Buccaneers’ final 7 games are ‘Hawaii’ as they run NFC South race

One team has defeated the 9-1 Lions, widely considered the best in the league. But that was 10 weeks ago and, since going into Ford Field and knocking off the Super Bowl favorite, the Buccaneers are just 2-5. And how history remembers Tampa Bay in 2024 will depend largely on the next three weeks.

First, the Bucs (4-6) come off their bye mired in a four-game losing streak, facing perhaps the most dangerous of the league’s two-win teams. That’s because the Giants (2-8) will start a new quarterback at MetLife Stadium on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS), something that always presents challenges. Although the Bucs had an inkling Brian Daboll would bench Daniel Jones, they didn’t know until Monday the Giants would replace him with Tommy DeVito, not Drew Lock.  

Regardless of that challenge, according to Pewter Report beat writer Bailey Adams, Sunday isn’t the only must-win game for Tampa Bay and head coach Todd Bowles.

“As much as every game down the final stretch of the season matters,” Adams wrote Wednesday, “it’s the Bucs’ next three contests that look absolutely crucial coming out of the bye. Bowles often spoke late last season about every game being a playoff-type game for his team over the final month. That needs to start again as Tampa Bay gets back to work and looks to reverse course and re-enter the thick of the playoff race.”

That three-game stretch, after Sunday, includes a division trip to Carolina (3-7) and a home game against Las Vegas (2-8). Then, after a difficult trip to play the Chargers (7-3) in Week 15 is another critical three-game stretch to end the regular season: at Dallas (3-7) and consecutive home games against the Panthers and Saints (4-7).

Keep an eye on the NFC South, one of the most interesting division races down the stretch. The Falcons (6-5) could come out of their bye this week only one game ahead of the Bucs, should Tampa Bay beat DeVito. And while Atlanta owns a steep advantage with a 2-0 record against the Bucs, the Falcons have certainly left the door wide open by losing three of their last five. And don’t write off New Orleans, now on a two-game winning streak under interim head coach Darren Rizzi.

Touchdown maker: Quarterback Baker Mayfield ranks third in the league with 24 touchdown passes, trailing Joe Burrow (27) and Lamar Jackson (25). In 13 road starts since 2023, Mayfield has 28 touchdown passes, most in the NFL over that period. He enters with a streak of three straight road games with multiple touchdown passes.

Tiki in the booth: Former Giants All-Pro Tiki Barber will call Sunday’s game in the CBS booth. Barber played every season in New York, leaving with 10,449 rushing yards in a Giants uniform. His twin brother, Ronde, was a Class of 2023 Pro Football Hall of Famer after 16 seasons in the NFL, all with the Bucs.

Formidable backfield: Tampa Bay running backs Rachaad White and Bucky Irving combined for 157 scrimmage yards in the Week 10 loss to San Francisco. White registered four catches for 39 yards and his career-best fourth receiving touchdown. Irving, meanwhile, posted his fourth rushing touchdown. He ranks second among NFL rookies in rushing yards (492) and third in scrimmage yards (680).

For more information on the Buccaneers and Giants, visit the Tampa Bay and N.Y. Giants team pages at ProFootballPost.com.