season

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/buccaneers-defense-could-get-injury-return-boost-amid-nfc-south-race');   ga('set', 'title', 'Buccaneers defense could get injury return boost amid NFC South race');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Buccaneers-news-Tampa-Bays-defense-could-get-injury-return-boost-amid-NFC-South-race.jpg"></figure><h1>Buccaneers defense could get injury return boost amid NFC South race</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-24T09:32:01-08:00">December 24th, 9:32am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-24T09:32:01-08:00">December 24th, 9:32am</time><address><a>Rexwell Villas</a>Rexwell Villas is an experienced sports writer covering a variety of sports, including the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and college football. He's a Communications Arts graduate from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines, and he claims to have JR Smith's conscience with his shot selection. He has won a basketball, a baseball, and a football championship in fantasy all within a year.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NFL</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Tampa Bay Buccaneers need all the help they can get as they look to keep their NFL playoff hopes alive. They could get a boost on the defensive front for their crucial Week 17 matchup versus the Carolina Panthers this coming Sunday, with the team <a href="https://www.buccaneers.com/news/buccaneers-designate-jordan-whitehead-for-return" rel="noopener">announcing an encouraging update</a> on safety Jordan Whitehead.</p><p>“The Tampa Bay Buccaneers today designated safety Jordan Whitehead for return from Injured Reserve,” the NFC South team announced via its official website on Tuesday morning. “Whitehead begins his 21-day practice window today, and he is eligible to be activated at any time during the 21-day period.”</p><h2><b>Buccaneers’ Jordan Whitehead could return as soon as Week 17 </b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/New-York-Giants-quarterback-Tommy-DeVito-15-is-tackled-by-Tampa-Bay-Buccaneers-safety-Jordan-Whitehead-3.jpg"><figcaption>Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/buccaneers-news-jordan-whitehead-feared-suffered-season-ending-pectoral-injury">Whitehead suffered a pectoral injury in the Buccaneers’ 30-7 demolition of the New York Giants</a> in Week 12 at MetLife Stadium. In that game, the 27-year-old Whitehead recorded a total of five tackles (all solo). Since then, Whitehead was put on the injured reserve and has missed four games in a row, including Week 13’s 26-23 overtime victory on the road over the Panthers. After Whitehead’s IR designation, the Bucs signed linebacker Vi Jones to the 53-player roster.</p><p>If Whitehead gets a green light to play in Week 17, he could be an X-factor for the Buccaneers’ stop unit that allowed a total of 367 yards in the win against the Panthers.</p><p>Whitehead also did not suit up in the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/buccaneers-news-baker-mayfield-brutally-honest-rachaad-whites-game-losing-fumble">Buccaneers’ painful 26-24 loss in Arlington at the hands of the Dallas Cowboys</a> last Sunday which relegated them to the second place in the NFC South standing with just two more weeks to go in the 2024 NFL regular season. The Bucs and the Atlanta Falcons both have 8-7 records but the latter own the tiebreaker due to a 2-0 record this season versus Baker Mayfield and company.</p><p>Whitehead, selected in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL draft by the Bucs, signed a two-year deal worth $9 million in March, has 76 combined tackles and three passes defended through 11 games this season.</p><p>As a team, the Buccaneers are just 22nd in the NFL with 23.5 points allowed per game and 25th with 354.3 total yards surrendered per contest. They are also 30th against the pass, with 250.3 passing yards given up per outing.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Buccaneers defense could get injury return boost amid NFC South race

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nfc-playoff-picture-after-falcons-win-buccaneers-stumble-in-week-16');   ga('set', 'title', 'NFC playoff picture after Falcons win, Buccaneers stumble in Week 16');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/NFC-playoff-picture-after-Falcons-win-Buccaneers-stumble-in-Week-16.jpg"></figure><h1>NFC playoff picture after Falcons win, Buccaneers stumble in Week 16</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-23T19:44:44-08:00">December 23rd, 7:44pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-24T08:46:24-08:00">December 24th, 8:46am</time><address><a>Shane Shoemaker</a>Shane Shoemaker is an Associate Editor and Editorial writer for ClutchPoints, covering a wide range of sports and entertainment topics. Shane is a lifelong Tennessean yet refuses allegiance to any Tennessee-based teams. He's a graduate from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga with a BA in Communications/Journalism. There's a good chance he'll never let you forget the Atlanta Braves won the 2021 World Series.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Falcons</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>With two weeks remaining in the regular season, the NFC playoff picture is beginning to take shape, but much remains unsettled. Only two teams, the Detroit Lions and the Philadelphia Eagles, have clinched playoff spots, leaving the other five seeds up for grabs. It’s shaping up to be a thrilling race that could come down to the final week.</p><p>The Lions and Eagles have dominated their respective divisions for most of the season, but both will need to fend off surging rivals to secure their positions. Meanwhile, the NFC West and NFC South continue to shift dramatically. The Los Angeles Rams managed to hold onto their lead in the NFC West this week, but in the NFC South, the Atlanta Falcons reclaimed the division lead from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who had taken it just a few weeks ago.</p><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Buccaneers-quarterback-Baker-Mayfield.jpg"><figcaption>Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The Falcons got some unexpected help in their quest for the division crown. The Dallas Cowboys, eliminated from playoff contention just before their Sunday Night Football game, decided to play spoilers. They delivered an upset victory over the Buccaneers, knocking Tampa Bay out of the playoff picture—for now.