Rams' Sean McVay just delivered news that Bucs fans will love
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in position to clinch their fourth straight division title and fifth straight trip to the postseason on Sunday. A win or tie against the Saints will clinch it for them. Even if they don't win, a loss or tie by the Atlanta Falcons against the Carolina Panthers would also do […]
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in position to clinch their fourth straight division title and fifth straight trip to the postseason on Sunday. A win or tie against the Saints will clinch it for them. Even if they don't win, a loss or tie by the Atlanta Falcons against the Carolina Panthers would also do the trick for the Bucs.
However, beyond just the division, there's still seeding at play for the Bucs in the playoff. If the Bucs – who currently hold the NFC's #4 seed – win, they have a chance to move up to the #3 seed if the Los Angeles Rams lose to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.
The Rams clinched the NFC West over the Seahawks by virtue of a wild tiebreaker that got down to strength of victory. As such, the Washington Commanders' win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday night locked up the division for them.
It also made Week 18 moot for them. As a result, Rams head coach Sean McVay said on Monday that it's looking like the Rams won't play some of their starters on Sunday against the Seahawks.
With Jimmy Garoppolo set to start in place of Matthew Stafford – it appears – along with other starters, it goes without saying that the Rams won't be at their best against a Seattle team likely irked about getting squeezed out of the playoffs by a distant playoff factor. That should mean the Rams' backups get the Seahawks' best shot. Vegas sees it that way, with Seattle currently 5.5-point favorites on the road.
If the Rams indeed are waiving the white flag on the three seed to some extent, that means, at #3, the Bucs would be in position to face either the Green Bay Packers or the Washington Commanders. Whoever loses Sunday night's de facto NFC North and #1 overall seed clash between Detroit and Minnesota will get the 1 seed, with the loser getting the 5. That means, absent a wild card round upset, the 4 seed would be facing the top wild card team and then the top NFC seed on the road in succession.
That's……a tough road to go down. Hosting Green Bay or Washington (who Tampa Bay already defeated this year) and then going to potentially Philadelphia (another team Tampa Bay has beaten this year) would seem to be a better path.
But first, the Bucs have to take care of business against the Saints, who the Bucs face at 1:00 pm ET on Sunday at Raymond James Stadium.
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