Bucs’ path to NFC South title includes another collision with Saints

It could be sinful, considering their past, if the Saints and Bucs weren’t competing for the NFC South division championship.

From 2017 to 2020, New Orleans won four titles in a row despite Tampa Bay eliminating the Saints from the postseason en route to winning Super Bowl 55. The Bucs (8-7) will now attempt to hoist a third consecutive championship banner, a feat never before accomplished by the team.

It makes sense that the Bucs’ route to the postseason involves a final matchup with the Saints, who are currently 7-8 and one game behind in the standings.

“It’s definitely been hard to dominate any division,” Bucs coach Todd Bowles said Monday. “But in our division, you know, the Saints have been running it for quite a while. We won a couple games, and we won it the last two years. We’re trying to win it a third year, but it’s always going to be tough sledding when you’re in a division going for a title at the end.”

The Bucs were 4-7 going into December after losing six of their previous seven games. However, Bowles claimed he never gave up hope that his team could win the majority of those games, thinking they were just a few mistakes away from doing so.

Bowles stated, “We were fighting and making dumb plays here and there, so I was actually encouraged during the losing streak.” We were aware that we could win a game by a touchdown or two if we cleared those out. We simply persisted in checking it out once a week.

“It’s okay to correct the guys and coach them and chastise them and all that stuff, but we knew we were close to at least playing solid football if we cleaned those things up. We cleaned those things up and it’s kind of working for us right now.”

Following their 30-12 rout of the Jaguars on Christmas Eve, confidence was surging. Much of it surrounds quarterback Baker Mayfield, who is among the hottest passers in the league this month with a 4-0 record, 1,010 passing yards with 10 touchdowns and one interception.

“He’s been outstanding. He’s been outstanding in December,” Bowles said. “That’s what you want from your quarterback in December. Everybody knows each other’s plays right about now but when you’re trying to make a push, if the quarterback is playing great, it gives you a chance.”

The Bucs’ win streak has coincided with the growth of some young players, especially on defense, like outside linebacker YaYa Diaby. The rookie from Louisville took the starting job at outside linebacker from Joe Tryon-Shoyinka around midseason. On Sunday, Diaby led the Bucs with 1.5 sacks, five tackles, a forced fumble and fumble recovery. He leads the Bucs with 6.5 sacks this season.

The fact that he was a shutdown run defender and could seal off the edge was the main reason Bowles took a chance on him in the draft. We were aware of his ability to run forward. Because he played inside as a three-technique at Louisville, we didn’t know a whole lot about his pass-rush arsenal.

We were aware of his exceptional athleticism, and after observing his movements upon entering the building, we concluded, ‘This guy has the potential to be a very good football player.’ You can kind of see a lot of his growth and improvement right now. He has kept growing and growing.

Bowles praised the young players in general for stepping up.

“They continue to get better and better — you can see the confidence growing in them and it’s growing at the right time,” he said.

Even the Bucs’ four-game win streak started slowly.

Despite their poor play, they defeated Carolina 21–16. The Bucs’ offensive performance was subpar in Atlanta, where Mayfield led a drive that ended up winning the game in the closing seconds. Subsequently, the Bucs quarterback had outstanding performances, including a perfect passer rating at Lambeau Field. On Sunday, the defense forced four turnovers in the team’s defeat of the Jaguars.

“You simply need to exercise patience,” said receiver Chris Godwin. “Have faith in the procedure. Have faith in our work and in the men surrounding you. And right now, we’re attempting to maintain the momentum.

Now that they have the chance to win a third consecutive NFC South title by sweeping the Saints, the Bucs can play hat and T-shirt games. Mayfield claimed that gatherings at home are always more enjoyable.

That’s how we think. I’m going to finish it at home,” he declared. “And then, approach Carolina (for the regular-season finale) with the same mindset.” Better seeding is still something we’re aiming for. You receive the fourth seed, of course, if we win the division. Who knows what might occur, though?

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