The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-7) defeated the Atlanta Falcons (6-7) 29-25 Sunday and hold a division lead in the NFC South. Three teams — the Bucs, Falcons and Saints — are all tied with a 6-7 record, and with four weeks left in the season, the division is as wide open as ever.
Right now, Tampa Bay has a 55% chance of making the playoffs, according to the New York Times playoff simulator. The most likely scenario is the Bucs hosting a Wild Card matchup (45% chance), and there is a 10% chance Tampa Bay could secure one of the three NFC Wild Card seeds.
Sunday’s matchup against the Green Bay Packers (6-7) will be telling as to how the rest of the season might pan out for the Bucs. A victory keeps Tampa Bay in the driver’s seat in the NFC South while also boosting its odds of securing a Wild Card spot to 16%. A loss, on the other hand, drops its playoff hopes to 42%, which decreases even more if Atlanta takes down the one-win Carolina Panthers.
The Bucs have a 73% chance of making the playoffs if they defeat Green Bay on Sunday. Tampa Bay has a 43.3% chance of winning in Lambeau, according to ESPN‘s Matchup Predictor. The Bucs are 2-1 against the NFC North this season so far.
Tampa Bay’s Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers begins 1 p.m. Sunday at Lambeau Field. The game will be broadcast by CBS.
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