</p><p>With the NFC playoff race narrowing and the regular season winding down, here’s a closer look at how the standings are shaping up as the final weeks approach.</p><h2><b>1. Detroit Lions (13-2, 1st in NFC North)</b></h2><p>As beat up as the Lions are, they didn’t let the division rival Chicago Bears overtake them in Week 16. In fact, they made history, earning <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/lions-news-detroit-makes-history-dominant-win-bears">their first 13-win season in franchise history</a>. Detroit remains unbeaten against NFC North foes this season. However, a regular season finale against the Vikings awaits in a couple weeks.</p><h2><b>2. Philadelphia Eagles (12-3, 1st in NFC East)</b></h2><p>The Eagles 10 game winning streak came to an end in Week 16. Philadelphia was outscored 22-12 in the second half, with all of those points from Washington coming in the fourth quarter. It didn’t help matters that the Eagles lost Jalen Hurts to concussion protocol and were forced to sub in Kenny Pickett.</p><h2><b>3. Los Angeles Rams (8-6, 1st in NFC West)</b></h2><p>The Rams have scored under 20 points in their last two games, yet they’ve also allowed just 15 combined points during that span are 2-0 and are on a four game winning streak overall. In Week 16, they went into New York to take down the Jets, while increasing their division lead in the process.</p><h2><b>4. Atlanta Falcons (8-7, 1st in NFC South)</b></h2><p>Everything seemed to go right for the Falcons in Week 16, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/falcons-news-michael-penix-jr-instant-reaction-successful-first-start">including rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr.’s promising debut</a>. Atlanta cruised to a 34-7 victory over the Giants and benefited from the Cowboys upsetting the Buccaneers. With the win and Tampa Bay’s loss, the Falcons regained the NFC South lead, <a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/standings/_/view/playoff" rel="noopener">holding the tiebreaker</a> due to their head-to-head advantage, according to ESPN.</p><h2><b>5. Minnesota Vikings (13-2, 2nd in NFC North)</b></h2><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/vikings-news-sam-darnold-makes-history-heroic-performance-seahawks">Sam Darnold continued to shine</a> and strengthen his MVP candidacy after leading the Vikings to a hard-fought victory in a hostile environment in Week 16. Minnesota edged out the Seahawks 27-24, with Darnold delivering a clutch go-ahead touchdown pass to Justin Jefferson. The Vikings are proving to be a major contender in the NFC playoff picture.</p><h2><b>6. Green Bay Packers (11-4, 3rd in NFC North)</b></h2><p>The Packers hold onto the No. 6 seed, with a convincing win over the Saints on Monday Night Football. With the win they clinched a spot in the NFC playoffs.</p><h2><b>7. Washington Commanders (10-5, 2nd in NFC East)</b></h2><p>The Commanders made a strong statement with a crucial <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/commanders-news-commanders-jayden-daniels-mindset-comeback-vs-eagles-should-fire-up-fans">comeback win over the Eagles</a> to keep their division hopes alive. Despite throwing two interceptions, Jayden Daniels lit up the scoreboard with five touchdown passes, leading Washington to a thrilling 36-33 victory over Philadelphia. The Commanders remain steady in the No. 7 seed in the NFC playoff picture, but their hopes of claiming the division crown are still alive.</p><h2><b>8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-7, 2nd in NFC South)</b></h2><p>After reclaiming the NFC South a couple of weeks ago due to the Falcons’ struggles, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/buccaneers-most-blame-week-16-loss-cowboys">Buccaneers handed it right back to Atlanta</a>. Baker Mayfield did everything he could to keep Tampa Bay’s playoff hopes alive and push the Falcons out of the NFC picture. However, costly turnovers caused by the Cowboys’ defense proved to be the difference. Now, the Buccaneers must hope for some misfortune to befall Atlanta in the coming weeks to regain their spot.</p><h2><b>9. Seattle Seahawks (8-7, 2nd in NFC West)</b></h2><p>A Geno Smith touchdown pass to AJ Barner with just over four minutes remaining seemed poised to seal a victory for the Seahawks. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough, as the Vikings responded with a score on the ensuing drive. Seattle’s hopes were further dashed when they missed a field goal and threw an interception on their final drives. The Seahawks now find themselves needing some good fortune to secure one of the top seven seeds in the NFC playoff picture.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NFC playoff picture after Falcons win, Buccaneers stumble in Week 16

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/cowboys-news-mike-mccarthy-shuts-down-calls-trey-lance-start');   ga('set', 'title', 'Mike McCarthy shuts down calls for Trey Lance to start');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Cowboys-news-Mike-McCarthy-shuts-down-calls-for-Trey-Lance-to-start.jpg"></figure><h1>Mike McCarthy shuts down calls for Trey Lance to start</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-23T17:10:09-08:00">December 23rd, 5:10pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-23T17:22:54-08:00">December 23rd, 5:22pm</time><address><a>Mike Gianakos</a>Mike Gianakos is the former editor-in-chief of High Times magazine, where he also spearheaded the video department and event production. He is a longtime podcaster and even longer suffering NY Jets fan.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Dallas Cowboys</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Despite being eliminated from the playoffs after the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl-news-eagles-choke-commanders-eliminates-49ers-cowboys">Washington Commanders’ wild win</a> over the Philadelphia Eagles earlier in the day, the Dallas Cowboys took the field Sunday night ready to play. Dallas beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 26-24 in Week 16, improving to 7-8 on the season. The team has now won four of its last five games.