The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been arguably the best team in the National Football League since Week 12. They lead the league in point differential during that span, yards per game, yard differential, and are second in yards allowed on defense. Tampa Bay is 5-1 over their last 6 games.
This streak has included victories against the New York Giants, Carolina Panthers(twice), Las Vegas Raiders, and Los Angeles Chargers. The offense has scored a low of 24 points over their last 6 games as they are firing on all cylinders heading into Week 18. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a clear path to the NFL Playoffs. They must defeat the New Orleans Saints tomorrow at home to punch their ticket to the postseason for the fifth consecutive season. Will Tampa Bay be able to get the job done on Sunday?
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Season Summary
LEADING THE @NFL 🫡 pic.twitter.com/PnjPL7bMuJ
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) January 4, 2025
Tampa Bay(9-7) has rode this winning streak to give themselves a great shot at the NFL Playoffs. The Buccaneers, behind Quarterback Baker Mayfield, have had one of the best offenses this regular season. They are third in the league in yards per game and fourth in points per game. Mayfield has also put together an MVP-caliber campaign this season. He is fourth in the league in passing yards and tied for second in passing touchdowns.
Tampa’s defense has been the weaker part of their team this season. They are 21st in yards allowed per game and 17th in points allowed. The team’s defense was sputtering before this hot stretch of games as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had dropped four straight games. They were surrendering 31 points per game over that four-game stretch. Luckily for them, they have seemingly found their footing as of late.
Final Thoughts
A win against the Carolina Panthers is the only thing standing between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and another playoff appearance. If Tampa ends up winning the NFC South, they could be either the No. 3 or No. 4 seed. The Los Angeles Rams, the current third seed, are resting many of their key players in Week 18 against the Seattle Seahawks.
If Tampa wins, and LA loses, Tampa Bay would jump up to the No. 3 seed and avoid playing either the Detroit Lions or Minnesota Vikings on Wild Card Weekend. It has been a tremendous six weeks for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and they do not want it to end anytime soon.
