TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Todd Bowles didn’t bother staying up late to find out whether the Tampa Bay Buccaneers got some much-needed help to make the NFL playoffs.
The Bucs (9-7) have been in playoff mode for more than a month, winning five of the past six games to climb back to the top of the NFC South.
They can clinch their fourth straight division title next Sunday with a win or tie at home against New Orleans. They can also repeat as champs with an Atlanta loss or tie against Carolina in the Falcons’ regular-season finale.
“Very fortunate,” Bowles said Monday of the Bucs being back in control of the team’s quest for a fifth consecutive playoff berth.
“It was a good ballgame, went back and forth,” Bowles added. “But to have a chance to control our own destiny is all we can ask for, so we have to go out and take it.”
Sounds like a guy who stayed up late to watch the Falcons lose to the Washington Commanders in overtime to fall behind Tampa Bay by a game in the division.
But Bowles said that wasn’t the case.
“I was actually asleep,” the coach added. “But I saw the results this morning and I’m good. I saw the highlights and everything this morning.”
Maybe Bowles drew comfort in the way the Bucs played in trouncing the Carolina Panthers 48-14 to put them in a position to benefit from the Falcons (8-8) losing.
In addition to Baker Mayfield throwing for 359 yards and five touchdowns without an interception, the Bucs rushed for 202 yards.
Atlanta holds the tiebreaker advantage if the division rivals finish with the same record.
So how does he anticipate how his team will handle an opportunity to finish the job?
“They have to do the little things right. They shouldn’t respond any other way than they responded (Sunday),” Bowles said. “We have to do the little things right. It’s a division opponent, we know it’s going to be a dog fight.”
What’s working
Bucky Irving became Tampa Bay’s first 1,000-yard rusher since Doug Martin in 2015. He rushed for 113 yards and had another 77 receiving against the Panthers. If Jayden Daniels wasn’t having such an outstanding season with the playoff-bound Commanders, Irving would be a strong candidate for Offensive Rookie of the Year.
What needs help
A porous pass defense remains a concern. Despite dominating early and building a 27-7 lead against Carolina, Bryce Young threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to Adam Thielen and had his team in a position to get back in the game before a missed field goal deflated the Panthers just before halftime.
Stock up
Rookie WR Jalen McMillan had two more TD receptions on Sunday, giving him six over the past four games.
Stock down
With Irving running wild, third-year RB Rachaad White appears to have finally lost his starting job to the rookie.
Injuries
CB Jamel Dean left Sunday’s game with a knee injury. Bowles said he did not have an update on his status Monday. The coach also said it was too early to speculate about the possible return of S Antoine Winfield Jr (knee), who has missed the past three games.
Key number
85. The number of yards WR Mike Evans needs to tie Hall of Famer Jerry Rice’s NFL record of 11 consecutive seasons with at least 1,000 yards receiving. Evans is on the verge of doing it despite missing three games and much of a fourth because of a hamstring injury.
Next up
Host the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. A victory or tie would give the Bucs four straight NFC South titles — three of them under Bowles.
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