Buccaneers playoff picture: What Week 15 vs. Falcons means for NFC standings

The Bucs are still holding firm to that top spot in the NFC South and the No. 4 seed in the overall NFC playoff picture. Even with divisional matchups coming for Tampa Bay Thursday night against Atlanta and the Panthers against the Saints on Sunday, the Bucs own the common games tiebreaker against the Panthers. Even with a Bucs loss and a Panthers win, Tampa Bay should stand firm as the expected NFC South winner.

It’s not a guarantee it’ll look that way at the end of the season, because the Panthers and Bucs have yet to face each other. But for this week, we shouldn’t see any major shakeups for the Bucs. Tampa is a 5.5-point favorite heading into this game.

Here’s the latest NFC South standings and NFC playoff picture and where the Buccaneers stand heading into Week 15.

NFC South standings

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 7-6 (tiebreaker: Panthers/Bucs common opponents record)
2. Carolina Panthers 7-6
3. Atlanta Falcons 4-9
4. New Orleans Saints 3-10

Current NFC playoff picture

1. Los Angeles Rams 10-3
2. Green Bay Packers 9-3-1
3. Philadelphia Eagles 8-5
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 7-6
5. Seattle Seahawks 10-3
6. San Francisco 49ers 9-4
7. Chicago Bears 9-4
8. Detroit Lions 8-5
9. Carolina Panthers 7-6
10. Dallas Cowboys 6-6
11. Minnesota Vikings 5-8

NFC teams eliminated from playoff contention

Atlanta Falcons
Arizona Cardinals
New Orleans Saints
Washington Commanders
New York Giants