The NFC South is a joke. The fact that no team can claim it and enjoy the easiest path to the playoffs in the league is a true testament to just how bad these four teams are.

Still, shockingly, the Buccaneers are alive in the race.

They even have a chance to level their record against the Falcons this weekend and would sit atop the division with Atlanta at 6-7. Yes, it is still on the table. In fact, in some ways, the Bucs are in a very favorable position for the playoffs.

We'll leave the debate of "is making the playoffs actually good for the Buccaneers?" for another day. For now, the question is "can the Buccaneers make the playoffs?" That is an obvious yes.

With the wild card mostly off the table, even in a bad NFC, the best path to making it into the postseason (and a likely first-round exist) is by securing home-field advantage with the top spot in the NFC South.

The means knocking off just one division rival: the Falcons.

Atlanta beat the Buccaneers earlier this season and probably should've won by a greater margin, but Tampa has every possible chance to go into the game this weekend, win, gain a lead in the playoff race, and then keep that lead.

The Falcons, like every other team in this division, are not a good or a scary team. Their offense is bland, the run game isn't scary, and the defense isn't good enough to carry that franchise forever.

The Bucs don't have much to speak on in their own strengths categories, but they had every opportunity to win the last matchup, should be able to do so in the rematch, and they have the right matchups down the stretch to win three or four more games if they can get their heads right.

It might be tough to imagine a Todd Bowles-led team getting everything right at crunch time, but it is at least on the table. Whether it actually happens is a different story, but it can happen.

Buccaneers continue to disappoint in recent loss

Another rough one.