5 Buccaneers players and coaches on the hot seat in Week 18

This is it. Week 18. Do or die.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers sit at 8-8, still atop the NFC South by virtue of a tie-breaker with the New Orleans Saints, and if they beat the Carolina Panthers in their final regular season game, the division is theirs.

If the Bucs lose, though, they not only lose their grasp on the division but also miss the playoffs. In the most crucial game of the year, there are some Bucs players and coaches who should be feeling the heat.

1. Dee Delaney, DB

Defensive back Dee Delaney will be a free agent after the season is up, and for the most part, he's done enough to show not only the Buccaneers, but other prospective teams, that he's worthy of a starting gig in this league.

The 28-year-old will soon turn 29, but he's had a fairly decent season after making the early switch to safety. In a season that Ryan Neal has struggled mightily, Delaney has stepped up and given the secondary a needed boost. While he hasn't been perfect, Delaney is allowing just over 51 percent of passes to be completed his direction and has an opposing passer rating of only 51.5.

He isn't just playing for his future with the Bucs, but potentially a future elsewhere if Tampa Bay chooses to move on. The Bucs have to find a long-term solution next to Antoine Winfield Jr., who is also a free agent come the spring. Could Delaney be that guy? Most Bucs fans would probably like to find a younger option with a higher ceiling, but I wouldn't put it past the Bucs to bring Delaney back.