To make it worse, division rivals The Atlanta Falcons managed to take care of business against the hapless New York Giants Sunday afternoon and now have sole possession of first place in the NFC South.
With the loss the Bucs’ hopes of defending their division title hinge on winning their final two games at Raymond James Stadium against the Panthers and Saints—and the Falcons losing to either the Commanders or Panthers.
In Dallas last night, the Bucs offense was held in check most of the game.
Despite the Cowboys ranking dead last in coverage grades on Pro Football Focus, Tampa Bay’s passing offense didn’t crack 200 yards until the second half of the fourth quarter. Running the ball didn’t net much either, as the Cowboys’ lackluster rush defense—last in most major categories—managed to hold the Bucs to a single rushing touchdown and 134 yards on the ground.The Bucs defense also struggled as mightily as it has all year in the first half, allowing Cowboys backup quarterback Cooper Rush to put 23 points on the board before racking up 292 yards for the game.
In the end, the Bucs still gained more yards—411-317— for the game, but a pair of turnovers were too much to overcome, especially as the defense failed to cause any takeaways themselves. Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield also threw two picks as he continues his efforts to overtake recently benched Kirk Cousins for the league lead in interceptions thrown.
Somehow, the Bucs still have a decent shot to win the division, with Atlanta on the road on Sunday against the Washington Commanders’ rookie sensation, quarterback Jayden Daniels.
The Commanders are playing for a playoff spot of their own and are coming off a huge come-from-behind victory over the Eagles Sunday afternoon.
The Bucs will have to hope the Falcons can lose to either Washington or the surging Panthers who eliminated the Arizona Cardinals from playoff contention yesterday.
Tampa Bay also has to win out, hopefully taking care of those aforementioned Panthers next weekend and the Saints to finish their season.
Missing out on this chance to win the division for a fourth straight season could prove costly to many including head coach Todd Bowles, especially with rumors surrounding Bucs talented offensive coordinator Liam Coen being targeted for other head coaching opportunities.
Depending on how this season finishes, the offseason could prove to be a period of change for these Bucs.
Tickets to see Carolina Panthers v. Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa on Sunday, Dec. 29 are still available and start at $77.
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This article appears in Dec 19-25, 2024.