</p><p>Cooper Rush has played well filling in for Dak Prescott. After a solid performance against the Bucs, Cowboys’ coach Mike McCarthy has no intention of <a href="https://x.com/jonmachota/status/1871315443161374762" rel="noopener">making a change</a>.</p><p>“The mindset is to win. We’re going to Philadelphia to win the game,” McCarthy said after being asked if he planned to give Trey Lance a start in place of Rush, per The Athletic’s Jon Machota on X. The veteran coach wryly added, “The crowd is gonna welcome us with open arms like they always do.”</p><p>Rush made his first start of the season against the Eagles in a Week 10 blowout loss. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/cowboys-dak-prescott-knocked-out-falcons-hamstring-injury">Prescott suffered a hamstring injury</a> against the Atlanta Falcons the previous week. Ultimately, the ninth-year veteran <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/cowboys-news-dak-prescott-to-undergo-season-ending-surgery">underwent season-ending surgery</a>, leaving a massive void in the Cowboys’ offense.</p><h2><b>The Cowboys don’t care about assessing Trey Lance before he hits free agency</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Trey-Lance.jpg"><figcaption>Tim Heitman-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Rush played poorly against Philly and the team briefly turned to Lance. But the fourth-year passer was even worse, finishing the game with <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/cowboys-news-why-trey-lance-fined-22511-eagles">more fines than touchdowns</a>. The Cowboys <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/cowboys-news-mike-mccarthy-sticking-with-cooper-rush-trey-lance-despite-45-yard-game">decided to stick with Rush</a> moving forward and while that appeared to be shortsighted at the time, it was absolutely the right call. After starting the season 3-5 with Prescott leading the offense, Dallas has gone 4-3 with Rush under center.</p><p>Nonetheless, the Cowboys surrendered a fourth-round pick to acquire <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/trey-lance-trade-grading-cowboys-49ers-deal">Lance in a trade with the San Francisco 49ers</a> last offseason. And although <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/cowboys-news-stephen-jones-has-no-remorse-trey-lance-trade">Stephen Jones does not regret</a> landing the former first-rounder, Lance is set to become a free agent after this season. In two years with Dallas, he has two appearances, six pass attempts, zero touchdowns and one interception. And while it seems likely the Cowboys burned a fourth-round pick, everybody appears to be okay with it.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/cowboys-news-wild-ending-vs-buccaneers-sparks-wild-reactions">Dallas got an incredible win</a> over the 8-7 Buccaneers Sunday night. Rush offered just enough production to get the victory and the Cowboys’ defense was relentless. The veteran passer went 26/35 for 292 yards with a touchdown and no turnovers.</p><p>The win likely saved McCarthy’s job as <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/cowboys-news-jerry-jones-immediate-reaction-mike-mccarthy-performance-week-16-win">Jerry Jones was effusive in praising the coach</a> following the game. Jones has repeatedly insisted that he would not fire McCarthy during the season. However, he’s in the last year of his five-year contract and the team is enduring a massively disappointing season. But Cowboys’ players made it clear they have not quit on McCarthy in a nationally televised game in Week 16. And that’s probably enough for Jones to bring him back in 2025.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Mike McCarthy shuts down calls for Trey Lance to start

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/buccaneers-news-sterling-shepard-adorable-intro-cowboys-wins-internet');   ga('set', 'title', 'Sterling Shepard’s adorable intro for Buccaneers-Cowboys game wins the internet');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Sterling-Shepards-adorable-intro-for-Cowboys-game-wins-the-internet.jpg"></figure><h1>Sterling Shepard’s adorable intro for Buccaneers-Cowboys game wins the internet</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-23T09:31:50-08:00">December 23rd, 9:31am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-23T09:31:50-08:00">December 23rd, 9:31am</time><address><a>Rexwell Villas</a>Rexwell Villas is an experienced sports writer covering a variety of sports, including the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and college football. He's a Communications Arts graduate from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines, and he claims to have JR Smith's conscience with his shot selection. He has won a basketball, a baseball, and a football championship in fantasy all within a year.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NFL</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Sterling Shepard stole the show (and our hearts) during <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/buccaneers-most-blame-week-16-loss-cowboys">his team’s Sunday night game in Arlington, Texas against the Dallas Cowboys</a>.</p><p>During the Sunday Night Football player introductions, Shepard introduced himself and his alma mater to the viewers with an adorable twist. Instead of just saying those items by himself, the veteran wide receiver had his two daughters helping him out.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">The cutest Sunday Night Football intro EVER ♥️<a href="https://twitter.com/sterl_shep3?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sterl_shep3</a> 🤝 <a href="https://twitter.com/OU_Football?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@OU_Football</a> <a href="https://t.co/2lyUK7dmOo">pic.twitter.com/2lyUK7dmOo</a></p><p>— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) <a href="https://twitter.com/Buccaneers/status/1871007134617387140?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>With that alone, Shepard, who played college football for the Oklahoma Sooners, should be inducted into the Girl Dad Hall of Fame. If that’s yet to exist, someone can make one and name it after the 31-year-old Shepard.</p><p>Of course, folks on the internet immediately flooded social media timelines, particularly X’s (formerly Twitter) with reactions.</p><p>“girl dad for the win! ❤️,” <a href="https://x.com/PrizePicks/status/1871007957065847246" rel="noopener">said</a> a commenter.