No Team Has More at Stake Than the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 13

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be fighting for their playoff lives when they take on the Carolina Panthers this Sunday.

Nov 10, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) talks with offensive coordinator Liam Coen during the first half against the San Francisco 49ers at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images / Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

The term 'must-win' probably gets thrown around a little too loosely in professional sports.

In the NFL however, with each team only playing 17 regular season games, must-win scenarios present themselves earlier than other major sports leagues.

Even though they've only played 11 games this year, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have already entered 'must-win' territory. They're not the only team in the league to find themselves in such a precarious situation, though. In fact, there are quite a few teams who's playoff lives are clinging to a thread.

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In regards to this weekend's games in particular, no team in the NFL has more to lose (or gain) than the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Bucs chances at making the postseason will change drastically based on the outcome of this game vs. the Carolina Panthers. According to Pro Football Focus, if the Bucs are able to prevail this week in what will be their first of two remaining matchups vs. the Panthers, then their chances of making the postseason will jump significantly to 57%. If they lose? That percentage will drop all the way down to 21%.

In other words, the result of this single game vs. the Carolina Panthers represents a 36% swing in playoff odds for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The teams with the most at stake in Week 13 👀 pic.twitter.com/8fdNBOrJjW

— PFF (@PFF) November 29, 2024

The Arizona Cardinals and Washington Commanders both have a 28% swing based on whether they win or lose their respective games this weekend, which is tied for the second-highest swing percentage in the league.

The Atlanta Falcons, who play the Los Angeles Chargers at home, have the fifth-highest swing percentage at 26%. If they lose, their chances of making the postseason will drop to 57% as opposed to skyrocketing all the way up to 83% with a win.

Understandably, the Falcons' fate is very closely tied to that of the Buccaneers. As a result, Bucs fans would be wise to pay special attention to that Falcons-Chargers game which kicks off at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday.

As for the Bucs themselves? They need to focus only on what they can control. And regardless of what happens in Atlanta between the Chargers and Falcons this week, the Buccaneers will be fighting for their playoff lives when they take on the Carolina Panthers.

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