JIM DAMASKE | Times
At 7-5, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers would be in the NFC Playoffs — if they started today.
Since they don't, here's how the Tampa Bay Times' Bucs coverage team finished the sentence "The Bucs make the playoffs if ...."
A little help, please
Tom Jones, @tomwjones: They get help from an unlikely source: somebody on Atlanta's schedule.
The Bucs are tied with the Falcons, but Atlanta is in good shape in the tie-breakers if both teams finish with the same record. Unfortunately for Tampa Bay, the Falcons schedule isn't very touch down the stretch.