The Tampa Bay Buccaneers continue to see their status in the league slip after a backbreaking 34-7 loss against the Rams. Here's what the experts are saying about Tampa Bay after Week 12.
USA Today: #17 (down two spots from last week)
USA Today didn't fault Tampa Bay much, but they had the Buccaneers ranked low to begin with. They wrote that Baker Mayfield looked "flummoxed," but worried that if Teddy Bridgewater has to take over for the rest of the season, the team could be in trouble moving forward, despite the easier schedule.
Bleacher Report: #16 (down four spots from last week)
Bleacher Report dropped Tampa Bay out of the top-15, but made sure to mention how many injuries have affected this team and its momentum all year long.
"Nonetheless, on a three-game skid, with quarterback Baker Mayfield's status unclear because of an injury to his non-throwing shoulder, Tampa Bay is in a tough spot that may linger for weeks," wrote Bleacher Report. They worry that injuries could cost Tampa Bay down the stretch, particularly if Mayfield is not healthy.
NBC Sports: #13 (down three spots from last week)
NBC Sports writes that Tampa Bay is in a freefall, but called the last six games a "cakewalk." They write that if Mayfield gets healthy, the Buccaneers could still be an 11 or 12 win team.
Tampa Bay falls to #17 on the Sporting News power rankings. They called Mayfield streaky, and said they are lucky to play in such a weak division in the NFC South. While that's not debatable, it feels a little harsh to drop them into the bottom half of the league.
Spinzone keeps Tampa Bay in the top-eight, which feels nice considering their 27-point loss. However, writer Lou Scataglia says the team is "hanging on by a thread," and "didn't really have a large margin for error." Still, all it takes is a couple of wins over the Carolina Panthers to punch their ticket to the playoffs, something any Tampa Bay fan would be excited about in the preseason.