The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had been struggling to remain in the playoff hunt, especially during their four-game losing streak heading into their Bye Week. Since then, they have won two in a row over the Giants and Panthers, while the Falcons have lost three in a row.
Those two trends by the Bucs and Falcons have led Tampa Bay’s NFC South division title chances to take a sharp turn upward.
According to ESPN and their prediction formula, they now favor the Bucs to win the division with a 50% chance to the Falcons’ 49%. Meanwhile, to make the playoffs as a whole, ESPN is giving Tampa Bay a 52% chance to Atlanta’s 49%.
In Week 14, the Bucs will face the 2-10 Las Vegas Raiders while the Falcons play the 10-2 Minnesota Vikings. If the Bucs win while the Falcons lose, these numbers could lead to a large leap in the direction of Tamp Bay.
The Bucs still have a lot to play for in the NFC South, and they have the schedule to make some big moves in the coming weeks.