Buccaneers playoff picture: Updated chances for Tampa Bay to make 2025 NFL postseason after Week 16 loss to Panthers

Buccaneers playoff pictures: Tampa Bay’s latest chance to reach 2025 NFL playoffs after loss to Panthers in Week 16 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Click here to add Sports News as your go-to source.

Is it possible for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to make their sixth straight playoff appearance?

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It’s been an up-and-down season for the Buccaneers, who got off to a hot start under Baker Mayfield but cooled off as the playoffs approached. Tampa Bay’s playoff chances are still up in the air as of Week 16, but an NFC South victory is increasingly looking like the team’s only chance.

Still, the Carolina Panthers are among them. Sunday’s matchup between the Buccaneers and Panthers, which Carolina won 23-20, will be important, but both teams still have a Week 18 matchup.

Here’s a look at Tampa Bay’s latest playoff chances this season.

More: Updated AFC and NFC playoff graphics

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Buccaneers playoff pictures

The Buccaneers’ only real chance to make the playoffs is to win the division title. They sit well behind the seventh-seeded Green Bay Packers in the NFC wild-card standings with a 7-8 record and will need a lot of help over the next two weeks to move toward the bottom of the playoffs.

If Tampa Bay wants to advance to the playoffs, it will be through the NFC South — but Sunday’s loss makes that more complicated and leaves less room for error. Now, The Athletic’s playoff projections give the Buccaneers a 56% chance of making the playoffs, which is almost entirely possible in their division.

More:Updated on Chargers’ chances of making playoffs

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NFC South standings

The Panthers and Buccaneers both enter Week 16 with 7-7 records, and Carolina leaves with a winning record and the division lead. However, while the Panthers can now be viewed as slight favorites to win the division and clinch an NFC South playoff spot, the fact that Tampa Bay and Carolina are scheduled to meet again in two weeks is the biggest factor.

Both teams’ Week 17 schedules appear likely to set up wins in Week 18. Carolina hosts the NFC-leading Seattle Seahawks next week, while the Buccaneers host the 6-9 Dolphins. If expectations come true and the Panthers lose and the Buccaneers win, the NFC South will have its final game between Carolina and Tampa Bay.

Still, the Panthers do now have a chance to close the door on the division in Week 17 if they beat the Seahawks, which would also close the door on Tampa Bay’s playoff chances.

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NFC playoff pictures

Technically, the Buccaneers are still in the NFC wild-card game, but they may actually be left out. Tampa Bay must win and get plenty of help to advance as the seventh seed — The Athletic’s playoff projections give them less than a 1 percent chance of earning a wild-card spot.

The Buccaneers’ path to the playoffs will almost certainly be a Panthers loss in Week 17, a Tampa Bay win, and then the Buccaneers beating the Panthers in Week 18.

More: How can the Packers make the playoffs?

Buccaneers remaining schedule

Tampa Bay only has two games left: a road game against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday afternoon in Week 17, and then Game 2 against the Panthers in what could be a big game.

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Here is the Buccaneers’ remaining schedule:

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