</p><p>“Hands down the best intro 👏,” <a href="https://x.com/FanDuelTV/status/1871007613053546505" rel="noopener">shared</a> another.</p><p>“Not a fan of either team but thats a W,” another fan <a href="https://x.com/MichaelDM225/status/1871012941207871922" rel="noopener">commented</a>.</p><p>From a <a href="https://x.com/CowboyMatt214/status/1871006207680668080" rel="noopener">different comment</a>: “Sterling Shepherd with the greatest intro of all time.”</p><p>“Love this man giant for life that’s my boy YOUNG SHEP @sterl_shep3,” another one <a href="https://x.com/TeamMillas/status/1871007254092149123" rel="noopener">said</a>.</p><p>“This is awesome! We need more wholesome moments like this!” <a href="https://x.com/oncallmedicine/status/1871009135409664461" rel="noopener">chimed in</a> an X user.</p><h2><b>Buccaneers’ Sterling Shepard goes down with injury vs. Cowboys</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Sterling-Shepard.jpg"><figcaption>Bob Donnan-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Unfortunately for Shepard, he was not able to finish the game, as he was <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/buccaneers-news-baker-mayfield-weapon-injury-snf-cowboys">forced to exit in the second half due to a hamstring injury</a>, which he apparently suffered after completing a 14-yard catch. Before he left the Cowboys game, Shepard had a catch on three targets for 20 receiving yards.</p><p>It remains to be seen whether Shepard’s injury will cause him to miss the Buccaneers’ next game against the Carolina Panthers at home in Week 17, but Tampa Bay must be hoping that he will just be fine, considering the situation his team is in. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/buccaneers-news-baker-mayfield-guarantee-gut-wrenching-loss-cowboys">Buccaneers’ 26-24 loss to the Cowboys</a> took away Tampa Bay’s control of its playoff destiny with just two more weeks left in the 2024 NFL regular season.</p><p>If Shepard can’t give it a go against the Panthers, the Buccaneers could give the lines of Ryan Miller and Rakim Jarrett increased roles behind future Hall of Famer Mike Evans.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Sterling Shepard’s adorable intro for Buccaneers-Cowboys game wins the internet

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/buccaneers-news-baker-mayfield-guarantee-gut-wrenching-loss-cowboys');   ga('set', 'title', 'Baker Mayfield makes guarantee after Buccaneers gut-wrenching loss to Cowboys');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Buccaneers-news-Baker-Mayfield-makes-guarantee-after-gut-wrenching-loss-to-Cowboys.jpg"></figure><h1>Baker Mayfield makes guarantee after Buccaneers gut-wrenching loss to Cowboys</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-23T07:31:23-08:00">December 23rd, 7:31am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-23T07:31:23-08:00">December 23rd, 7:31am</time><address><a>Owen Crisafulli</a>Owen Crisafulli is a Senior Editor and NFL Lead at ClutchPoints. He recently received his Masters in Business Administration from Nichols College. Previously, he obtained his Bachelor's degree in Sport Management and for a while ran his own sports website. Sports are his passion, and he thoroughly enjoys writing about thoughts and opinions that are related to the game. He has been a lifelong fan of the major professional teams in Boston and loves discussing all topics surrounding those teams.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NFL</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Tampa Bay Buccaneers entered Week 16 in control of their destiny in the NFC South. They left having fallen to second place in the division, as they suffered a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/buccaneers-most-blame-week-16-loss-cowboys">crushing 26-24 upset defeat</a> at the hands of the Dallas Cowboys on “Sunday Night Football.” Things aren’t looking great for the Bucs with just two games left, but <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/buccaneers-news-baker-mayfield-weapon-injury-snf-cowboys">Baker Mayfield</a> made it clear afterwards that just because they are down, doesn’t mean they are out.</p><p>With the Atlanta Falcons falling apart, the Buccaneers had stormed back to take control of the NFC South. With their loss, though, and the Falcons beating the New York Giants, they dropped back down to second place in their division, lowering their chances of making the playoffs. After the game, though, Mayfield indicated there’s no quit in Tampa Bay, even though their <a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/recap/_/gameId/401671790" rel="noopener">path to the playoffs</a> just became a lot more difficult.</p><p>“I’ve said it all along, this group will not quit. That’s the standard that we try to set. It’d be nice to not have to be in that situation, if we’d take care of business earlier in the game,” Mayfield said after the loss, per ESPN.</p><h2><b>Baker Mayfield, Buccaneers still alive in NFC South battle</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Buccaneers-quarterback-Baker-Mayfield.jpg"><figcaption>Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The Buccaneers and Falcons both have 8-7 records, but Atlanta holds the tiebreaker since they beat Tampa Bay in both of their head-to-head matchups this season. However, Tampa Bay finishes off their regular season campaign with a pair of home games against the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints, so they should have a decent shot to win both those contests.</p><p>Atlanta, meanwhile, has to take on a tough Washington Commanders team in Week 17, before closing things out against the Panthers, so Tampa may still have the inside track. However, it won’t mean anything if they deliver another dud performance like they did in Week 16 against the Cowboys. Mayfield is intent on bouncing back, though, and Tampa Bay will have to do just that if they want to find their way into the playoffs.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Baker Mayfield makes guarantee after Buccaneers gut-wrenching loss to Cowboys

