No. 3 Seed In Play
December 30th, 2024
While securing the No. 3 seed in the NFC playoffs would come with potential advantages for Tampa Bay, the No. 4 seed would, too.
So the Rams (10-6) officially won the NFC West last night. No matter what happens Sunday, the Rams own the tiebreaker edge on Seattle (9-7).
The Rams hold the No. 3 playoff seed but could lose it to the Bucs (9-7) if Los Angeles falls to Arizona on Sunday and the Bucs beat the slimy Saints.
But do the Bucs want the No. 3 seed? That would set up Tampa Bay to host Green Bay or Washington on wild card weekend.
Considering the Lions and Vikings, each 14-2, will battle to the death for the No. 1 overall seed on Sunday night, Joe thinks it could be advantageous for the Bucs, as the No. 4 seed, to host the loser of that game. The loser would become the No. 5 seed and have less rest and presumably more wear and tear than Washington or Green Bay.
Regardless, the Bucs only want a ticket to the dance, and it probably makes a lot more sense to be the No. 3 seed, which comes with a higher chance of hosting the NFC Championship game.
December 30th, 2024 at 10:02 am
We’re nothing….keep getting beat by bad teams, win against the good ones, except yesterday….where does that drunken craziness end?
Better win this next one…just saying
December 30th, 2024 at 10:07 am
On the brighter side, there are no bad teams in the playoffs
December 30th, 2024 at 10:13 am
Run the f out of it against the Aints.
December 30th, 2024 at 10:20 am
MadMax, you are pathetic. Must be a miserable human being living alone in a trailer park typing on a keyboard. Any given Sunday any NFL team can beat another NFL team. Take the wins when they come and be happy. So would like to hear your critique on Mayfield’s play yesterday….let me guess he holds the ball too long on a handoff (that is how ridiculous you sound, over and over again)
You are a legend in your own mind, playing pretend GM all the time on here.
December 30th, 2024 at 10:21 am
Based on last night’s Falcons – Commanders game, Bucs have no match against those 2 teams. Bucs Defense would have been a annihilated easily…. just saying….
December 30th, 2024 at 10:22 am
Green Bay is mighty dangerous. Probably the best team in the NFC given massive injuries to the defenses in Tampa and Detroit.
By the way, Joe, Raheem blew that game last night by sitting on two timeouts with 35 seconds left. The spin in Atlanta is that Penix looks like the best of the QBs drafted in the 2024 draft. Really, 60 plus passes, one touchdown and two interceptions. Several reporters observing that the Falcons have the best young talent in the league. Packers and Buccaneers are the two youngest.
December 30th, 2024 at 10:25 am
God, these injuries are KILLING THIS DEFENSE!!!!
We need all our starters back on DEFENSE!!!!
We need Antoine Winfield back so badly……ge completely changes how aggressive the Secondary plays since he’s so good at coverage and blitzing……
The Saints are going to try to play the spoilers. They gave the Raiders a hard time and it’s not like the Raiders are a good team anyways.
The Bucs need to play mistakes free football against the Saints in order to beat them…….
December 30th, 2024 at 10:25 am
Just win . Personal preference is to play Det, GB, Wash, Minn in that order,, could we lose to any of them,,, sure ,, could we beat any of them , sure
December 30th, 2024 at 10:25 am
Need one more win!!! First things first. The Bucs have a sad recent history of letting down against lesser teams after a big decisive victory! The Dallas game being the most recent. I don’t expect that to happen against the Saints, but let’s focus on crushing them first! A steady dose of ME13( about 100 yards or so) and a steady dose of BI7 (about 100 yards or so) should do it!! This is the winning formula against any team we face!!! Of course the D and ST have to show up too!! Onward!!!!!!!
December 30th, 2024 at 10:32 am
how about using whitehead as an LB and playing someone with SPEED deep. that TD to Adam Thielen was disturbing. was like watching two old men try to cover a simple deep route. i’ll take bench guys over that
December 30th, 2024 at 10:44 am
I have to ask myself with all these uneven performances from the defense. Is coach Bowles doing a good job of getting his side of the ball ready on a week to week basis. Are some of these guys unknowingly tuning him out. There’s little doubt he has the respect of his players but does he have the attention of all these guys. Once a coach loses the attention of his players there is no getting that back.
December 30th, 2024 at 10:45 am
It appears GB is now the 7 which means they would have to go to Phily,, that would take one Big Team out ,, so in essence could put the #3 seed (LA or Bucs) in line for a home game in the 2nd round ,, so the 3 would be better , the 3 would play Wash and the 4 would play (Minn/Det)
All is based on us beating the Saints first
December 30th, 2024 at 10:47 am
Home vs Washington is the game we should want but however it turns out we will have a chance to win at home. I would have said Packers last team I want but after yesterday I think that’s the Vikings.
December 30th, 2024 at 10:57 am
If we get the #3 seed, we’d have to go to Philly in the second round. Get the 4 seed and we could face a banged up Detroit or Darnold who Bowles knows inside out.
December 30th, 2024 at 11:00 am
Get in the playoffs and it’s an all new record.
I’m good with facing anyone on our path to the Superbowl.
