Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Can The Buccaneers Overtake The Falcons and Win The NFC South?

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

foxsports

Nov 13, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; A view of a Tampa Bay Buccaneers flag waved by fans at Raymond James Stadium. The Buccaneers won 36-10. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

Since the loss to Atlanta, the Buccaneers have rattled off three wins in a row and two of the most impressive victories I’ve seen in a long time. Can they win the division?

The Buccaneers are a game behind the division leading Atlanta Falcons and with five games remaining they need some help if they want to make a run at the division title. I can’t believe I actually am discussing the possibility of the playoffs this late in the season, but after the past two weeks anything is possible.

The Bucs have a tough road ahead of them to chase down the Falcons but splitting the season series with them already their own fate. Let’s go week by week and compare what the Bucs need to do to surpass Atlanta for division supremacy.

Nov 27, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers (17) passes against the Houston Texans in the second half at NRG Stadium. San Diego Chargers won 21-13. Mandatory Credit: Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports

Week 13:

Tampa Bay Bucs at San Diego Chargers

Atlanta Falcons vs Kansas City Chiefs

More from The Pewter Plank

Week 13 is going to be a huge week for the Bucs. With the Atlanta Falcons facing probably their toughest remaining opponent this is the best chance the Bucs have at drawing even. The Falcons get the advantage of being home this week but the Chiefs are a better team than many give them credit for. The Chiefs need a win just as badly as the Falcons do to keep pace with the Raiders and Broncos in the division. Riding high after a big overtime win in Denver the Chiefs could pull off the upset in Atlanta.

While Atlanta has an early match-up this week the Bucs square off against the feisty Chargers. The Chargers are the luckiest or unluckiest team in the league with all but one of their games being decided by less than a touchdown. The only game that wasn’t was a home win versus the lowly Jaguars. This win would be huge for the Bucs and if they can pull it off and with them aware of a Falcons loss the adrenaline should be at an all time high. Bucs come off a huge win against Seattle and prove all the doubters wrong again and beat the San Diego Chargers.

Tampa Bay 7-5

Atlanta 7-5

Next: Week 14

Dec 13, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) kneels in the huddle during the second half against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. The New Orleans Saints won 24-17. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

Week 14:

Tampa Bay Bucs vs New Orleans Saints

Atlanta Falcons at Los Angeles Rams

Week 14 is going to continue the stretch of the games getting more and more important. The Falcons are flying across the country to take on the Rams. The Rams defense is the heart of this team but they really aren’t as good as many people think. After giving up 49 points to the Saints the Rams should fear the Falcons and their similar offensive dominance. The Falcons should easily handle the Rams even on the road.

For the Bucs this is the first of two meetings against the division rival New Orleans, who after looking lost at the beginning of the year have fought their way back to relevancy as well. Sitting at 5-6 the Saints are by no means out of the race for a playoff spot. This game was projected to be important for both teams so it was flexed to the 4:25 late afternoon primetime slot.

The Bucs need to win in the division more than any other because the Falcons have a better division record right now. The Saints are by no means the same team at home as they were a few seasons ago but their offense is still near the top of the league. Their only issue is they still have a horrendous defense.

If the Bucs want to win this game they need to have the same defense that’s been playing the past three weeks. I don’t know about you but I still don’t know how consistent this team could actually be. How could this defense give up 37 points to the Rams but only three to the Seahawks? Maybe they are finally gelling or maybe it was all an illusion. I’d like to believe that they are coming together but the Saints at home are still the Saints, at home. I see the Bucs losing this one in a close one.

Tampa Bay 7-6

Atlanta 8-5

Next: Week 15

Nov 15, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston (3) jumps over Dallas Cowboys middle linebacker Anthony Hitchens (59) and fumbles the ball during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Week 15:

Tampa Bay Bucs at Dallas Cowboys

Atlanta Falcons vs San Francisco 49ers

What an important match up for Tampa. In a week where the Atlanta Falcons take on the 1-10 San Francisco 49ers at home the Bucs get the 10-1 Dallas Cowboys in Dallas. The timing couldn’t be worse for Tampa because while the Falcons should walk into a victory the Bucs face the hottest team in the NFL. The 49ers have a bad team and the Falcons don’t, so simply put the Falcons continue winning and putting the Bucs in a tough spot.

