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About the Author: Eric Horchy

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Maybe last week was a little too soon for some fans to start letting their minds even entertain the ‘P’ word.

The Bucs saw 6-6 last year and that didn’t end so well. Last week’s win, no matter how big it may have been, got the overall record to 6-5.

How about now?

Playoffs.

If it ended right now, your Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in as the NFC’s sixth seed. Sunday’s 28-21 cross-country win in San Diego boosted the Bucs to 7-5 overall and into a first-place tie for the NFC South lead with Atlanta. The Falcons own the tie-breaker at the moment because of their 3-1 division record compared to the Bucs’ mark of 2-1. The teams split their season series and are both 5-3 against conference foes.

There is still plenty of work to do, but the goal’s attainability seems more and more realistic by the week. Players were given red t-shirts with “California Dreamin’ ” splashed across the back last year because the Super Bowl was being held in San Francisco. It felt like another ‘P’ word should have been inserted in the middle – as in “California (Pipe) Dreamin’.” Leading up to Sunday’s game in San Diego, head coach Dirk Koetter was going for a “California sweep” of the team’s two road games in the Golden State. That felt real. And the Bucs went out and did work.

Adding to Bucs fans’ optimism was how Sunday played itself out. Tampa Bay winning was, and always is, objective number one. Both teams ahead of the Bucs in the NFC standings entering the day – the New York Giants (8-4) and Washington Redskins (6-5-1) – both lost. Also finishing as Sunday losers were division foes Atlanta (7-5), the New Orleans Saints (5-7) and the Carolina Panthers (4-8). The Saints were right on the Bucs’ heels but now sit two games back in third place. Minnesota (6-6) getting nipped by the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday Night Football didn’t hurt, either.

As it stands right now, the NFC East-leading Cowboys (11-1) top the conference standings, followed by the NFC West-leading Seahawks (8-3-1), the NFC North-leading Detroit Lions (8-4), the NFC South-leading Falcons (7-5), the fifth-seeded Giants (8-4) and the sixth seeded Bucs (7-5).

Seattle remained the conference’s second seed heading into Week 14 with Sunday night’s win over Carolina. The Panthers’ playoff hopes were just about squashed with the defeat.

Tampa Bay’s remaining schedule begins with a home date with New Orleans next week. After that it’s at Dallas, at New Orleans, and home against Carolina.

COMPETITORS’ FINAL SCHEDULES
Atlanta Falcons (7-5)
@ Los Angeles Rams
San Francisco 49ers
@ Carolina Panthers
New Orleans Saints

Seattle Seahawks (8-3-1)
@ Green Bay Packers
Los Angeles Rams
Arizona Cardinals
@ San Francisco 49ers

Detroit Lions (8-4)
Chicago Bears
@ New York Giants
@ Dallas Cowboys
Green Bay Packers

New York Giants (8-4)
Dallas Cowboys
Detroit Lions
@ Philadelphia Eagles
@ Washington Redskins

Washington Redskins (6-5-1)
@ Philadelphia Eagles
Carolina Panthers
@ Chicago Bears
New York Giants

Minnesota Vikings (6-6)
@ Jacksonville Jaguars
Indianapolis Colts
@ Green Bay Packers
Chicago Bears

Green Bay Packers (6-6)
Seattle Seahawks
@ Chicago Bears
Minnesota Vikings
@ Detroit Lions

Arizona Cardinals (5-6-1)
@ Miami Dolphins
New Orleans Saints
@ Seattle Seahawks
@ Los Angeles Rams

New Orleans Saints (5-7)
@ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
@ Arizona Cardinals
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
@ Atlanta Falcons

Philadelphia Eagles (5-7)
Washington Redskins
@Baltimore Ravens
New York Giants
Dallas Cowboys

Carolina Panthers (4-8)
San Diego Chargers
@ Washington Redskins
Atlanta Falcons
@ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Los Angeles Rams (4-8)
Atlanta Falcons
@ Seattle Seahawks
San Francisco 49ers
Arizona Cardinals

Bucs Complete Cali Sweep In San Diego, Beat Chargers 28-21
Bucs Dt Gerald Mccoy - Photo By: Cliff Welch/PrNFL Flexes Bucs-Cowboys To Sunday Night Football
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