December 30th, 2024 at 11:02 am
Beat the Saints first. It’s the NFL and anything can happen. Big mistake to look past this Sunday.
December 30th, 2024 at 11:07 am
Nothing that has happened matters once the playoffs start. The year the Bucs won under Brady, they had a tough patch. They got hot in the playoffs.
This team could do that. Or not.
So just get there and then let’s see what happens.
All this matchup talk is BS.
December 30th, 2024 at 11:29 am
Mad maxx walk the plank. Bum fans like you are not needed.
December 30th, 2024 at 11:34 am
If Bucs win Sunday, Todd Bowles with a 10-7 record isn’t going anywhere. Tried to warn you haters, just like I warned you about Mayfield. Coulda, shoulda doesn’t matter. Bowles, I think, has done the best he could would with some mediocre defensive talent. Anyone watching Whitehead get beat on the back end TD pass to Thielen yesterday understands. Has been like that all season. No speed and won’t hit.
Kancey, Vea, LVD and that’s about it could play for any team. The rest of that group you have to hold your nose and hope.
December 30th, 2024 at 11:35 am
We go as far as our D and our mathematicaly challenged coach will allow. There is still hope. Go BUCS
December 30th, 2024 at 11:47 am
It’s one game at a time from here on out.
Let’s go BUCS!!!!!
December 30th, 2024 at 11:52 am
Lol, LA won’t fall to Arizona unless maybe they rest their starters which they probably won’t because they want the 3 seed. We’ll have the 4th seed if we win next game. Bet you a beer on it.
December 30th, 2024 at 11:53 am
Detroit might have the weakest defense now due to injuries, but prob the strongest offense.
With how crappy our defense is, I think I’d rather play WAS or GB.
Vikings and Lions will just light us up over and over and over. Then again, so will those other offense too lol. We just have to score in every drive no matter who we play.
December 30th, 2024 at 11:56 am
Rams play Seattle
December 30th, 2024 at 11:57 am
Beat NOLA and make it 10-7. After that, I don’t care. The Vikings are lucky as well as good. So are the Rams. The others? I don’t know ‘cept for DC. They are getting hot right at the end of the season. So, just get it to 10-7, Bucs. Fine by me.
December 30th, 2024 at 12:02 pm
Win the Saints game first , because Saints really do hate Tampa and they will play hard.
December 30th, 2024 at 12:04 pm
With this secondary and defensive scheme it is going to be hard pressed to face any of these good passing teams. All of them are good and we are a 500 team at home this year. The positive of the playoffs is simple, we saw a team yesterday that can beat anyone, period. We might be getting back some of our players at full strength and we might be peaking at the right time. All of the NFC teams are tough. On any given Sunday we could potentially put a winning streak together and surprise some people. First, New Orleans is savoring the moment, at our home this Sunday, go Buc’s!
December 30th, 2024 at 2:11 pm
BUCS will clobber who they play. They are at the peak at the right time….Hellp Super Bowl
December 30th, 2024 at 2:21 pm
After working through all the analytics and potential match-ups, my take is: beat the Saints!
December 30th, 2024 at 2:59 pm
GB is a run first and dominate offense ,, the will bludgeon teams that can’t stop the run,,, Bucs are good at stopping the run , and as far as teams lighting up our D ,,, we to can light up their D ,,, we have been pretty good this year on O
December 30th, 2024 at 3:02 pm
Forget about it. Focus is aints this week. Gotta win to get in
December 30th, 2024 at 3:04 pm
The real dangerous team is the Rams. Get the 3 seed so we can host the Rams for a trip to the,Super bowl.
December 30th, 2024 at 3:47 pm
Either way against the rams ,,, we did play one of our most dominant games at SoFi this year 😉
Let’s get in the dance first
December 30th, 2024 at 9:47 pm
I was being sarcastic @Bakerfan…maybe it wasnt presented well, my fault…when i say we’re nothing, im trying to down play us. Its all good though. And no im not a wannabe GM, just obviously have highly respected draft picks of players I make on here. Sorry i got under your skin. My sarcasm comes off wrong sometimes….and yeah, i own a trailer park, dont live there though lol.
December 31st, 2024 at 12:20 am
With the Bucs playing such porous passive off man zone coverage the whole first half of games, it makes no difference, whether Goff, Darnold, Daniels or Hurts, they’ll all carve up the Bowles zone like an Easter ham. Overall, Bowles has had success against the Eagles, but how many times can you beat a dog before it bites back.
Win, get in, and hope the offense can have historic 40 burger performances in the playoffs.
January 1st, 2025 at 9:58 am
I just think BOWLES has to go as head coach. Sorry but having the worse or close to worse passing defense every year just isn’t cutting it. NOT WHEN THATS YOUR SPECIALTY IS DEFENSE. He has no clue how to adjust during games when we’re getting lit up by good offenses. The experiment is over. I mean he was good at dc when he wasn’t a head coach. But I bet he wouldn’t take a demotion. Either way we can’t lose Liam coen either. If it’s either promote Liam coen to head coach or lose him BOWLES has to go in that scenario to. I’m just over mediocrity with how much talent this team has. Atlantas only getting better. Carolina looks like they’re building something now. If this division was competitive at all we’d be screwed let’s be real. We’re barely making it in every year