a massive matchup in Week 17 between the Buccaneers and Saints.
NFL News & Rumors: Baker Mayfield, NFL Playoffs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers Updates
Tampa Bay can bounce back in that game, defeating New Orleans in blowout fashion, 37-17. That officially puts the Buccaneers in first place in the division, getting them that much closer to clinching.
However, in a fashion fitting of the NFC South, the Buccaneers back into the postseason courtesy of a 19-14 loss to the Carolina Panthers in Week 18. But, they earn the division crown courtesy of the Atlanta Falcons defeating the Saints, 21-18.
“The NFC South was always destined for an 8-9 champion. For the second straight year it turned out to be the Bucs, who scored a key victory over the Saints in Week 17 before losing in Week 18 — but won the division because the Saints lost to the Falcons. Fitting.
The Bucs were the longest shot to win the NFC South heading into the season (8.5%), per ESPN’s FPI, and overcame those odds,” wrote Bowen.
NFL News & Rumors: Baker Mayfield, NFL Playoffs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers Updates
By virtue of winning their division, the Buccaneers are the No. 4 seed and host the Dallas Cowboys, the highest-seeded Wild Card team at No. 5, during Super Wild Card Weekend. It is a rematch of last year’s Wild Card matchup, but this time the Buccaneers exact some revenge and knock the Cowboys out early.
Tampa Bay’s season ended during the divisional round, where they were defeated by the San Francisco 49ers. That would be a strong run for a team that not many projections were high on coming into the season, as Mayfield has certainly done enough to warrant consideration as the long-term answer for the Buccaneers or elsewhere in the NFL.
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