How the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Can Still Make It Into the Postseason

Photo Credit: The Inside Zone (featured image), ESPN (team logos)

After their disappointing 31-24 loss at the hands of the New Orleans Saints on Christmas Eve, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers sit with a very small chance a clinching a berth in the postseason with a 8-7 record. However, it can be done, but only if each of these eight game results go their way over the course of the final 17 regular season games this season.

Here is a list of all eight things that MUST happen in order for the Buccaneers to get into the postseason.

 Dallas Cowboys (12-2) over  Detroit Lions (9-5), Week 16

 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-7) over  Carolina Panthers (6-9), Week 17

 Dallas Cowboys (12-2) over  Philadelphia Eagles (6-9), Week 17

 Tennessee Titans (8-7) over  Houston Texans (9-6), Week 17

 Indianapolis Colts (7-8) over  Jacksonville Jaguars (3-12), Week 17

 San Francisco 49ers (2-13) over  Seattle Seahawks (9-5-1), Week 17

 New York Giants (10-5) tie with  Washington Redskins (8-6-1), Week 17

 Detroit Lions (9-5) over  Green Bay Packers (9-6), Week 17

 

Should all of this happen, there would be a 3-way tie for the final NFC wild card spot, the #6 seed, between the Buccaneers (9-7), the Packers (9-7), and the Redskins (8-6-2).

The Buccaneers would win the tiebreaker to eliminate the Packers based on strength of victory, and they would win the tiebreaker to eliminate the Redskins based on best win percentage in conference games.

All of this happening would make the Buccaneers playoff-bound for the first time since the 2007 season. The chances that all of these things happen are extremely small, however.

 

-Asher Fair