After gaining a half-game on the Falcons during their Week 11 bye and picking up another half-game with their Week 12 win, the Bucs knew going into play on Sunday afternoon in Carolina that a win would get them back to .500 at 6-6. And because Atlanta lost during the 1:00 window, Tampa Bay also knew that a win would mean picking up another game in the race and pulling into a tie atop the NFC South through 13 weeks of the 2024 season.

Coming off their bye week, the Falcons hosted the Chargers on Sunday afternoon and suffered a third consecutive loss. The Atlanta offense just never really got going, but to the credit of the Dirty Birds’ defense, the Los Angeles offense never really got going either. It’s just that Kirk Cousins’ day was so disastrous that it led to a Falcons loss. He threw four interceptions on the day, including a 61-yard pick six. And after Bijan Robinson’s early touchdown run, Atlanta couldn’t find the end zone again.

With the 17-13 loss, Raheem Morris’ team that was once 6-3 now finds itself at 6-6 with two of its final five games coming against likely playoff teams.

Bucs K Chase McLaughlin and OLB Anthony Nelson – Photo by: USA Today

Because Atlanta lost early on Sunday, Bucs fans knew the worst that could happen in Sunday’s game was their favorite team failing to capitalize and remaining one game (effectively two) behind the Falcons in the NFC South race. And that was nearly the case, with the Panthers giving Todd Bowles and Co. all they could handle. But a big game from Bucky Irving and late-game heroics from Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans, Chase McLaughlin, Anthony Nelson, Yaya Diaby and Rachaad White, Tampa Bay escaped Carolina with a 26-23 overtime win.

So now, the Falcons and Bucs are both atop the division at 6-6. But because Atlanta swept Tampa Bay, it holds the tiebreaker and technically still leads the South with five games to play.

Here’s an updated look at the NFC South standings through Week 13:

Atlanta Falcons 6-6 (4-1 in the NFC South)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 6-6 (2-2 in the NFC South)
New Orleans Saints 4-8 (2-3 in the NFC South)
Carolina Panthers 3-9 (1-3 in the NFC South)

Bucs DT Vita Vea and Falcons RB Bijan Robinson – Photo by: USA Today

As a result of the Falcons possessing the tiebreaker, the Bucs obviously have to finish with a better record to clinch a fourth straight division title and the home playoff game that comes with it. Their schedule is more favorable the rest of the way than Atlanta’s, with four of five games coming against sub-.500 teams. Meanwhile, two of the Falcons’ remaining five games come on the road against the 10-2 Vikings and 8-5 Commanders.

Here’s a look at the remaining schedules for the top two contenders in the NFC South:

Week 14: Bucs – vs. Raiders (2-10); Falcons – at Vikings (10-2)
Week 15: Bucs – at Chargers (8-4); Falcons – at Raiders (2-10)
Week 16: Bucs – at Cowboys (5-7); Falcons – vs. Giants (2-10)
Week 17: Bucs – vs. Panthers (3-9); Falcons – at Commanders (8-5)
Week 18: Bucs – vs. Saints (4-8); Falcons – vs. Panthers (3-9)

There are surely more ups and downs to be had in this NFC South race, but the Bucs are firmly back in it and kept the pressure on the Falcons by escaping with a second straight win. Now, Tampa Bay will be favored to come out of Week 14 with the division lead. The Bucs host the two-win Raiders, while the Falcons hit the road to face the 10-win Vikings. As the cliche goes, they play the games for a reason, and that’s something Buccaneer fans know all too well.

But there’s no denying that this team has managed to put itself in position to strike in Week 14 and reclaim the top spot in the division heading into the final four games of the year.

Where The Bucs Now Stand In The NFC Playoff Picture

Even at their lower points in the year, winning the NFC South still looked like the Bucs’ likeliest path to the playoffs given the strength of the NFC as a whole. And after Week 13, that certainly remains the case.

Commanders QB Jayden Daniels and Bucs OLB Yaya Diaby – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The Vikings came back late to beat the Cardinals 23-22 in Minnesota, getting to 10-2 and maintaining their hold on the No. 5 seed in the NFC playoff picture. The Packers’ 30-17 win over the Dolphins on Thanksgiving night meant they held firm in the No. 6 spot as well.

The Commanders had been looking vulnerable in recent weeks, losing three straight games and falling to the No. 7 seed in the NFC. But they more than bounced back on Sunday, taking a 28-0 lead over the Titans into halftime before winning 42-19. Jayden Daniels totaled four touchdowns as Washington got back in the win column, improving to 8-5 to keep its hold on the conference’s final Wild Card spot.

Tampa Bay kept pace in the race for that No. 7 seed (should it not come back and win the NFC South, of course). The Bucs are 1.5 games behind the Commanders, who have their bye in Week 14. If it comes down to a head-to-head tiebreaker, it’s Todd Bowles’ squad that will have the advantage thanks to its season-opening win over Daniels and Co.

Not only that, but the Bucs jumped from the second spot in the “In the Hunt” category to the top spot in Week 13. The Cardinals’ loss to the Vikings dropped them to 6-6 and below the Buccaneers.

The Rams’ 21-14 win over the Saints kept them alive in the NFC West race, as well as the NFC Wild Card race. But the hits kept coming for the 49ers, who lost to the Bills in the snow on Sunday Night Football and fell to 5-7. The recent mini-resurgence from the Cowboys has them at 5-7 and on the cusp of being in the hunt, though they don’t look to be serious challenger for a playoff spot.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: USA Today

Here’s a look at the NFC Playoff Picture through Week 13:

1. Lions – 11-1 (NFC North leader)
2. Eagles – 10-2 (NFC East leader)
3. Seahawks – 7-5 (NFC West leader)
4. Falcons – 6-6 (NFC South leader)
5. Vikings – 10-2 (NFC Wild Card No. 1)
6. Packers – 9-3 (NFC Wild Card No. 2)
7. Commanders – 8-5 (NFC Wild Card No. 3)
——–In the Hunt——–
8. Bucs – 6-6
9. Cardinals – 6-6
10. Rams – 6-6
11. 49ers – 5-7
12. Cowboys – 5-7

Following Sunday’s win, NFL.com has the Bucs with a 58% chance to make the playoffs.

Despite the sloppy performance in what very well could’ve been a loss to Carolina, Tampa Bay managed to win back-to-back games for the first time since Weeks 1 and 2. Pairing that with the Falcons’ loss really puts the pressure on Atlanta going into the rest of December. But of course, the Bucs have to keep stacking wins to make that pressure mean anything. They’ll look to make it three wins in a row on Sunday when they host the Raiders at Raymond James Stadium.