The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have kept their hopes of making the NFL playoffs alive. However, they now need some external assistance on the final Sunday of the regular season to secure a spot in the postseason.

In Week 18, the Bucs managed a narrow 16-14 victory over the Carolina Panthers on Saturday. The game was marked by key plays from quarterback Baker Mayfield, who found tight end Cade Otton for the opening touchdown. Otton led all players with seven catches for 94 yards. The Panthers made a late push when they blocked a field goal, leading to a touchdown pass from Bryce Young to Jalen Coker with just 2:27 remaining. However, the Bucs’ defense held strong, allowing them to run out the clock and prevent a potential comeback.

With this win, both the Bucs and the Panthers finish the season with an 8-9 record. Due to their struggles in the latter part of the season—losing seven of their last eight games—the Bucs are now relying on the New Orleans Saints to defeat the Atlanta Falcons. If the Saints win, it will prevent a three-way tie for the NFC South title, which would allow the Bucs to claim their fifth consecutive division title. This would also be their second such title in that span despite having a losing record.

Playoff Scenarios for the Bucs

The NFC South winner is guaranteed the No. 4 seed in the NFC playoff bracket. If the Bucs manage to win, they will face one of the top teams from the NFC West, who are expected to be strong contenders for the Super Bowl. While the Bucs will host the game, they are likely to be underdogs against these high-powered teams.

Here’s what the Bucs need to happen in order to make the playoffs:

New Orleans Saints vs. Atlanta Falcons

• Scenario: The Saints (6-10) must beat the Falcons (7-9) on Sunday.
• Outcome: A Falcons win would create a three-way tie for the NFC South lead. In that case, the Panthers would get the playoff berth due to a better head-to-head record against the Falcons.
• Bucs Advantage: If the Bucs and Panthers tie, the Bucs will have the edge thanks to a stronger record against common opponents, including their 20-17 win over Arizona in Week 13.

Watch the game live:
– Date: Sunday, Jan. 4

– Start Time: 1 p.m. ET

– TV Channel: Fox

– Live Streaming: Fubo (free trial)

Potential Playoff Opponents

If the Bucs make the playoffs, they will face one of the following teams from the NFC West:
– Seattle Seahawks
– San Francisco 49ers
– Los Angeles Rams

Each of these teams has its own path to the playoffs, and the Bucs have had mixed results against them during the regular season.

Seattle Seahawks

• Record: 13-3
• Week 18 Game: Seahawks vs. 49ers at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, Jan. 3
• Bucs vs. Seahawks: The Bucs won 38-35 in Week 5, thanks to a late interception by Lavonte David that set up a walk-off field goal. Baker Mayfield passed for 379 yards and two touchdowns in that game.

Watch the game live:
– Date: Saturday, Jan. 3

– Start Time: 8 p.m. ET

– TV Channel: ESPN

– Live Streaming: Fubo (free trial) | ESPN Unlimited

San Francisco 49ers

• Record: 12-4
• Week 18 Game: 49ers vs. Seahawks at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, Jan. 3
• Bucs vs. 49ers: The Bucs defeated the 49ers 30-19 in Week 6. Christian McCaffrey opened the scoring, but the Bucs limited the 49ers to only field goals after that. Baker Mayfield completed 20 passes for 219 yards and two touchdowns.

Watch the game live:
– Date: Saturday, Jan. 3

– Start Time: 8 p.m. ET

– TV Channel: ESPN

– Live Streaming: Fubo (free trial) | ESPN Unlimited

Los Angeles Rams

• Record: 11-5
• Week 18 Game: Rams vs. Cardinals at 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday, Jan. 4
• Bucs vs. Rams: The Bucs lost 34-9 in Week 12. The Rams’ offense was dominant, with Davante Adams catching two touchdowns and Cobie Turner returning an interception for a pick-six.

Watch the game live:
– Date: Sunday, Jan. 4

– Start Time: 4:25 p.m. ET

– TV Channel: Fox

– Live Streaming: Fubo (free trial)

When Do the Playoffs Start?

The NFL playoffs begin with the wild-card round on January 10–12. Here’s the full schedule:

• Wild-card round: January 10–12
• Divisional round: January 17–18
• Conference championships: January 25
• Super Bowl 60: February 8