The latest NFL Power Rankings are out, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are ranked higher than many will feel they should be.

Tampa Bay has played so poorly over the past two months that it could be ranked 32nd of 32 NFL teams without too much argument.

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But realistically, No. 19 is where a 7-9 team deserves to be ranked.

At one point, Tampa was ranked No. 1.

That was after Week 6, when Tampa was 5-1.

The Bucs ended up moving to 6-2, but since then, Tampa has lost seven of eight games, which has led to it falling to No. 19.

The latest loss took place this past Sunday in Miami, which clinched a losing regular season for the Bucs.

But as NFL.com pointed out, the Bucs are still alive for the Playoffs.

Here’s what the blurb on Tampa said.

“Despite losing seven of the past eight games, the Buccaneers will host the Panthers on Saturday for the potential right to host a playoff game in the following week. (I underscore “potential” because the Bucs need to win on Saturday and have the Falcons lose on Sunday in order for Tampa Bay to take the division title.) It might not seem right, but it is what it is. And in spite of the terrible, no-good results since the Bucs’ Week 9 bye, everything still could be in front of them. Of course, by “everything,” I mean a chance to be a home underdog to a strong NFC West foe on Wild Card Weekend. But looking at Tampa Bay’s output over the past couple months, it’s hard to have much confidence in Todd Bowles’ team, with all three phases suffering. On Sunday, Baker Mayfield had three turnovers, the defense was eaten up early by a seventh-round rookie, and the special teams came unglued a few times. This has felt like a slow death march to Week 18, and Sunday got the Bucs onto the plank.”

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The Atlanta Falcons have made it more difficult for Tampa, having won its last three games.

If Atlanta beats the 6-10 New Orleans Saints at home Sunday– which is quite possible– the Falcons will finish 8-9, which would give them the tiebreaker over Tampa Bay should the Bucs beat the 8-8 Carolina Panthers.

In this wild scenario, Carolina would win the division, and the Bucs would be left wondering what happens.