MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers still can rescue their season and clinch another division title.
That’s even with a two-month slide that would currently keep them out of the playoffs. The path to the postseason narrow, yet achievable. If Tampa Bay wins out the final two weeks, it will reach the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season and secure a fifth straight NFC South title.
The first test will be Sunday, when the Buccaneers (7-8) close their road slate against the Miami Dolphins (6-9). The Dolphins were eliminated from the playoffs after their loss at Pittsburgh two weeks ago and will start rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers for the second consecutive game.
Still, victories have become scarce for the Buccaneers lately. After a 30-19 win over playoff-bound San Francisco on Oct. 12 that put them at 5-1, the Buccaneers have lost seven of nine. They fell one game behind Carolina (8-7) in the division following a 23-20 loss against the Panthers on Sunday.
The Bucs still control their fate because they end the season at home against the Panthers. If Tampa Bay and Carolina finish 9-8, the Bucs win the division by virtue of a better record against common opponents.
“We understand what we put ourselves in and we understand we’re the only ones that can get us out of it,” Bucs coach Todd Bowles said. “The work ethic continues. The confidence continues with each other and we just have to stay with that.”
Tampa Bay’s Baker Mayfield threw for 145 yards against Carolina — his third-lowest output of the season.
Trailing by three, the Bucs had an opportunity at a tying field goal or go-ahead touchdown when they drove to the Carolina 37 with 49 seconds remaining. But Mayfield was intercepted by Lathan Ransom, ending the Bucs’ comeback bid.
“It’s a long season. Everything we want is still right in front of us despite everything that’s going on,” Mayfield said. “You have to endure the storm. It’s the ups and downs of it and that’s just how it goes.”
The Dolphins nearly overcame a 1-6 start. Their 30-13 victory over division-rival Buffalo on Nov. 9 highlighted a stretch during which they won five of six and had them in the playoff periphery.
But the Dolphins’ postseason hopes ended with the 28-15 loss at Pittsburgh. Then they were routed 45-21 at home by Cincinnati on Sunday, resulting in the second consecutive losing season under Mike McDaniel. Miami reached the playoffs in McDaniel’s first two seasons, but is still without a postseason victory since 2000, the longest drought in the league.
“The Bucs are going to be very on it, it’s going to be important to them,” McDaniel said. “From a competitive standpoint, that’s what our team needs to go against and beat.”
Committed to run
The Buccaneers ran the ball more than they threw it against Carolina. Even though Mayfield had all of his wide receivers available for only the second game this season, they ran 33 times and threw 28.
The Dolphins are 26th against the run and tied for 14th against the pass so keeping the ball on the ground makes sense this week. Still, Mayfield knows he has to get the ball to wideouts Mike Evans, Emeka Egbuka, Chris Godwin Jr. and Jalen McMillan.
“We (have) guys at every position that need to touch the ball multiple times a game,” Mayfield said.
Appreciating McDaniel
Buccaneers offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard was an assistant coach in Miami for seven seasons under three head coaches: McDaniel, Brian Flores and Adam Gase.
Grizzard was the offensive quality control for the Dolphins on McDaniel’s staff in 2022-23. He joined the Buccaneers as the pass game coordinator in 2024 and was elevated after Liam Coen left to coach Jacksonville.
“I would not be in this position that I’m in without Mike,” Grizzard said. “There was essentially a new coordinator every year in Miami, there were coaches getting fired essentially every year. It’s a new system and you see a lot of different ways of calling plays, designing offenses, route running, YAC (yards after catch) ability, marrying the run and pass game. Listening to Mike explain that and the staff that he brought in and the system he had, personally brought all that together.
“That was something that we really leaned on last year with Liam, trying to incorporate that here.”
Third quarter by the numbers
The Dolphins have been disastrous in the third quarter all season, highlighted by their unraveling last week.
After keeping it close with a three-point halftime deficit, Miami turned the ball over on four straight drives against the Bengals — fumble, interception, turnover on downs, interception — which Cincinnati turned into touchdowns.
The Dolphins have been outscored 113-27 in the third quarter this season and been held scoreless 12 times. Miami has only outscored its opponent in the third quarter twice, in wins against the New York Jets and Atlanta Falcons. In the last two weeks, the Steelers and Bengals outscored Miami 35-0.
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AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi in Tampa, Florida, contributed to this report.
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The Associated Press
