NFL 2023: After Losing Three Straight Games, Are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Out of NFC Contention?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won over the Carolina Panthers in their last season to clinch their NFC South title. This achievement was probably because of some strong players on their side including Tom Brady and Antonio Brown. Now that they are both not playing for the team, the Bucs are in a dicey situation this season.

With a 3-4 record this season so far, Baker Mayfield and company are heading toward another matchup with the Houston Texans. Most recently, they lost to the Buffalo Bills, making it a third consecutive loss and fourth in five outings with 18-24. Now, with this loss, Bucs fans and football enthusiasts are wondering if the team has a chance to make it to the playoffs this time.

Can the Buccaneers reach the playoffs?

Earlier too, during Tom Brady’s time, the Buccaneers lost three straight games, still, they picked themselves up soon and sat first in the NFC South. However, this time, it’s looking like the team would not even be able to make it to the playoffs. After losing to the Bills on Thursday, their chances of making it to the playoffs have slightly lowered to 32% now. Although, the team could come up if they initiate their winning streak in their upcoming games. However, it’s also important to note that the Bucs will have to play against some strong teams on this road, including the San Francisco 49ers, who are referred to as strong contenders for the Super Bowl this season, and the Atlanta Falcons.

These highly anticipated matchups, considering the fans’ views and the teams’ recent performances, could result in a loss for the Bucs. So, does that mean Tampa Bay would have to say goodbye to the playoffs this season? While they might lose their matchups with the former mentioned teams, the Bucs still have a chance if they can secure wins against other teams. According to their schedule, Tampa Bay has games against the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans, and winning these games is expected from them, to keep their playoff hopes alive. Furthermore, the Buccaneers have matchups against the fellow playoff bubble contenders like the New Orleans Saints, and Houston Texans, over whom the Buccaneers need to secure a victory.

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Overall, it’s a dicey situation for Tampa Bay, especially considering their last matchup against the Buffalo Bills and the recent issues with Baker Mayfield and other players.

Takeaways for the Bucs after Bills game!

Josh Allen led his team to a 24-18 win with an excellent performance combining both passing and rushing, and throwing for 324 yards & two TDs. In the post-game conference, he revealed that he “just spread the ball around”, and got everyone involved in the game to pull a victory for the Buccaneers.

Meanwhile, the Bucs had their field positioning problem once again, and the two strong players of the team, receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, were rarely involved in the offense. Moreover, QB Baker Mayfield who is not in his excellent form, sustained a knee injury during the game, and other injuries this season. Furthermore, Chris Godwin who too recently sustained a neck injury, was active against the Bills, but couldn’t perform his hundred percent.

Hence, it’s high time for these players, including every playmaker, to buckle up, push themselves hard, and get involved. Just as the Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Rams picked up their performances at the right time, the Buccaneers need to do the same to keep their playoff hopes alive this season.

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