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The 2025 NFL season has been a tale of two halves for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Buccaneers, led by Baker Mayfield, started the season very hot with a handful of comeback wins. They began 3-0 and were 5-1 after six games. Now, the Bucs are 7-9 and are on the verge of missing out on the postseason. The only way Tampa Bay can make the playoffs is if they beat the Carolina Panthers on Saturday night, and watch the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons play on Sunday, needing a win from the Saints.
Baker Mayfield has been playing banged up, which is typically the case for him. It seems like Mayfield is never 100% but plays like a pitbull on the field, battling through tough hits. Against the Miami Dolphins last week, Mayfield struggled with two interceptions but was able to complete 33 passes for 346 yards and two touchdowns. He is certainly trying his best out there, but the luck has not been on his side as it was early in the season. This team has been playing from behind a lot this season.
Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator, Josh Grizzard, says that Mayfield is “ready to roll” for Week 18, despite having shoulder and knee pain.
The Bucs host the Panthers on Saturday night, as mentioned earlier, so this is essentially a primetime game to end the regular season. It will be treated as a playoff game for both teams, but the Panthers can still advance even with a loss. Tampa Bay has lost four straight games to even be in this position. The Buccaneers are not playing like a team worthy of being in the postseason, despite huge wins against the San Francisco 49ers, Houston Texans, and Seattle Seahawks this season.
Latest rumors show that head coach Todd Bowles could be on the hot seat if the Bucs miss the playoffs.
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