The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have moved on from their treacherous three-game losing streak after beating the stingy Arizona Cardinals to bring their record to 7-5 on the season.
While a win is a win, there is still much more to be squeezed from this team as they struggled against a team at the bottom of the NFL barrel in a 20-17 win that barely keeps them ahead of the Carolina Panthers in the NFC South following their victory over the Los Angeles Rams.
The Bucs are fortunate to get back in the win column, and according to NFL.com’s Eric Edholm, he feels the same way in his latest power ranking. NFL.com is not getting too sucked in by the win, moving them up three spots and ranking them as the 17th-best team.
Buccaneers trending upward after win vs. Cardinals
Nov 30, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (7) celebrates with quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
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“I’m not going to get crazy hyped about the Bucs snapping their three-game losing streak, because it ended in a three-point home win against a three-win club. There were still too many missed connections in the pass game, too many empty drives on offense and too many big plays allowed defensively, especially vs. a tame Cardinals attack. But getting the win helps push Tampa Bay a few inches closer to the playoffs, with the Bucs hanging on to their division lead over the surging Panthers by an eyelash,” wrote Edholm.
“Baker Mayfield dealt with his shoulder injury and made enough plays, and he should have something close to a full complement of receivers quite soon. It also helps that the Bucs’ schedule is quite manageable, though the two Panthers matchups are likely what the division will boil down to. Tampa has gotten hot the past two Decembers; that trend might need to carry to a third year if the Bucs are to finish off the race and clinch a home playoff game.”
Fortunately, the Bucs’ upcoming schedule lightens up with three games against teams under .500, and two matchups with the Panthers will be the only thing between them and a playoff spot in 2025. The Buccaneers seem to be getting healthy at the right time, and they will desperately need as much help as they can get in the last three weeks of the season if they hope to win the division for a record fifth-straight season.
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