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/buccaneers-news-baker-mayfield-brutally-honest-rachaad-whites-game-losing-fumble');   ga('set', 'title', 'Buccaneers’ Baker Mayfield gets brutally honest on Rachaad White’s game-losing fumble');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Baker-Mayfield-gets-brutally-honest-on-Rachaad-Whites-game-losing-fumble.jpg"></figure><h1>Buccaneers’ Baker Mayfield gets brutally honest on Rachaad White’s game-losing fumble</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-23T07:29:10-08:00">December 23rd, 7:29am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-23T07:29:10-08:00">December 23rd, 7:29am</time><address><a>Rexwell Villas</a>Rexwell Villas is an experienced sports writer covering a variety of sports, including the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and college football. He's a Communications Arts graduate from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines, and he claims to have JR Smith's conscience with his shot selection. He has won a basketball, a baseball, and a football championship in fantasy all within a year.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NFL</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Tampa Bay Buccaneers looked as though they were close to pulling off a stunning come-from-behind win on Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys in Arlington, but a brutal fumble committed by running back Rachaad White off a pass from Baker Mayfield foiled that scenario from playing out.</p><p>Tampa Bay was down by nine points with under five minutes left in regulation and that deficit was cut down to two points following Mayfield’s 13-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Ryan Miller and the ensuing extra-point kick from Chase McLaughlin.</p><p>The Bucs’ stop unit then stepped up and forced the Cowboys to punt with 1:52 remaining in the fourth quarter. However, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/buccaneers-most-blame-week-16-loss-cowboys">Buccaneers failed to capitalize on a golden opportunity</a> to go on a game-winning drive, as White lost possession of the ball that was ripped from his hands by Cowboys defensive back DaRon Bland.</p><p>Mayfield <a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/recap/_/gameId/401671790" rel="noopener">shared his thoughts on that turnover</a> that doomed the Buccaneers.</p><p>“He had two hands on the ball, obviously you’ve got to be careful,” Mayfield said after the 26-24 loss to Dallas about White’s fumble, per the Associated Press (h/t ESPN). “The same thing happened to me earlier in the game. They made some plays when it mattered. It’s all about the ball, and they did good taking it away.”</p><p>Mayfield also had a big blunder in the Cowboys game, as he threw an interception earlier in the fourth quarter when the Bucs were down by nine points. Overall, the former Oklahoma Sooners star went 31-for-43 for 303 passing yards, two touchdowns and an interception while also taking four sacks for a loss of 27 yards versus Dallas. White, meanwhile, recorded 10 rushing yards on three carries and 50 receiving yards on seven targets and eight targets.</p><h2><b>The Buccaneers no longer have full control of their NFL playoff destiny</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Baker-Mayfield-with-Tampa-Bay-Buccaneers-2.jpg"><figcaption>Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Tampa Bay’s loss to the Cowboys came on the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/falcons-news-michael-penix-jr-instant-reaction-successful-first-start">same day that the Atlanta Falcons defeated the New York Giants</a>, which resulted in identical 8-7 records for the two NFC South division franchises. The Falcons, however, have the tiebreaker over the Bucs, as Atlanta has two wins over Tampa Bay this season. In other words, the Buccaneers need Atlanta to lose at least one game in the next two weeks to have a chance of making the NFL playoffs.</p><p>The Bucs have the Carolina Panthers up next in a home game in Week 17.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Buccaneers’ Baker Mayfield gets brutally honest on Rachaad White’s game-losing fumble

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/buccaneers-most-blame-week-16-loss-cowboys');   ga('set', 'title', 'Buccaneers most to blame for Week 16 Loss to Cowboys');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Buccaneers-most-to-blame-for-Week-16-loss-to-Cowboys-ARCHIVE-IF-BUCCANEERS-WIN.jpg"></figure><h1>Buccaneers most to blame for Week 16 Loss to Cowboys</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-23T06:30:57-08:00">December 23rd, 6:30am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-23T06:46:34-08:00">December 23rd, 6:46am</time><address><a href="http://hoopnut.blogspot.com/">Enzo Flojo</a>Enzo Flojo is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints and a columnist for Asian basketball at FIBA. He brings a dynamic spirit and background, having expertise that spans writing, analytics, coaching, and broadcasting. He is also currently an Assistant Coach on Scouting &amp; Analytics for the Philippine national youth basketball team.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Tampa Bay Buccaneers entered Sunday’s showdown with the Dallas Cowboys fully in control of their own playoff destiny. Missing star defensive player Antoine Winfield Jr, they still carried the confidence of a four-game winning streak into the matchup. However, that streak came to an abrupt and unexpected end as the Cowboys pulled off a stunning <a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/boxscore/_/gameId/401671790">26-24 victory</a>. Of course, the final score didn’t tell the full story of Tampa Bay’s struggles.</p><h2>Buccaneers Fall Short</h2><p>Heading into Week 16, the Buccaneers had the NFC South firmly within their grasp. Now, that control has slipped away. Their loss to the Cowboys was marked by a failed second-half comeback attempt that fizzled in the final two minutes. Dallas defenders made critical, game-changing takeaways. Meanwhile, Buccaneers linebacker JJ Russell missed a golden opportunity to intercept an easy pass. Moreover, costly turnovers halted Tampa Bay’s momentum, the o-line’s inconsistency derailed the offense, and the defense couldn’t <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/cowboys-news-mike-mccarthy-cooper-rush-decision-trey-lance-twist-commanders-game">find an answer for Cooper Rush</a>. With all these factors working against them, the Buccaneers endured a tough and frustrating night on the field.