Buccaneers playoff scenarios in Week 14: What fans should be rooting for

Forget the 4-game skid these Tampa Bay Buccaneers suffered just a couple of weeks ago. It is long gone. Since snapping that losing streak, the Bucs have won two in a row and look to take back control not only of their playoff positioning, but the NFC South itself.

Heading into Week 14 of the season, the Bucs find themselves in second place just behind the Atlanta Falcons, with both teams sporting a record of 6-6. The difference is, Atlanta has beaten Tampa Bay in both head-to-head matchups, so they have a strangle hold on the tiebreaker.

But, the Bucs still have plenty of reason to be hopeful they can win the division and make the playoffs. It starts this weekend when they host the lowly Las Vegas Raiders. Beating the AFC's worst team, record-wise, shouldn't be a problem.

But, if the Bucs get themselves to 7-6, what needs to happen from there in order to move up in the standings?

Based on this weekend's games, it's pretty simple.

Which matchups will impact the Bucs' playoff chances the most in Week 14?

First and foremost, the biggest matchup of the weekend for Bucs fans to watch is going to directly impact first place in the NFC South.

Atlanta (6-6) at Minnesota (10-2)

The Vikings are looking to try and keep up with the Detroit Lions who sit one game ahead of them, and beating their former quarterback amid somewhat of a controversy, in Atlanta, looks like a tantalizing opportunity.

Kirk Cousins comes in having thrown zero touchdowns and six interceptions over his last three games, and Brian Flores' defense is an opportunistic one. If the Falcons drop this game to Minnesota and the Bucs win, then they obviously switch spots in the standings.

But, what other games could impact the playoff standings?

Green Bay Packers (9-3) at Detroit Lions (11-1)

The Thursday Night Football matchup between two NFC North heavyweights is one to watch, for sure. If you're the Bucs, you know good and well you're not catching the Lions. Therefore, rooting for a Packers loss is going to close the distance between the Bucs and another playoff team in Green Bay. That's where Bucs fans should be focused when it comes to this matchup.

The Packers dropping to 9-4 means they'd be two games ahead of Tampa Bay at 7-6, rather than the Lions losing and dropping to 11-2 while the Packers further the distance between them and Tampa.

Key teams on bye: Washington (8-6), currently no. 7 seed

The Washington Commanders are on a bye this week, but they're maybe the biggest team not named the Falcons to keep an eye on. After their bye this weekend, Washington will travel to take on the New Orleans Saints in Week 15.

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