Battle-tested.

The Dixie Chicks are playing badly and they’re playing a tough second half of the season.

The Bucs have a pumpkin pie-soft schedule and looked like a winning team by clobbering the Giants in the first half.

As a result, Dan Graziano of BSPN doesn’t believe it is fake news to believe the Bucs can turn things around and play meaningful football in January.

Why is Graziano slightly confident? Well, Atlanta is choking like dogs and the Bucs are playoff-run battle-tested.

I can absolutely see the Falcons falling apart and the Bucs sneaking in for a fourth straight division title. But it’s important to remember that the Falcons have a one-game lead and have already won both head-to-head matchups. If the Buccaneers are going to win this division, they will have to outright pass the Falcons. Meaning, if Atlanta goes 3-3 the rest of the way, Tampa Bay likely must go 5-1 to come out ahead. That’s a lot to ask.

“This Joe” has been all over how he’s not comfortable with expecting a bad team (5-6) will win six out of seven games. The Bucs already chalked up a win last week in New Jersey.

But yeah, the Bucs are battle-tested in making playoff runs. The Bucs won the division the past two seasons by the skin of their teeth, specifically last year when needing one last win to secure the title, the Bucs damn near lost to the Stinking Panthers.

Still, winning six of seven games is a tall order, even for a good team.