How did the Bucs’ bye week impact their postseason hopes?
Despite being on bye in Week 11, there were plenty of results which will have a big impact on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ playoff chances.
The Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions both won this week, but these teams are both too far ahead of the Bucs to affect them.
So which results had an impact, and were the Bucs pleased with what they saw?
The Good
Fly Eagles Fly
The Philadelphia Eagles secured a 26-18 win against the Washington Commanders.
This result suits the Bucs well, as they need all NFC teams in the hunt for a playoff spot to lose.
The Eagles are too far ahead at this point, and their ranking is mostly irrelevant to Tampa Bay.
Da Bears
The Green Bay Packers squeezed out a 20-19 win against the Chicago Bears in a heart-breaking game for the Soldier Field faithful.
Another result that worked out for the Bucs, as the Bears are in the hunt for an NFC playoff spot.
The Packers are now 7-3, probably too far ahead of the Bucs.
How about them Cowboys?
Things did not go well for the Dallas Cowboys, as they were defeated 34-10 by the Houston Texans in a lone-star state match-up.
The Cowboys first drive set the tone for the rest of the game as Dallas attempted, and failed, a fake punt from their own 33-yard line.
The Cowboys fall to 3-7, helping the Bucs as it almost certainly eliminates Dallas from playoff contention.
Not everything went well for the Bucs, however.
The Bad
Rams House
The Los Angeles Rams continued their resurgence with a fourth win in their last five games.
A 28-22 win against the New England Patriots keeps the Rams in the playoff hunt, harming the Bucs’ chances.
Sean McVay’s side are now 5-5 on the season.
What even is a Seahawk anyway?
The Seattle Seahawks surprisingly defeated the San Francisco 49ers in Santa Clara, California on Sunday evening.
The Seahawks defeated the 49ers 20-17, keeping a competitor in the mix for the Bucs to worry about.
Like the Rams, the Seahawks improved to 5-5.
Saint or sinner?
The New Orleans Saints reminded the NFC that they are not out of the playoff race just yet.
The Saints defeated the abysmal Cleveland Browns, 35-14, thanks to a career performance by Taysom Hill.
This result was not what Tampa Bay was looking for.
The… Atlanta?
The Atlanta Falcons took on a solid Denver Broncos team in Colorado and came to a frosty halt in the Rockies.
The Falcons fell 38-6 to the Broncos, as the defence allowed 400 yards and four touchdowns.
The Falcons offence was no better, managing just a meagre six points across the entire game.
This loss by Atlanta – their second in a row – is hugely positive for Tampa Bay.
Next on the agenda for the Bucs -the New York Giants.
