Tampa Bay’s playoff chances are growing slimmer, but still alive despite fourth straight loss

By Canadian Press on December 28, 2025.

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David delivered a speech to his teammates in the locker room following Sunday’s 20-17 loss to the Miami Dolphins.

Baker Mayfield wanted to keep the contents of that message in-house, but the quarterback of the reeling Buccaneers indicated that the veteran’s words were clear that their playoff chances are still alive.

“Here’s the thing,” Mayfield said. “We still have a chance next week. We’ve been blessed with a chance next week, and guys need to handle it the right way. Lavonte spoke to the team after the game and hit the nail on the head, so we’ve got to respond.”

The Buccaneers (7-9) have won the NFC South the past four years and have made six consecutive playoff appearances, but both streaks are in jeopardy because of a dismal stretch in which they’ve lost seven of their past eight games and four straight.

They were close to snapping their skid on Sunday. After falling behind 17-7 to the Dolphins, who are already eliminated from the postseason, Tampa Bay pulled within three points with 54 seconds left on Mike Evans’ 4-yard touchdown catch.

“We didn’t deserve it,” Evans said. “They played like they had a chance at the playoffs, and we played like we were ready to go home.”

The Bucs are still alive in the postseason hunt, however, with the Carolina Panthers’ 27-10 loss to Seattle on Sunday setting up a key Week 18 matchup between the division rivals.

The Buccaneers would still clinch their fifth consecutive division title and a playoff berth if they beat Carolina (8-8) in next week’s regular-season finale to force a two-way tie. If Tampa Bay, Carolina and Atlanta all tie at 8-9, the Panthers would win the division. The Falcons (6-9) host the Rams on Monday night.

“We have to get ourselves together before we worry about anybody else,” said Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles. “Carolina or anybody else. We’re just shooting ourselves in the foot at every chance. That starts with me, I’ve got to coach them better. They’ve got to play better, and then we’ve got to figure out how we can stop making our mistakes to move on. So if we play and do the things we did today next week, we won’t be going anywhere.”

The Buccaneers have just two wins since beating playoff-bound San Francisco 30-19 on Oct 12 to put Tampa Bay at 5-1. They fell one game behind Carolina in the division following a 23-20 loss against the Panthers last week.

Mayfield began the season in MVP conversations but has struggled during this recent stretch. He has thrown an interception in each of the past four games, including two on Sunday, and has failed to record 200 yards passing in five of his past seven games.

Mayfield, who threw for 145 yards with a touchdown and interception at Carolina last week, said he hopes that playing at home will give Tampa Bay an advantage.

“We need to rebound from this, hit the reset button,” he said. “Like Todd said, erase it. It’s about us executing. Listen, to have a chance at home to get in the playoffs and win the division, wouldn’t have it any other way.”

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Alanis Thames, The Associated Press