</p><p>Here we’ll look at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers personnel who are most to blame for their Week 16 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.</p><h2>Skill Players</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Bucky-Irving-scores-a-touchdown-against-the-Dallas-Cowboys.jpg"><figcaption>Tim Heitman-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Bucky Irving <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/buccaneers-news-bucky-irving-forcing-his-way-into-the-rookie-of-the-year-conversation">struggled to find his rhythm</a> on Sunday night, and Rachaad White didn’t fare much better. White’s late-game fumble sealed the loss for the Buccaneers. Sure, they did manage to score a touchdown between them. Still, it wasn’t enough to salvage the performance.</p><p>Victory was within Tampa Bay’s grasp until it was literally ripped away. Two critical turnovers — one by Jalen McMillan and the other by White — proved disastrous. McMillan’s fourth-quarter interception and White’s game-ending fumble exemplified moments where they were simply outmuscled by Dallas defenders.</p><p>McMillan’s costly mistake occurred on a deep endzone attempt from Mayfield. Despite having the ball in his hands during a one-on-one matchup, McMillan allowed Jourdan Lewis to wrestle it away as they tumbled into the endzone. McMillan came up short when it mattered most.</p><p>White’s turnover was equally gut-wrenching. After recovering from what should have been a sack on Mayfield, White inexplicably waved the ball out with one hand before eventually securing it with two. Even then, he couldn’t hold on as Daron Bland ripped it free. These are the types of errors that derail seasons.</p><h2>Offensive Line</h2><p>The Buccaneers’ offensive line was at the heart of Sunday’s struggles. Baker Mayfield was sacked four times. That number could have easily doubled if not for his ability to escape pressure. It wasn’t so much protection as it was survival. This forced Mayfield to extend plays with his legs just to stay afloat.</p><p>The unit did show flashes in the run game. They created enough space for Irving to rack up 68 yards on 16 carries. However, the rushing attack was underutilized, raising questions about the game plan. Still, the line’s inability to consistently protect Mayfield hampered the offense’s ability to execute. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/buccaneers-news-baker-mayfield-weapon-injury-snf-cowboys">Mayfield did his best</a>, throwing for 303 yards and two touchdowns while adding 42 rushing yards. However, he was operating under constant duress.</p><h2>Linebackers</h2><p>Tampa Bay’s linebackers should be the team’s backbone. That said, they were noticeably quiet against Dallas. Even veteran Lavonte David failed to make his usual impact. The group didn’t force any turnovers or deliver big plays. They even allowed the Cowboys to attack the middle of the field with both the run and pass. For a unit that has led the Buccaneers all season, their performance on Sunday night was a major letdown.</p><h2>Secondary</h2><p>The Buccaneers’ secondary was also exposed. This highlighted a glaring need for reinforcements. The painful absence of Antoine Winfield Jr was sorely felt. Allowing Cooper Rush to throw for 292 yards and complete nearly 80 percent of his passes is inexcusable. This group’s inability to make stops or disrupt the Cowboys’ passing game underscored the team’s defensive issues. If the Buccaneers hope to contend, this unit needs significant upgrades and a healthier roster moving forward.</p><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Cooper-Rush-unloads-a-pass-vs.-Commanders.jpg"><figcaption>Peter Casey-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h2>Looking Ahead</h2><p>As the Buccaneers regroup from this loss, they must confront the harsh reality of their shortcomings. This defeat wasn’t about being outplayed as much as it was about self-inflicted wounds—missed opportunities, turnovers, and a lack of discipline at critical moments. With the playoff picture still within reach, Tampa Bay must refocus and address these issues immediately. The final weeks of the season will test their resilience and ability to adapt. If they can clean up their mistakes and capitalize on their strengths, the Buccaneers still have a chance to salvage their season. However, if these problems persist, Sunday night’s game may be remembered as the beginning of the end for their 2024 campaign.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Buccaneers most to blame for Week 16 Loss to Cowboys

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/buccaneers-news-baker-mayfield-weapon-injury-snf-cowboys');   ga('set', 'title', 'Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield loses weapon to injury during SNF vs. Cowboys');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Buccaneers-news-Baker-Mayfield-loses-weapon-to-injury-during-SNF-vs.-Cowboys.jpg"></figure><h1>Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield loses weapon to injury during SNF vs. Cowboys</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-22T21:27:27-08:00">December 22nd, 9:27pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-22T21:27:27-08:00">December 22nd, 9:27pm</time><address><a>Dakota Zientek</a>Dakota Zientek graduated from the University of Iowa in 2020 and has been writing about the NFL ever since. As a die-hard NFL fan, Dakota's fandom rides with the Chicago Bears through thick and thin -- regardless of how much pain it has caused his heart throughout the years. One day, he believes he will celebrate the Bears winning a Super Bowl. Maybe even... a few?</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Dallas Cowboys</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>During Sunday Night Football, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/buccaneers-vs-cowboys-predictions-pick-odds-spread-for-nfl-week-16">Tampa Bay Buccaneers faced the Dallas Cowboys</a>, and receiver Sterling Shepard left the game with a hamstring injury. He was later <a href="https://x.com/JennaLaineESPN/status/1871038215928647823" rel="noopener">ruled out</a>, per ESPN’s Jenna Laine on X.</p><p>Shepard made it mostly through the first quarter, hauling in just one pass for 20 yards on Sunday night.