Bucs ILB Devin White – Photo by: USA Today That’s what Tampa Bay has done, and the latest checkmark on the checklist came in the form of a resounding 30-12 win over the Jaguars on Christmas Eve. With that win, the Bucs now have everything set up for them over the next two weeks. They need to beat the Saints in Week 17 or the Panthers in Week 18 to clinch the NFC South. Of course, winning both games is the preferred method as the team would then be riding a six-game winning streak into the playoffs. Their win over Jacksonville was key in setting up this clinching scenario, but the Bucs also got some help elsewhere as the NFC South race continued to see movement heading into the final couple of weeks in the regular season. Week 16 in the NFC South began on Thursday Night Football. The Saints entered the week tied with the Bucs atop the division at 7-7, though the Bucs had the tiebreaker. New Orleans failed to help itself, though, losing 30-22 in Los Angeles against the Rams, a fellow NFC Wild Card contender. The Saints fell behind 30-7 in the game before a late surge came up short. That loss dropped them to 7-8 ahead of a pivotal NFC South matchup against the Bucs in Tampa on New Year’s Eve. In the 1:00 window on Sunday, the Falcons picked up a huge 29-10 bounce-back win over the Colts at home. The change at quarterback from Desmond Ridder to Taylor Heinicke proved to be a masterstroke by Arthur Smith, as Heinicke completed 23 of his 33 passes for 229 yards, a touchdown and no turnovers. The Atlanta defense got the job done as well, holding Indianapolis to 262 yards and intercepting Gardner Minshew once. With the victory, the Falcons got to 7-8 and jumped the Saints for second place in the NFC South. That all led up to the Bucs’ chance to create some serious separation in the NFC South with a home win over the Jaguars on Christmas Eve. The Falcons will have been watching in hopes of a slip-up by Tampa Bay, but that never came. Now, the Falcons’ chances at making the postseason and saving Arthur Smith’s job are likely more within the Wild Card race. But things can change. Updated NFC South Standings After Week 16: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 8-7 (3-1 in the NFC South)Atlanta Falcons 7-8 (3-2 in the NFC South)
New Orleans Saints 7-8 (2-2 in the NFC South)
Carolina Panthers 2-12 (1-4 in the NFC South) Bucs Now Have Two Weeks To Win NFC South
Bucs WR Mike Evans – Photo by: USA Today With the victory over Jacksonville, Tampa Bay is now a game up in the NFC South. Todd Bowles’ team has also set up a clinching scenario in Week 17. With a win over the Saints at Raymond James Stadium on New Year’s Eve, the Bucs will clinch the NFC South for the third straight year. While it would be sweeter for the Bucs to clinch the division with a win over the Saints, their victory over Jacksonville means they can actually clinch with a win in either of their final two games. So in other words, a win over the Saints in Week 17 OR a win over the Panthers in Week 18 will earn Tampa Bay another division title, the NFC’s No. 4 seed and a home playoff game on Super Wild Card Weekend. Splitting the final two games would still have the Bucs at 9-8, a one-win improvement over last year’s record of 8-9, which was good enough to win an even worse NFC South. Winning both games would be massive for the Bucs as they look to ride their momentum into the playoffs. Wins over both the Saints and Panthers would have them at 10-7 for the regular season, a two-win jump over last year. Not only that, but they will have won six straight games heading into a home playoff game, likely against the Eagles or Cowboys. Of course, the 2020 Super Bowl team won its final four games before going on a four-game run to take home the Lombardi Trophy. Tampa Bay has two weeks to win the division, and here’s what’s left for those involved in the NFC South race. Remaining Schedules for NFC South Contenders: Bucs: vs. Saints (7-8), at Panthers (2-13) Falcons: at Bears (6-9), at Saints (7-8) Saints: at Bucs (8-7), vs. Falcons (7-8) The post Update On NFC South Race After Week 16 appeared first on Pewter Report. Source: https://www.pewterreport.com/update-nfc ... e-week-16/
