The Tampa Bay Buccaneers began Week 13 on the outside looking in when it came to the NFC playoff race. No more.
With their fourth straight win on Sunday, a 28-21 road conquest at San Diego, the Buccaneers took advantage of a very favorable week of results to vault upward in both the NFC South title hunt and the overall conference playoff standings. If the playoffs started today, Tampa Bay would be in, and that would snap an eight-year postseason drought for the franchise.
In addition to Tampa Bay's own win, which improved its record to 7-5, the following Week 13 outcomes worked in the team's favor:
- Dallas defeated Minnesota, 17-15 (on Thursday night)
- Kansas City defeated Atlanta, 29-28
- Detroit defeated New Orleans, 28-13
- Cincinnati defeated Philadelphia, 32-14
- Pittsburgh defeated the New York Giants, 24-14
- Arizona defeated Washington, 31-23
Only Green Bay's win over Houston failed to fall in Tampa Bay's favor, but the Packers remain a game behind the Bucs in the conference standings.