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/bucs-news-lavonte-david-hypes-up-rookie-jalen-mcmillan#:~:text=McMillan%20is%20one%20of%20three,of%20flying%20under%20the%20radar.">Rookie Jalen McMillan</a> stepped up in Shepard’s place, scoring a touchdown late in the first half and cutting their deficit to seven points.</p><h2><b>Buccaneers WR Sterling Shepard having improved 2024 season</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Sterling-Shepard.jpg"><figcaption>Bob Donnan-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>After eight seasons with the New York Giants, Sterling Shepard signed with the Buccaneers in free agency. With a new environment and better quarterback <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/buccaneers-news-tampa-bay-reunites-baker-mayfield-former-oklahoma-weapon">play alongside his former college teammate</a> Baker Mayfield, Sterling is seeing a revival of his career in Tampa Bay.</p><p>In his first season in Tampa Bay, Shepard has caught 31 passes for 323 yards and a touchdown.</p><p>Upon signing with the team, there were reasons to believe he wouldn’t have much of an impact. Sterling joined the Buccaneers following consecutive seasons with fewer than 200 receiving yards, and the bar wasn’t incredibly high.</p><p>However, he’s been a consistent player for Mayfield and the Buccaneers to count on, especially with the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/buccaneers-news-mike-evans-suffers-concerning-injury-vs-ravens">injuries to Mike Evans</a> and Chris Godwin.</p><p>Once Godwin got placed on the IR after suffering a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/buccaneers-chris-godwin-suffers-apparent-gruesome-injury-in-loss-to-ravens">season-ending ankle injury</a> against the Baltimore Ravens, Shepard’s role expanded.</p><p>From Week 8 on, Shepard finished just two games with fewer than five targets— not including Week 16, after exiting in the first quarter.</p><p>Now, as the Buccaneers rely on the Atlanta Falcons to lose for a chance at making the playoffs, they don’t control their own postseason destiny.</p><p>And after losing Shepard, McMillan’s role could expand, as the rookie has strung together a few strong performances heading into Week 16.</p><p>Tampa Bay has a chance of making the playoffs, but it’s a much lower chance following their loss.</p><p>Shepard’s return time is unclear, but with their playoff door closing, the hope is that he’ll be back soon.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield loses weapon to injury during SNF vs. Cowboys

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/tampa-bay-buccaneers-bold-predictions-for-week-16-snf-vs-cowboys');   ga('set', 'title', 'Tampa Bay Buccaneers bold predictions for Week 16 SNF vs. Cowboys');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Tampa-Bay-Buccaneers-bold-predictions-for-Week-16-Sunday-Night-Football-vs.jpg"></figure><h1>Tampa Bay Buccaneers bold predictions for Week 16 SNF vs. Cowboys</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-22T12:10:22-08:00">December 22nd, 12:10pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-22T12:10:22-08:00">December 22nd, 12:10pm</time><address><a>Christopher Hennessy</a>Christopher Hennessy graduated with a journalism degree from Fordham University in 2022. He has also worked at Spectrum News One in Albany, New York and with The Hockey Writers as a New York Islanders writer. Chris is originally from Connecticut and is a lifelong New York Yankees, Islanders, and Jets fan.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Dallas Cowboys</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Tampa Bay Buccaneers hit the road to face the Dallas Cowboys in Week 16. This <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/buccaneers-vs-cowboys-predictions-pick-odds-spread-for-nfl-week-16">Sunday Night Football matchup is huge for the Bucs</a>, who currently lead the NFC South. Dallas is clinging onto slight playoff chances and needs a win to stay alive. Ahead of this important NFC matchup, we’ll make our Tampa Bay Buccaneers Week 16 bold predictions.</p><p>There are not any new injuries to note for the Buccaneers. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/buccaneers-news-chris-godwin-3-word-message-caught-video-after-injury">Chris Godwin is out for the season</a> but Mike Evans has taken over his production since returning from injury. They are coming off a dominant performance against the Chargers last week. Their 40-17 romp over the Bolts put them in the driver’s seat of the NFC South. Now, a big primetime win could put distance between them and the Falcons.</p><p>With all of that considered, it’s time to predict the outcome. Here are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Week 16 bold predictions.</p><p><i><b>*Watch NFL games LIVE with fuboTV (<a href="https://www.fubo.tv/lp/football/?irad=356362&amp;irmp=492408" rel="noopener">free trial</a>)*</b></i></p><h2><b>Baker Mayfield racks up 275 total yards</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Baker-Mayfield-with-Tampa-Bay-Buccaneers-2.jpg"><figcaption>Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/buccaneers-news-baker-mayfield-new-career-high-with-td-explosion-vs-chargers">Baker Mayfield has had his struggles this season but was dominant</a> last week. The Chargers were the best-scoring defense in the league before giving up 40 points to the Buccaneers. He had over 300 total yards and four touchdowns in that game and will keep up the momentum against the Cowboys. Mayfield will rack up 275 yards in this game.</p><p>Mike Evans’ return has been huge for Mayfield. Without both Godwin and Evans, the Buccaneers lost four straight games. But Evans showed why he is a future Hall-of-Famer against the Chargers with 159 yards and two scores. Plus, the Cowboys will be without Trevon Diggs which should open up the passing game.</p><p>Mayfield has eight games with over 275 yards and will add a ninth on Sunday night. The Cowboys’ defense has been brutal this season, the Buccaneers have been on fire, and the combination will be lethal.</p><h2><b>Mike Evans and Bucky Irving both score touchdowns</b></h2><p>With Evans back, attention has turned away from the Buccaneers’ dynamic running-back duo. Bucky Irving and Rachaad White have been great all season and helped keep the offense afloat when Evans was out. Now, Mayfield’s top target is back and finding the end zone at a fantastic rate. Irving and Evans will score against the Cowboys.