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Tampa Bay Buccaneers Week 14 playoff picture: Bucs earn a great reward on Sunday

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Craig Smith | Last updated Dec 2, 2024 2:19 PM ET

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers put together back-to-back road wins over the last two weeks, beating the New York Giants 30-7 and surviving the Carolina Panthers on Sunday 26-23 in overtime. As a result, the Bucs are now back at .500 at 6-6.

Who else is 6-6? The Atlanta Falcons, who sit atop the division due to a head-to-head tiebreaker after having swept the Bucs earlier this season.

However, even with that edge, the Bucs now again control their playoff destiny. The Bucs' current playoff chances per NFL.com's playoff picture are at 58%, a tick better than Atlanta's 57%. Here's how things look in the NFC playoff race.

Via A To Z Sports

The reason the Bucs again control their playoff destiny is based on a handful of factors. First, the Falcons and the Washington Commanders - who the Bucs are also chasing for the final Wild Card spot in the NFC - will play each other later this season. Regardless of if one team wins or if they tie, the Bucs would pass one of them if they keep winning. Remember, Tampa Bay holds the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Commanders by virtue of their 37-20 win back in Week 1.

Tampa Bay is currently tied with Arizona and Los Angeles at 6-6. However, Tampa Bay holds the tiebreaker over both by virtue of a superior conference record, which is the first tiebreaker since the teams won't all have played each other.

Therefore, the road is now clear for the Bucs. Win, and they're back in the playoffs for the fifth straight season. Of course, carrying out that mission won't be easy, even with one of the easiest remaining slates in the league. Sunday's overtime battle with the three-win Panthers proved that. But the opportunity is there for them to go and take it if they can.

That's all they could ask for after a 4-6 start.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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