The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have had an indifferent 2025 season, and with just two games left in the regular season, everything is still on the table.
The Bucs can still make the playoffs, but also miss completely, so these next two weeks are critical.
After starting the season 5-1, Baker Mayfield was an MVP candidate, but things have gone south in a hurry for the Buccaneers.
Winning just two games since Week 6, Tampa Bay is in free fall at 7-8, but how does Baker juggle what went on earlier in the season when things were great, to now, where the walls are closing in on his team?
"It's a long season," Mayfield said. "Everything we want is still right in front of us, despite everything that's gone on. We can win out, make the playoffs, and still have our goals ahead of us. You have to endure the storm. It's the ups and downs of it, and that's just how it goes."
More: Baker Mayfield has best response to Buccaneers getting out of form slump
Can Bucs win NFC South?
It is a ridiculous statement to say about a team that has just two wins since Week 6, but yes, Tampa Bay can.
Winning its final two games against the Miami Dolphins and the Carolina Panthers, the Buccaneers would clinch the NFC South title...again.
So, the path forward is clear for Tampa Bay, but to walk that path, a serious uptick in form is needed as Todd Bowles' team is just as likely to lose both games if they don't pick themselves up off the canvas.
The season started out well for the Buccaneers, but it's gone sour quickly.
And Mayfield won't want the 2025 season to end in embarrassing fashion, which right now is very much on the cards.
More Buccaneers news:
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- Updated chances for Tampa Bay to make 2025 NFL postseason after Week 16 loss to Panthers
- Is Emeka Egbuka playing today? Why Buccaneers' rookie WR is struggling lately
- Who holds Bucs-Panthers tiebreaker? Explaining NFC South Division playoff scenarios