With the loss to the New Orleans Saints today, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers‘ playoff probability has decreased to 71%, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. A victory, on the other hand, would have seen those chances rise to 86%.
But while the loss hasn’t affected their playoff chances that much, it makes an impact in the NFC South standings. With their loss to the Saints in Week 14, the Buccaneers dropped to 7-6, now tied with the Carolina Panthers. This leaves the battle for the division title wide open, setting the stage for an exciting ending to the 2025 NFL regular season.
The Saints are out of that race though, as their unexpected win over the Bucs only improves them to 3-10. The Atlanta Falcons, suffering a blowout loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, are also far from contending at 4-9. Here’s the NFC South standings updated after Week 14, with the Panthers getting help from the Saints during their bye:
- Buccaneers: 7-6
- Panthers: 7-6
- Falcons: 4-9
- Saints: 3-10
Bucs now face direct battle with Panthers for NFC South title
The Buccaneers have dominated the division in recent years, having clinched the NFC South for four consecutive seasons from 2021 to 2024. All of a sudden, their supremacy appears to be at risk with the Panthers’ resurgence in the 2025 NFL season.
However, there’s no reason to hit the panic button in Tampa Bay yet. Baker Mayfield and company still depend on themselves to make it five straight division titles, with key games on the horizon.
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The Buccaneers have yet to play the Panthers this season, which means they can take care of stopping Carolina to keep control of the NFC South. Needless to say, we’re talking about two must-win games for Tampa Bay in Week 16 and Week 18. Here’s a look at the Bucs’ remaining schedule:
- Dec. 11 vs. Falcons (TNF)
- Dec. 21 at Panthers
- Dec. 28 at Dolphins
- TBD vs. Panthers
