Buccaneers Retain NFC South Lead After Big Chargers Win

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers remain atop the NFC South after a crucial win over the Chargers.

Dec 15, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers guard Ben Bredeson (68) and quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) celebrate as the leave the field after defeating the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Had the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost against the Los Angeles Chargers, they'd be second in the NFC South once again — the Atlanta Falcons beat the Las Vegas Raiders, so the tiebreaker would go back there.

But that didn't happen. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers walloped the Los Angeles Chargers 40-17 on Sunday, and as a result, they remain kings of the NFC South.

The Bucs are still on top one game out from the Falcons. That's where they need to be, as tying in record with Atlanta would result in the Falcons leading the division, a fate Tampa Bay avoided on Sunday with a win over Los Angeles. You can check out the current NFC South standings down below to see where everybody stands:

Team	W	L	T	Pct.	PF	PA	Home	Away	Strk
Tampa Bay Buccaneers	8	6	0	.571	403	326	3-4	5-2	W4
Atlanta Falcons	7	7	0	.500	293	342	3-4	4-3	W1
New Orleans Saints	5	9	0	.357	309	312	3-5	2-4	L1
Carolina Panthers	3	11	0	.214	247	418	2-6	1-5	L4

The New Orleans Saints played a close game with the Washington Commanders, but a failed two-point attempt saw them lose 20-19. The Carolina Panthers were favored against the Dallas Cowboys, but ended up dropping that game 30-14.

The Bucs will next head to Dallas to face the Cowboys in an attempt to add another win and further their lead. The Saints will face off against the Green Bay Packers on the road, the Falcons will host the New York Giants and the Panthers will host the Arizona Cardinals in Charlotte.

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