Things have started to skid downhill on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a hurry, and it might be a minute before things get better. Last year we watched the team fall into a 1-6 midseason slump, and it seems history is repeating itself after what has happened over the last few weeks.
In the span of less than a week, the Bucs lost two games and are now free falling down the standings in both the NFC South and the Wild Card picture. Atlanta's victory on Sunday gives them the complete tiebreaker over Tampa Bay, and is the first time since 2018 that the Falcons have swept the Bucs during the regular season.
There's no way to sugarcoat the loss, it's one that sets the Bucs back at a time when they can't afford any mistakes. The Bucs are still only 4-4, so there's plenty of time to turn things around, but it's not going to be easy to dig out of the hole the team is creating for itself.
NFC Playoff picture and standings after Bucs lose to Falcons in Week 8
Here's how things stand after the Buccaneers dropped a key game on Sunday afternoon:
Playoff Seed | Team | Record |
|---|---|---|
No. 1 | Detroit Lions | 6-1 |
No. 2 | Washington Commanders | 5-2 |
No. 3 | Atlanta Falcons | 5-3 |
No. 4 | Seattle Seahawks | 4-3 |
No. 5 | Green Bay Packers | 6-2 |
No. 6 | Minnesota Vikings | 5-2 |
No. 7 | Philadephia Eagles | 5-2 |
Tiebreakers are a huge theme right now in the playoff picture, which is why it's so incredibly disappointing that the Bucs got swept on the season by Atlanta. If the Seahawks win, they'll have the head-to-head over the Falcons while the Vikings have the head-to-head over Green Bay, which owns a tiebreaker over the Eagles.
None of that really matters for Tampa Bay, though. The Bucs are only 4-4 but feel lightyears out of the playoff picture after all that has happened. Not only is Tampa Bay dealing with being swept by the Falcons, but there's a very real chance the team heads into its bye week 4-6 after upcoming games against the Chiefs and 49ers.
There's still plenty of season left, and not everything was terrible for the Bucs on Sunday, but it certainly feels like it's getting late.
More Tampa Bay Buccaneers news and rumors