Bucs’ playoff hopes just got hit with a potentially cruel twist that has nothing to do with losing to the Panthers
Tampa Bay lost control of their own playoff destiny in losing to the Dolphins.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers continued their extremely underwhelming stretch of play over the last two months, losing to the Miami Dolphins 20-17. The loss dropped the Bucs to 7-9 and assured them a losing regular-season record.
Despite the loss, the Carolina Panthers didn’t clinch the NFC South title, losing at home to the Seattle Seahawks 27-10. That sets up a potential winner-take-all game between the Bucs and Panthers for the division title next weekend in Tampa.
Note how I said potential. There’s a shot the Bucs could beat the Panthers and still miss out on the division title, thanks to the Atlanta Falcons.
Bucs’ loss puts Atlanta in position to possibly play spoiler for Tampa Bay in the division race
Indeed, what FOX Sports’ Greg Auman wrote is accurate. Atlanta sits at 6-9 right now, and Carolina is 8-8. If the Falcons win out and get to 8-9, and Tampa Bay were to defeat Carolina and put both teams at 8-9 to end the season, there would be a three-way tie at the top of the division.
The head-to-head record among the three teams would come into play under the tiebreaker, and Carolina would win that at 3-1 (swept Falcons and split with Bucs). Atlanta would be 1-3 (split with Bucs, swept by Carolina), and the Bucs would be 2-2, splitting with both teams.
However, the Los Angeles Rams could make Sunday’s game between the Bucs and Panthers a winner-take-all game. The Rams play at the Falcons on “Monday Night Football.” A win by the Rams, who are favored, would keep Atlanta from reaching Tampa Bay and Carolina, leaving it to the two teams to duke it out for the division crown.
So, for those brave Bucs fans still daring to dream, cheer for the Rams on Monday night. Otherwise, a painful ending to the season could befall the Bucs even if they snap their losing ways next weekend.
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