Buccaneers’ Playoff Odds Skyrocketing After Win Over Falcons
· Yahoo Sports
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the Lazarus of the NFL.
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Just two weeks ago, the Bucs were 1-5 and in last place in the NFC South after coming into the season as overwhelming favorites to win the division.
Head coach Todd Bowles looked like he wouldn’t survive the season.
Attention had turned to which Bucs would be shipped off before the NFL’s trade deadline and just how much of a rebuild the organization would go through.
Since then, Tampa Bay has won two straight games over NFC South opponents to climb within a half game of the division lead.
The Bucs have officially risen from the dead.
After going on the road and dismantling the first-place Carolina Panthers 43-13, Tampa Bay returned home and took care of the Atlanta Falcons 16-0, in a game we haven’t seen the likes of in over 50 years.
The two victories have the Bucs’ playoff odds skyrocketing. Before the game against the Panthers, their playoff chances were hovering around six percent.
After beating Atlanta, Tampa’s odds of reaching the postseason have catapulted all the way up to 41%, according to The Athletic’splayoff simulator.
Best Odds In The DivisionNot only have the Bucs' chances of making the playoffs risen drastically over the last two weeks, but they now have the best postseason odds in the division.
By a considerable margin.
The Panthers have the division's second-best odds at only 28%. Next are the Falcons, who are right behind Carolina at 27%. The New Orleans Saints are the long shots of the division, with odds of only 10%.
Bucs Must Win The DivisionEven though they have greatly increased their chances, the 3-5 Bucs still must win the division in order to make the playoffs.
Tampa Bay may have a 41% chance of making the playoffs, but only a 1% chance of earning one of the NFC's three wild-card spots.
If Tampa Bay does reach the playoffs, The Athletic's simulator has the Bucs' most likely position as the NFC's four-seed (23%), followed by their chances at earning the three-seed (15%).
According to the model, the Bucs have only a 1% chance of reaching the two-seed and less than 1% of being the top seed and earning home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
Final ThoughtsThough their odds of making the playoffs still sit below 50%, the Bucs have clearly re-established themselves as the favorites to win the NFC South.
If anyone had claimed Tampa Bay was the division favorite a mere two weeks ago, they would have been considered legally insane.
What the Bucs have accomplished over the last two weeks has been nothing short of amazing. If they can beat the Chicago Bears on the road this coming Sunday, the Bucs' playoff odds should take another significant jump.