Bucs Narrow NFC South Gap With Big Win Over Giants in Week 12

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are slowly approaching the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC South.

East Rutherford, NJ -- November 24, 2024 -- Baker Mayfield of Tampa Bay runs for a TD late in the first half as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers came to MetLife Stadium to play the New York Giants. / Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers do not control their own destiny. They'll have to see what the Atlanta Falcons do for the rest of the year — but that doesn't mean they have to sit idly and wait.

The Bucs defeated the New York Giants in Week 11 to move to 5-6, which puts them one game back from the Atlanta Falcons at 6-5. That puts them two games back from the division itself, however, as the Falcons hold the tiebreaker on Tampa Bay after beating them twice this year. Here's what the NFC South looks like after Week 12:

Team	W	L	T	Pct.	PF	PA	Home	Away	Strk.
Atlanta Falcons	6	5	0	.545	244	274	3-3	3-2	L2
Tampa Bay Buccaneers	5	6	0	.455	309	273	2-4	3-2	W1
New Orleans Saints	4	7	0	.364	262	260	3-3	1-4	W2
Carolina Panthers	3	8	0	.273	194	340	2-4	1-4	L1

The New Orleans Saints were on bye like the Falcons, but the Carolina Panthers, getting better in the back half of the year, took the Kansas City Chiefs to overtime before barely losing that game 30-27.

The Bucs will face off against that Panthers team this Sunday in Week 13. The Falcons will have their hands full with the Los Angeles Chargers, while the New Orleans Saints will square off against the Los Angeles Rams.

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