Replace: Carolina defeated Tampa Bay 23-20 in Week 16 to take the lead atop the NFC South standings. The Panthers can formally clinch the division title subsequent week with a victory over the Seahawks and a Buccaneers loss to the Dolphins. In any other case, the division can be determined in a winner-take-all rematch between these two groups in Week 18.
The NFC South has been a little bit of a multitude this season, and whereas we in all probability is not going to see a sub-.500 workforce win the division, the winner gained’t be getting a variety of assist as a playoff favourite. The division title will come all the way down to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers, and so they kick off a remaining three-week run that can resolve it.
The Bucs and Panthers have but to face one another this season, saving their two matchups for the ultimate three weeks of the season. The Panthers host the primary one in Week 16 and the Bucs host the season finale in Week 18.
Tampa Bay has misplaced two straight and 5 of its final six video games to blow what had been a robust begin to the season. The Bucs went into their bye with a 6-2 document and have since collapsed whilst they begin to get more healthy. Over the previous two weeks, they’ve misplaced back-to-back divisional dwelling video games through which they had been favored. They misplaced 24-20 to the Saints after which 29-28 to the Falcons.
Carolina blew an enormous alternative final week in shedding 20-17 to New Orleans. The Panthers got here out of their bye off an enormous win over the Rams. After they Bucs misplaced to the Falcons on Thursday Evening Soccer in Week 15, it opened the door for the Panthers to take a one-game lead. As a substitute, they blew it towards the Saints and now the division is all however sure to return all the way down to Week 18.
The Bucs are a three-point highway favourite on this recreation.
NFC South playoff image
It’s a straight ahead remaining three weeks of the season. Neither workforce can declare a wild card berth, and so it comes all the way down to the division title or bust. In between their two matchups, the Bucs journey to face the Dolphins whereas the Panthers host the Seahawks.
The 2 groups head into this recreation with the Bucs sitting in first place as a result of frequent video games tiebreaker. In the event that they break up these remaining two video games and each groups win in Week 17, the Bucs will declare the division title with the frequent video games tiebreaker. We gained’t know whether or not the Week 18 contest in Tampa issues till after each groups wrap up Week 17.
