The Tampa Bay Buccaneers suffered another defeat in prime time, this time against the Los Angeles Rams, 27-24. The loss drops to the Bucs to 7-4 on the season, as Tampa Bay slides down to the sixth playoff seed, while the 7-3 Rams surge ahead to the second playoff spot in the NFC atop the NFC West and have the tie-breaker advantage.

So what is the Bucs’ margin of error right now with a 4-4 record in the NFC?

“Very slim,” said Bucs head coach Bruce Arians. “This was a big one and the next one [against Kansas City on Sunday] is even bigger.”

If the playoffs started today, the Bucs would travel to Green Bay for a rematch in cold Lambeau Field against the 7-3 Packers, which lost, 38-10, in Tampa Bay earlier in the season. In the new seven-team playoff format in 2020, only the No. 1 seed – in this case New Orleans – would get a bye week.

Here is a current look at the NFC playoff picture entering Week 12.

CURRENT NFC PLAYOFF TEAMS

1. Saints (NFC South leader) – 8-2 overall / 4-0 division / 7-1 conference

Remaining games: at Broncos (4-6), at Falcons (3-7), at Eagles (3-6-1), vs. Chiefs (9-1), vs. Vikings (4-6), at Panthers (4-7)

2. Rams (NFC West leader) 7-3 overall / 1-1 division / 7-0 conference

Remaining games: vs. 49ers (4-6), at Cardinals (6-4), vs. Patriots (4-6), vs. Jets (0-10), at Seahawks (7-3), vs. Cardinals (6-4)

3. Packers (NFC North leader) – 7-3 overall / 2-0 division / 4-2 conference
Remaining games: vs. Bears (5-5), vs. Eagles (3-6-1), at Lions (4-6), vs. Panthers (4-7), vs. Titans (7-3), at Bears (5-5)

4. Eagles (NFC East leader) – 3-6-1 overall / 2-2 division / 3-3 conference

Remaining games: vs. Seahawks (7-3), at Packers (7-3), vs. Saints (8-2), at Cardinals (6-4), at Cowboys (3-7), vs. Washington (3-7)

5. Seahawks (First wild card) 7-3 overall / 2-2 division / 5-2 conference
Remaining games:at Eagles (3-6-1), vs. Giants (3-7), vs. Jets (0-10), at Washington (3-7), vs. Rams (7-3), at 49ers (4-6)

6. Buccaneers (Second wild card) – 7-4 overall / 2-2 division / 4-4 conference

Remaining games: vs. Chiefs (9-1), vs. Vikings (4-6), at Falcons (3-7), at Lions (4-6), vs. Falcons (3-7)

7. Cardinals (Third wild card) – 6-4 overall / 2-1 division / 4-3 conference

Remaining games: at Patriots (4-6), vs. Rams (7-3), at Giants (3-7), vs. Eagles (3-6-1), vs. 49ers (4-6), at Rams (7-3)

IN CONTENTION

8. Bears – 5-5 overall / 1-1 division / 5-3 conference

Remaining games: at Packers (7-3), vs. Lions (4-6), vs. Texans (3-7), at Vikings (4-6), at Jaguars (1-9), vs. Packers (7-3)

9. Vikings – 4-6 overall / 3-1 division / 3-4 conference

Remaining games: vs. Panthers (3-7), vs. Jaguars (1-9), at Bucs (7-4), vs. Bears (5-5), at Saints (8-2), vs. Lions (4-6)

10. Lions – 4-6 overall / 0-3 division / 3-5 conference

Remaining games: vs. Texans (3-7), at Bears (5-5), vs. Packers (7-3), at Titans (7-3), vs. Bucs (7-3), vs. Vikings (4-6)

11. 49ers – 4-6 overall / 1-2 division / 2-5 conference

Remaining games: at Rams (6-3), vs. Bills (7-3), vs. Washington (3-7), at Cowboys (3-7), at Cardinals (6-4), vs. Seahawks (7-3)