The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have put themselves on the edge of a third straight NFC South Division title with a four-game December winning streak. Now they will try to make it five in a row on New Year's Eve day with a game against the New Orleans Saints that could decide the division champ.
The Buccaneers rolled over the visiting Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 16, 30-12, building a 30-point third-quarter lead on the strength of multiple defensive takeaways, two Baker Mayfield touchdown passes to Mike Evans and another perfect outing from kicker Chase McLaughlin. That improved Tampa Bay's record to 8-7 and put them one game up on the Saints and Atlanta Falcons, both of which are now 7-8. The Saints visit Raymond James Stadium on Sunday, December 31, with kickoff scheduled for 1:00 p.m. ET.
New Orleans will be trying to rebound from a 30-22 Thursday Night Football loss to a red-hot Los Angeles Rams team in Week 16. The Buccaneers won the first meeting between these two teams in fairly dominant fashion, taking a 26-9 decision in the Superdome in Week Four. Mayfield threw three touchdown passes and the Bucs' defense held Derek Carr and company to 197 total yards of offense.
The Buccaneers will win the division with a win over the Saints in Week 17. A New Orleans victory would make Week 18 quite a bit interesting – particularly if the 7-8 Atlanta Falcons defeat the Bears in Chicago – but Tampa Bay still controls its own destiny and will face the 2-13 Carolina Panthers in the final week of the regular season.
