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Thanks to their 38-31 win over the Colts and losses by every other NFC South foe, the Bucs have a three-game lead in the division with six weeks left in the 2021 regular season. So how soon can Tampa Bay clinch the NFC South title?
Literally in just two weeks – even though the Bucs are just 1-1 in the division along with an 8-3 record.
The Athletic’s Greg Auman summed it up first on Twitter.
In theory, Bucs can clinch the NFC South title in two weeks. If they win next two, Saints lose to Cowboys and Jets (!) and Falcons beat Panthers, Bucs clinch NFC South title with a 10-3 record and four weeks left in the season.
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) November 29, 2021
The key for Tampa Bay fast-tracking its’ claim of the NFC South crown is beating division rival Atlanta this Sunday. The Bucs are 8-3, and a win over the 5-6 Falcons would put a severe dent in Atlanta’s playoff hopes. It would also improve Tampa Bay’s divisional record to 2-1. A Bucs win the following week over the Bills would give Tampa Bay a 10-3 record.
That, coupled with a win by Atlanta at 5-7 Carolina, plus losses by New Orleans in the next two games, would allow Tampa Bay to win the NFC South in Week 14. The Saints are 5-6 and have lost three straight games. They host the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night, then play at the New York Jets the following week.
Should the Saints lose to the Cowboys, but beat the Jets in Week 14, the Bucs can claim the NFC South title the following week by beating New Orleans in Tampa Bay in Week 15.
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