See Why the Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans should root for during Week 16…

See Why the Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans should root for during Week 16…

December football has treated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers well, as the team has gone 3-0 in their past three matchups. Coming off a 34-20 victory over the Green Bay Packers, the Buccaneers have transformed their playoff hopes from doubtful to likely.

With a 7-7 record, Tampa Bay holds the first seed in the NFC South and would host a wild-card round playoff game if the postseason began today. The New Orleans Saints tie the Buccaneers’ 7-7 record, but due to results of an earlier season head-to-head matchup, Tampa Bay holds the tie-breaker.

Which teams can help the Buccaneers’ playoff odds this week?

Tampa Bay fans will want the Los Angeles Rams to come out on top this week in a matchup against the Saints. As second in the division, the Saints pose the biggest threat to the Buccaneers’ playoff chances. With a loss, the team would fall to 7-8 and give Tampa Bay’s first-place spot some cushion.

The second biggest threat is the Atlanta Falcons, who fell to 6-8 with an upset loss to the Carolina Panthers during Week 15. One week prior, the Buccaneers outplayed the Falcons in a 29-25 victory and as a result, took over the division.

The further removed that the Falcons are from the playoff conversation, the better for the Buccaneers. This week, that would mean Gardner Minshew and the Indianapolis Colts delivering a win over the Falcons.

The Buccaneers should hope that the Lions come out on top this week in a competition against the Minnesota Vikings. With a 10-4 record, the Lions sit atop the NFC North division. If the team continues to win, they’ll clinch a playoff spot and stay out of Tampa Bay’s way.

The Vikings, on the other hand, hold a 7-7 record and occupy the sixth seed in the NFC playoff picture. If things go awry for the Buccaneers, they’ll need to depend on the wild-card spots for a road to the postseason.

Similarly to the Lions and Vikings matchup, the Buccaneers will want the Tennessee Titans to come out on top against the Seattle Seahawks this week. With a 7-7 record, the Seahawks are the first team on the outside looking in. With the Titans already ruled out of playoffs, a Tennessee win can only help the Buccaneers.

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