Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Fla.) – It has been a painfully direct free fall over the past two months for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and yet, somehow, a parachute could still deploy.
Tampa Bay has lost seven of its last eight games, going from a 5-1 start that had it atop most NFL power rankings to its current 7-9 record. That includes four straight losses by four points or fewer.
But even after Sunday’s 20-17 loss to the Dolphins, the Bucs are still very much alive as playoff contenders, thanks to playing in a bad, bad NFC South. If the Bucs win at home Sunday – as favored – against the 8-8 Panthers and the Falcons don’t win their final two regular-season games (one of which is on Monday night against the Rams), then the Buccaneers will be NFC South champions at 8-9 with a home playoff game on the docket.
“The opportunity is there,” head coach Todd Bowles said at the podium after Sunday’s loss to the Dolphins. “There’s a door of opportunity and a window of opportunity, and it’s up to us as coaches and players, as a team, to take advantage of it.”
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There is a not-so-flattering piece of historical past concerned now. If the Bucs do, in reality, beat the Panthers and win the NFC South, they will do it with the worst remaining 9 video games of any playoff crew within the Tremendous Bowl period. They’d be 2-7 of their final 9 video games, out-badding the 2010 Seahawks and 2020 Bears, each of whom went 3-6 on the way in which to the playoffs.
Tampa Bay is that film character who retains getting shot however simply is not going to die, that once-beautiful automobile that retains stepping into ugly accidents however one way or the other hasn’t been totaled.
“That is our final likelihood and it is blatantly apparent,” mentioned quarterback Baker Mayfield, who has thrown fourth-quarter interceptions in three straight losses, after the loss to Miami. “There isn’t any extra regular-season video games on the schedule.”
The Buccaneers have tried to maintain collectively a locker room beneath extraordinarily nerve-racking circumstances. A fan posted a video clip from the stands exhibiting operating again Bucky Irving – within the midst of 9 carries for 19 yards Sunday – demonstrably annoyed as he talked to offensive linemen on the bench. All-Professional deal with Tristan Wirfs, who missed Sunday’s recreation with a toe harm, informed me it was a “little tiff” and that he tried to inform Irving the road would deal with its issues.
A part of the difficulty with the free-falling Bucs is that every one events have been concerned.
Offensive ineptitude? Mayfield had three turnovers on Sunday, together with two within the fourth quarter. Defensive struggles? Tampa Bay gave up a 63-yard landing cross from a seventh-round rookie to an undrafted rookie Sunday, each the primary of their younger careers. Particular groups? The Buccaneers had a area aim blocked Sunday and gave up a 47-yard kickoff return to arrange a Dolphins area aim.
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Tampa Bay has misplaced so many video games so equally that there is monotony and redundancy in its makes an attempt to clarify it.
“I don’t wish to provide you with guys the identical outdated crap that you simply say that looks as if it’s repeating itself week after week, however the unhappy reality is it’s the identical issues week after week,” heart Graham Barton informed me within the locker room after the loss to the Dolphins. “We’ve obtained to fret about ourselves, obtained to execute in these little moments that make or break video games … We’ve obtained to come back collectively this week.”
Can the Buccaneers try this? They have been speaking about righting the ship and turning issues round for 2 months. They have been dropping to groups they should not lose to, principally by just a few factors. Why count on change now?
The Bucs have talked about urgency all through their 1-7 skid.
“Each recreation in my eyes is a must-win, playoff state of affairs,” Mayfield mentioned on Nov. 28, 4 losses in the past.
On Dec. 11, Bowles unleashed a profanity-laced tirade after his crew blew a 14-point lead and misplaced to Atlanta, memorably saying, “You possibly can’t sugarcoat that s–t. It was inex-f—ing-cusable. There isn’t any f—ing reply for it. No excuse for it. That is what you inform them within the locker room: Look within the f—ing mirror.”
A loss in Week 18 will give Todd Bowles a 34-34 document via 4 seasons as Buccaneers head coach. (Julio Aguilar/Getty Pictures)
And but the NFL has excused them and stored them alive for playoff rivalry. For all of the post-loss trying within the mirror, that hasn’t mirrored any change in end result within the final 4 losses.
The hope had been that the Bucs can be wholesome down the stretch after a ton of accidents at receiver, offensive line and cornerback early within the season. They’re nonetheless with out each beginning guards, which has led to strain on Mayfield, and would possibly end the season with out each beginning corners on account of present accidents. Mayfield has performed via a number of accidents – after 16 touchdowns towards two interceptions within the first 9 video games, he is thrown 9 touchdowns towards seven interceptions within the final seven video games.
The last-minute comeback wins of September have was the agonizingly shut losses of December. Tampa Bay has misplaced seven of eight video games, however, with extra accidents than they’ve now, beat three playoff groups early within the season: the 49ers (now 12-4) at residence, in addition to the Seahawks (13-3) and Texans (11-5) on the street.
A good chunk of the fan base is annoyed sufficient that it is really pulling for yet another loss, realizing it would result in a training change or a minimum of a greater draft decide as an alternative of what’s anticipated to be a first-round exit within the playoffs.
As a matter of tremendous print, the Bucs do not fairly management their playoff future. In addition they must have the Falcons lose one among their remaining two video games to clinch the division with a win over Carolina. Atlanta has been eradicated, but when it gained out, the division might have a three-way tie at 8-9 with a Bucs win, and the Panthers would win that tiebreaker with a 3-1 document towards the Bucs and Falcons. In a two-way tie between the Bucs and Panthers, Tampa Bay has the sting on document towards frequent opponents.
The Bucs have one week to alter the course of their season, to salvage a division title and the hope of a playoff look as an alternative of an epic collapse that would result in bigger change.
Will Bowles be round subsequent season, even when he gained division titles in every of his first three seasons? Does Mayfield nonetheless get a profitable extension with one 12 months left on his present contract? Will such a dramatic downturn immediate extra drastic ranges of roster churn within the offseason?
“We don’t have another alternatives,” huge receiver Chris Godwin mentioned within the locker room on Sunday. “We’ve obtained to go now, and we’ve got to work with that intent and enthusiasm all through the week. When it simply involves the sport, we’ve got to execute all through your complete recreation.
“Each groups (subsequent week) are going to be enjoying for his or her season, and actually, these are the video games which can be most fun. It’s playoff soccer, and it’s an honor and a privilege to even play significant soccer in December and January. I do know I’m grateful for it, and I’m enthusiastic about this opportunity.”
Greg Auman is an NFL Reporter for FOX Sports activities. He beforehand spent a decade overlaying the Buccaneers for the Tampa Bay Occasions and The Athletic. You possibly can observe him on Twitter at @gregauman.
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