It's a huge week across the NFL as the playoff picture slowly begins to come into focus. Unlike what the experts predicted before the season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are right in the thick of things and can move one step closer to clinching a playoff spot on Sunday.
The turnaround for the Bucs has been miraculous in just about every way. A 3-1 start was powered by the defense looking resurgent and the team has picked itself back up after falling down a midseason spiral.
Baker Mayfield had his best game as a Buccaneer last Sunday in Green Bay and it helped the team extend its winning streak to three games. You have to go back to 2021 for the last time the Bucs strung together a winning streak like this and they have the chance to extend it to four straight wins against the Jaguars on Sunday.
It won't be easy, though, as the Jaguars are clinging to their own playoff hopes amid a bit of a rough patch. Jacksonville still leads the AFC South but has the Indianapolis Colts nipping at their heels. A loss for the Jags could send them tumbling out of the playoff picture, which means the Bucs have their work cut out in Week 16.
What time is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers game today? (December 24th)
For the fifth -- and likely final time -- this season, the Buccaneers are kicking off in the late window on Sunday afternoon.
Much like games against the Bills and Eagles, this was planned as the late kickoff time was part of the original schedule release back in May. The Bucs have been flexed twice, though, for wildly different reasons.
Those flexes also bookened the midseason slump the team fell into and are markers that matter.
Back in Week 6 the Bucs-Lions game was flexed into the Fox Game of the Week slot since it featured a battle of two first place teams. That was the start of the Bucs 1-6 skid, but the losing ways came to an end during Tampa Bay's flexed game against Carolina in Week 13.
That game was moved into the late window to essentially be meaningless counterprogramming against the Eagles-49ers game on FOX. The Bucs won that game and haven't lost since, and now enter the late window again looking to keep the streak alive.
Here's everything you need to know to catch today's game:
- Date: Sunday, December 24th
- Start Time: 4:05 pm ET
- Location: Raymond James Stadium | Tampa Bay, FL
- TV Channel: CBS
- Announcers: Kevin Harlan, Trent Green
- Radio: WXTB 97.9 FM | More Radio Affiliates
- Live Stream: NFL Sunday Ticket | Fubo
It's worth noting that all of the Bucs wins during this stretch have come in games that have been broadcast on CBS. That's going to be the case again this Sunday, as the Bucs-Jaguars game is the only late game scheduled for CBS. The bad news is it won't be a nationally televised game since CBS doesn't have a doubleheader this week, but the good news is that the legendary Kevin Harlan will be on the call for the game.