It may feel like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are entering potential crisis mode or are at risk of being found out as mere Super Bowl pretenders after losing to two elite AFC teams in the New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills, with star quarterback Baker Mayfield getting outdueled and head coach Todd Bowles getting even more thoroughly outcoached.
But even the Buccaneers biggest haters in the NFC South have to admit that this Bucs offense has been hit very hard by injuries. Both superstar wide receivers are out, star running back Bucky Irving has missed almost two months now, and Mayfield offensive line has been ravaged, too.
The Bucs will face another one of the best teams in the NFL this coming Sunday night in the Los Angeles Rams while nursing a much less impressive 6-4 record of their own now, but regardless of what happens against Matthew Stafford and L.A., the Bucs have a huge positive to look forward to afterwards.
It's all downhill from here for the Buccaneers
Sports Illustrated recently broke down the remaining strength of schedule for every team in the NFC, and the Buccaneers, even including their upcoming Week 12 tilt against the 8-2 Rams, have the easiest schedule remaining.
The combined winning percentage of the Bucs final opponents of the 2025 NFL regular season is just .438, and there are only three teams in the AFC with an easier remaining schedule. Again, in the NFC, nobody else has it easier to close the campaign with the Buccaneers facing the Arizona Cardinals, New Orleans Saints, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers twice, and the Miami Dolphins once.
That's one of the perks of being in the NFC South, and while the Panthers are technically creeping up on the Bucs, they have benefited from their divisional games whereas the Bucs still have four divisional matchups to go. And they will have most of their key players back from injury by then.
After this incredibly tough test against Sean McVay's Rams, the Buccaneers literally don't face a single good team to end the season. The Cardinals, Dolphins, and Saints are outright terrible. It's not inconceivable that even if the Bucs falter against the Rams, they will run the table and finish the season 12-5 for an even better record than what they posted in 2025. The worst of the Bucs schedule is about to be behind them, and with key players coming back after a front loaded slate, it's all in their destiny.