After their third loss in four games, the Buccaneers, who were once as high as No. 1 on the NFL power rankings, are continuing to fall the ranks. Here's what the experts are saying after their late-game collapse against the Bills.
Yahoo admits the Buccaneers don't have a bad loss, but worries that losses are starting to pile up, and will continue to pile up after next week's showdown with the Rams.
"The Buccaneers are like a stunned boxer, who could be finished off by an opponent with a final knockout punch. It could happen next weekend against the NFC's best team, the Los Angeles Rams," wrote Bleacher Report.
That makes sense, until you consider the last six games on Tampa Bay's schedule. They play the Panthers twice, as well as the Saints, Falcons, Cardinals, and Dolphins. Obviously, with Miami looking suddenly competant and the Panthers creeping up in the division, those six games are not a cakewalk, but there is a real chance Tampa Bay could win five of their last six and still reach 11 wins, even with a loss to the Rams next week.
Fox admitted the Sean Tucker breakout was impressive, but said Tampa Bay needs to show they can defeat a contender to prove they belong in the playoffs.
The Ringer has Tampa Bay just outside the top ten and behind the 5-5 Chiefs. Still, they believe Tampa Bay will cruise to the playoffs. More insane, the Ringer ranked Baker Mayfield as the 12th best quarterback, which feels low considering what he's done this year and over the past two seasons.
More power rankings will be released tomorrow, but it seems clear where the experts stand after Week 11. Tampa Bay is no longer viewed as a top-ten team, and they don't deserve to be. They have not demonstrated the ability to beat real Super Bowl teams. They best wins have come against Mac Jones, Sam Darnold, and CJ Stroud, not exactly the inner-circle of MVP quarterbacks. Tampa Bay has their work cut out for them.