The Buccaneers may be sitting at 3-6, but the path in front of them is still clear enough to keep the NFC South race very much alive.
That’s the strange reality in Tampa Bay right now: a losing record, yet a real shot at the division crown. The biggest reason is the state of the NFC South itself, where nobody has separated and the Bucs are only half a game out of first place. They’re also less than three weeks removed from blowing out the first-place Carolina Panthers by 30 on the road.
The other major factor is the schedule, and it breaks in Tampa Bay’s favor. Four of the Buccaneers’ final eight games come against NFC South opponents, which keeps the division race directly in front of them. The other four games, though, don’t exactly look daunting either.
According to ESPN’s Football Power Index, Tampa has the easiest remaining schedule in the NFC and the fourth easiest in the league overall, checking in at 29th out of 32 teams. That puts the Bucs ahead of the rest of the division in terms of schedule difficulty.
The Atlanta Falcons are No. 24, the Carolina Panthers are No. 19, and the New Orleans Saints sit at No. 13.
The next stretch starts after the bye with a road trip to face the Detroit Lions, who are 6-2. After that, Tampa comes home to play the Los Angeles Chargers, a team that entered the season with playoff hopes but is currently 0-8.
The Buccaneers will then stay at home for the Baltimore Ravens, a playoff-caliber team with Lamar Jackson, though the expectation is that he won’t be available Dec. 13 while he continues recovering from a fractured and dislocated right thumb. The timeline from Nov. 1 was 6-to-9 weeks.
Tampa finishes the season in New Orleans, and for now, the Buccaneers expect that trip to end with their fifth division title in six seasons.
In Other News...
Bucs Made A Risky Deadline Choice At A Crucial Moment
With the NFL trade deadline passing and Tampa Bay sitting at a crossroads in its season, the Buccaneers opted for patience over action. Rather than reshaping the roster with a veteran addition or looking to cash in on an established piece, the team stood still, choosing not to make a move that would have signaled a bigger shift in direction.
That restraint was especially notable given the level of outside attention on the roster, with the Bucs still in position to chase the NFC South but not doing anything to materially change the group around them. It leaves Tampa Bay betting on the players already in the building to carry the stretch run, even as the deadline came and went with a chance to add future value or alter the balance of the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Buccaneers Have A David Walker Problem Fans Cant Ignore
Todd Bowles rotation off the edge against Chicago offered a revealing look at where the Buccaneers are right now. With Yaya Diaby out, the expectation was that David Walker would get a bigger chance to show what he can do after entering the game with four sacks, but Tampa Bay leaned on veteran Anthony Nelson next to rookie Rueben Bain Jr. instead. The setup made it clear the staff is still sorting out how it wants to develop its younger pass rushers while trying to keep the front productive in the moment.
Bain made his presence felt in a big way, helping swing the game with a forced fumble that set up Tampa Bays game-tying touchdown drive. That only sharpened the question around Walker, because the Buccaneers have reasons to want more from a player who has already flashed as a pass rusher. For a defense trying to build depth and find reliable answers while Diaby is sidelined, the way those snaps were handled stood out just as much as the plays themselves. [Read more 🡒]
Buccaneers Have A Post-Mike Evans Need They Cant Ignore
The Buccaneers are already looking beyond the present when it comes to their passing game, and the conversation starts with a glaring long-term need at receiver. With Mike Evans no longer in the picture, Tampa Bays offense will eventually need another outside target who can bring size, production and a downfield presence, which is why the 2027 draft is already being framed as a place to address it. A handful of prospects fit the mold, including Charlie Becker, Nick Marsh and Cam Coleman, each offering a different blend of frame, physicality and playmaking traits that could suit what Tampa Bay wants to build.
Jeremiah Smith stands out as the rare blue-chip name in the group, but he is widely viewed as a player who will come off the board far too early for the Buccaneers to chase. That leaves Tampa Bay sorting through the next tier of options and weighing how much it wants to invest in a receiver who can help stabilize the offense for the next phase, not just fill a short-term hole. The fit matters here, because replacing Evans is not about finding one more pass catcher, but about finding the kind of receiver who can change how defenses have to play the Buccaneers. [Read more 🡒]