Dallas is the most surprising team in the NFL this season. Using a fourth round rookie quarterback and a rookie running back, they’ve taken the league by storm. Behind one of the best offensive lines in NFL history the Dallas Cowboys went from 4-12 last season to the best team in the league. Dak Prescott came out of nowhere and Zeke Elliott is doing what he did at Ohio State. If the Bucs want to show the world they are for real they need to win in a game that could get flexed to Sunday Night Football.

I don’t know about you but the Cowboys are a national draw, and a team on the verge of the contention for the first time in nine years should be highly considered for prime time. If the Bucs want to win this game they need to bring the pressure. Dak has been so successful this year because he’s almost never under pressure. Only sacked 15 times this season, the Tampa Bay defensive line needs to bring the heat on Prescott and Elliott if this team was going to have a chance. The Bucs winning this game would be probably the biggest win in 15 years, but unlike the Seahawks game they don’t have home field advantage this week. Bucs fall short in a close one.

Tampa Bay 7-7

Atlanta 9-5

Next: Week 16

Dec 13, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers cheerleaders perform during the second half of an NFL football game at Raymond James Stadium. The New Orleans Saints won 24-17. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

Week 16

Tampa Bay Bucs vs New Orleans Saints

Atlanta Falcons at Carolina Panthers

With things looking bleak for the Tampa Bay Bucs they get some help the final two weeks having back to back home games. Both of them are against division rivals with the first being against the New Orleans Saints on Christmas Eve, a team they played two weeks earlier. The Atlanta Falcons have to go to Carolina and take on the surprisingly lackluster Carolina Panthers. The Carolina Panthers are not out of the playoff race as of right now and with a strong finish they could easily be in the race for the division as well.

Cam Newton was the MVP last season for a reason. He is having an off-year this year, posting one of the worst completion percentages in the league. That may not be all on him, however. He’s not running the ball effectively and their defense is not the same. If the Bucs need someone to help them out to make the playoffs it’s the Panthers this week versus the Falcons. With the game being in Carolina they have a shot and I really feel they can.

The Bucs need to win against the Saints to keep the hope alive. Playing against them two weeks ago could be helpful for them. Learn from their mistakes and prove that they aren’t dead yet. Jameis is going to have his first prove it game in the NFL and when he stands up to the challenge and shows the NFL the Bucs aren’t dead yet. The Bucs can win this game and still have a shot at the division with a little luck.

Tampa Bay 8-7

Atlanta 9-6

Next: Week 17

Oct 10, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen (88) stiff arms Tampa Bay Buccaneers outside linebacker Lavonte David (54) in the third quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

Week 17

Tampa Bay Bucs vs Carolina Panthers

Atlanta Falcons vs New Orleans Saints

If the remaining games between the Falcons and Bucs end up the way I’ve described, if the Falcons lose and the Bucs win in the final week, the Bucs are the winners of the NFC South based on division record. I don’t think 9-7 will be good enough for the second wild card spot with the Giants taking the top spot and possibly the Redskins getting the second one with that stupid tie against the Bengals.

The best way for the Bucs to make the playoffs is with the NFC South crown. Every week 17 game happens to be division games, it just so happens that it’s back to back for the teams in the NFC South. This helps out the Bucs if they can beat New Orleans and Carolina. I don’t want to predict the outcomes for these game because anything can happen in week 17.

With a little luck these last few games the Bucs could be a playoff team, but you can’t bank on luck. If the Bucs from the Seahawks game are the real Bucs they could win out. If they revert back at all to the team that started the season they will be on the outside looking in. Again this team really holds its own fate, keep winning and you will make it.

This article originally appeared on