Updated NFL Playoff Picture and standings after Buccaneers lose to Falcons in Week 5

We're a quarter of a way through the season, and it's never too early to start looking at the playoff picture. As things stand, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are firmly in the middle of things, even after how things went on Thursday night.

It's been a fantastic start to the year for the Bucs, who somehow came into the season once again underrated. Pundits didn't think they had done enough in the offseason to match what the Falcons did by adding Kirk Cousins, but that conversation was put to rest for at least the time being on Thursday.

While Cousins had a great night, and Atlanta ultimately won, it's a loss that will no doubt stick with the Bucs as motivation down the road. These two teams typically split their games and Tampa Bay played well, which makes the loss in overtime sting even more.

Todd Bowles defense buckled in crunch time, letting the Falcons march down the field in regulation to tie the game and then cook them in overtime for the win. Still, it's just five games and the way the Bucs have played suggests they're going to hang around the playoff picture for the foreseeable future.

Updated NFC Playoff picture and standings after Week 5

Here's how things stack up after Thursday Night Football:

1. Minnesota Vikings (4-0)
2. Washington Commanders (3-1)
3. Seattle Seahawks (3-1)
4. Atlanta Falcons (3-2)
5. Detroit Lions (3-1)
6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-2)
7. New Orleans Saints (2-2)

Right now the NFC runs through Minnesota, and there's a decent chance that remains the case after they play the Jets in London on Sunday morning. Sam Darnold has fit perfectly into the mold of Vikings quarterbacks who have been doubted as backups only to take the team on some sort of miracle run.

If we're talking about surprise starts, the Washington Commanders could almost be argued as a bigger one than the Vikings. Jayden Daniels is putting together a solid Rookie of the Year case just five weeks into the season, which is making the Bucs win in Week 1 look more imr

Still, the loss to the Falcons stings more than anything so far this season. It's the first divisional loss and hands Atlanta one half of what could be a critical tiebreaker. The fact that the Falcons also have another divisional win over the Saints, who the Bucs get next weekend, doesn't help.

It's only Week 5, though, so there's plenty of runway for the Bucs to get things back on track. They're also 3-2 and in a prime position to stay firmly in the playoff picture despite the loss. It won't be easy going from this to a back-to-back against the Saints and Ravens, but the Bucs showed more fight in this sort of game than we saw last season and it will no doubt serve as motivation next week in a game they need to come out firing in.

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