The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are 8-5, and as close to the NFL playoffs as they’ve been since 2008, when only four straight season-ending losses kept them out.
That said, they’re not overwhelmingly likely to actually make it to the postseason. Football Outsiders gives the Bucs a 55% chance of making the playoffs, the New York Times’ Upshot blog gives them a 57% chance, and FiveThirtyEight gives them a 54% chance. Those odds represent only small improvements over last week’s chances.
That could change with a win against the Dallas Cowboys tomorrow.