Updated NFL Playoff Picture after Week 14: Buccaneers take control of a Top-4 seed
By Josh Hill
Everything was lined up for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to right the ship and use the softest part of the schedule to get their season back on track. That's exactly what happened on Sunday, as the Bucs' 28-13 win over the Las Vegas Raiders was coupled with a 42-21 loss by the Atlanta Falcons, propelling Tampa Bay back into first place in the NFC South.
It's an incredible turnaround for a team that just a few weeks ago was on the brink of collapse. Tampa Bay rode a four-game losing streak into its bye week, but has emerged to win three straight and get back above .500 on the season.
Meanwhile, Atlanta is free falling. Kirk Cousins looks awful, the defense has folded, and the conversation has shifted from the Falcons hosting a playoff game to whether Michael Penix Jr. should become the new starting quarterback.
The stars aligned perfectly for the Bucs to take advantage, and by doing so they now control a top seed as the playoff picture starts to come into focus.
Updated NFL Playoff Picture after Week 14: Buccaneers snag a Top 4 seed
Only three teams have clinched playoff berths so far, with the Detroit Lions being the only NFC team to have punched a ticket. The Bucs have a long way to go before they're having that conversation but a massive step toward that outcome was taken on Sunday.
Playoff Seed | Team | Record |
|---|---|---|
No. 1 | Detroit Lions | 12-1 (Clinched) |
No. 2 | Philadelphia Eagles | 11-2 |
No. 3 | Seattle Seahawks | 7-5 |
No. 4 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 7-6 |
No. 5 | Minnesota Vikings | 11-2 |
No. 6 | Green Bay Packers | 9-4 |
No. 7 | Washington Commanders | 8-5 |
If all of that holds, this is what Wild Card Weekend would look like with the Buccaneers hosting a game for the fourth straight year:
- (2) Philadelphia Eagles vs. (7) Washington Commanders
- (3) Seattle Seahawks vs. (6) Green Bay Packers
- (4) Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. (5) Minnesota Vikings
By getting back into first place in the NFC South, the Buccaneers officially control their own destiny. Even with the tiebreaker belonging to the Falcons, Tampa Bay now has a full-game lead on Atlanta, but there's still zero margin for error.
Todd Bowles said after the win that staying in first place is a lot harder than getting there, which is something the Bucs will need to remember over the next two games. Tampa Bay has matchups against the Chargers and Cowboys, while the Falcons get back-to-back cake walks against the Raiders and Giants.
Anything can happen, but the work is far from over for the Bucs. The good news is that in addition to controlling their own destiny, Tampa Bay controls being able to get some cushion between itself and Atlanta. That's all going to come into play next Sunday, but for now it's worth celebrating the fac thtat the Bucs are back on top.
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