Everything is hanging in the balance for the Bucs as they have their first divisional matchup of the season at the Panthers on Sunday. By the time the clock hits zero on that game, Tampa Bay’s season could be over. Being on thin ice doesn’t even begin to describe how the Bucs are doing with a 1-5 record, but losing to the 3-2 Panthers would put a dagger in what’s already been a miserable season.
Bucs Have 2 Choices Depending On Week 7 Outcome
There are really only two options for Tampa Bay depending on how their next game finishes. If the Bucs were to find a way to win, that puts them at a 2-5 record and just one win behind the Panthers in the win column, and it also gives the Bucs a potential early tie-breaker in the division.
As chaotic as it sounds – and perhaps to the anger of the fan base which wants regime change – it would give Tampa Bay a puncher’s chance in their game against Atlanta the following week. The odds are severely low, but having a 3-5 record with two wins in the NFC South including a victory over the Falcons, opens up a pathway for the Bucs to stay competitive in the division and maybe find a way to the postseason. It’s very, very unlikely, and I’m certainly not saying it’s going to happen, but it’s not out of the realm possibility.
“I mean, it’s critical,” Bucs head coach Todd Bowles said of this Week 7 game at Carolina. “It’s a step to trying to get back in it. The guys that you’ve got to play are ahead of you right now, so it’s going to be critical that we win these games.”
Bucs HC Todd Bowles – Photo by: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The other choice for Tampa Bay, which is the more realistic option, is to punt on the season if they the team loses to the Panthers or Falcons and start trading assets and players for draft capital at 2-6 or 1-7. Should Tampa Bay lose to the Panthers, they’d be 1-6 on the year and three games back in the win column and no tie-breakers to enjoy. That’s essentially insurmountable to come back from for a team that hasn’t proven it can get the job done often. Even if quarterback Baker Mayfield returns for the next game, nobody is expecting the Bucs to come out on top.
Tampa Bay would need to start preparing for the following season. The Bucs currently have the the worst record in the entire NFC, and would hold the fourth overall pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. They have assets to trade, too. Safety Antoine Winfield Jr., edge rusher Yaya Diaby, running back Kenny Gainwell and wide receiver Chris Godwin Jr. are all players that could garner interest from other teams for various reasons and for different prices.
Bucs OLBs Yaya Diaby and Rueben Bain Jr. and ILB Josiah Trotter – Photo by: IMAGN Images via Reuters Connect
This team is in an interesting spot. There’s enough young talent at the core of this group to keep the Bucs competitive for several seasons. They just need an overhaul of the coaching staff. Acquiring more draft capital for this team by selling off players at or before the trade deadline could do wonders for turning the tide in the following season.
It all comes down to this Sunday, though. Win and compete for a chance to be the top team in the worst division in football. Lose and let the fire sale begin.
The Bucs Need To Close Out Games
Some of the frustration for the Bucs this season is that they’re not far off from being a good team. Every game they’ve played this season has been decided by only one score with Tampa Bay usually on the wrong end of it. They’ve blown second half leads as well.
Tampa Bay was up double-digits against the Browns at home in Week 2, only to blow a fourth quarter lead and lose late in the game. Then last Sunday against the Steelers was another prime example. The team was up 16-3 going into the fourth quarter and wound up losing it in overtime, once more at home.
Steelers HC Mike McCarthy and Bucs HC Todd Bowles – Photo by: IMAGN Images via Reuters Connect
Situational football, especially on offense, has not been nearly good enough with this Tampa Bay team.
“We’ve done some good things defensively, but you’ve still got to finish the game,” Bowles said. “They’re playing well – obviously, we’ve got to do a little bit more. Offensively, we’ve just got to catch up a little bit.”