</p><p>The Cowboys have struggled to stop the run all season, giving up 4.8 yards per attempt rushing and 22 touchdowns. Irving should have plenty of space to run, especially with DeMarvion Overshown out for the season. And with no Diggs, it will be a Mike Evans game, as previously mentioned. In five games against the Cowboys, Evans has two touchdowns with an average of 74 yards per game.</p><p>Irving has been one of the best rookie running backs in the league this year. He joins White to make one of the league’s most underrated running back duos. Irving has not scored a touchdown since Week 13 and this week will be the game to do it.</p><h2><b>Buccaneers win by over seven points</b></h2><p>The Buccaneers need a win, especially after the Falcons got new life on Sunday with Michael Penix Jr under center. They are looking to clinch their fifth straight playoff appearance and have an opportunity to maintain their lead with a win. Considering the Cowboys’ brutal home record, Tampa will roll to a seven-point victory.</p><p>The Buccaneers are 3.5-<a href="https://sportsbook.fanduel.com/navigation/nfl" rel="noopener">point favorites and are</a> -210 on the money line, according to FanDuel. The over/under is 47.5.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Tampa Bay Buccaneers bold predictions for Week 16 SNF vs. Cowboys

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/buccaneers-news-cade-otton-disapointing-week-16-status-update');   ga('set', 'title', 'Buccaneers’ Cade Otton gets disapointing Week 16 status update');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Buccaneers-news-Cade-Otton-gets-disapointing-Week-16-status-update.jpg"></figure><h1>Buccaneers’ Cade Otton gets disapointing Week 16 status update</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-21T14:52:06-08:00">December 21st, 2:52pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-21T15:05:01-08:00">December 21st, 3:05pm</time><address><a>Mike Gianakos</a>Mike Gianakos is the former editor-in-chief of High Times magazine, where he also spearheaded the video department and event production. He is a longtime podcaster and even longer suffering NY Jets fan.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Dallas Cowboys</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Tampa Bay Buccaneers dominated the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 15 to extend their winning streak to four straight games. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/buccaneers-news-baker-mayfield-warning-opponents-40-chargers">Bucs dropped 40 points on LA</a> as they improved to 8-6 on the season. The team hopes to stay hot with a Sunday night matchup against the Dallas Cowboys coming up in Week 16. But <a href="https://x.com/AdamSchefter/status/1870575775063376234" rel="noopener">injuries could slow</a> Tampa Bay down.</p><p>The Buccaneers have ruled Cade Otton out for Sunday’s game due to a knee injury, per NFL insider Adam Schefter on X. Tampa Bay’s tight end was unable to practice this week before squeezing in a limited session Friday after getting banged up against the Chargers.</p><p>While Otton was red hot in the middle of the season when the Buccaneers were missing wideouts Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, he’s cooled off over the last month – coinciding with <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/buccaneers-news-mike-evans-final-medical-update-week-12">Evans’ return to action</a>. Despite the offensive explosion against LA last week, the third-year pro caught just two passes for 24 yards on three targets.</p><p>Still, Otton has put together a solid season, often operating as a security blanket for quarterback Baker Mayfield in the passing game. He has 59 receptions for 600 yards and four touchdowns in 14 games.</p><h2><b>Cade Otton got banged up in the Buccaneers’ Week 15 win over the Chargers</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Cade-Otton.jpg"><figcaption>Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The Buccaneers survived a far more concerning injury this week. A <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/buccaneers-news-baker-mayfield-misses-practice-ahead-cowboys-knee-injury">knee ailment prevented Mayfield from practicing</a> on Wednesday, setting off alarm bells for the team. But the veteran signal caller was able to return to a full session on Thursday and has been removed from the injury report. He’ll be under center in Dallas on Sunday.</p><p>Mayfield has enjoyed an excellent second season with the Buccaneers. In Week 15, he <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/buccaneers-news-baker-mayfield-new-career-high-with-td-explosion-vs-chargers">set a new career-high mark for touchdowns</a>. The seventh-year pro has tossed 32 touchdowns this season. Mayfield has 328 completions for 3,617 with 32 scores and 14 interceptions through 14 games.</p><p>With Baker at the helm, the team’s offense is humming. The Bucs have scored 30 or more points seven times this season. The unit is third overall in yards per game and fourth-best with 28.8 points per contest in 2024.</p><p>Despite the a stellar offense, Tampa Bay is not a lock to reach the playoffs. The four-game winning streak has given the Buccaneers a one-game advantage over the Falcons in the NFC South. But if they don’t win the division, they could miss out on the postseason altogether. Because they’re on top of the NFC South the Buc’s are currently the third seed in the conference but their 8-6 record would leave them a game out of the final Wild Card spot without the benefit of the division lead.</p><p>Should Tampa Bay reach the playoffs, they <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl-news-why-rams-ravens-buccaneers-are-viewed-as-dangerous-playoff-threats">could be a dangerous team</a>. Sunday night’s matchup in Dallas should help clarify things as the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfc-playoff-picture-after-rams-take-control-of-nfc-west-in-week-15">playoff picture comes into focus</a>. The Cowboys are technically still in the postseason hunt but they would need to win out and receive a tremendous amount of help to have a shot.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Buccaneers’ Cade Otton gets disapointing Week 16 status update

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/buccaneers-oc-liam-coens-hilarious-response-to-head-coaching-buzz');   ga('set', 'title', 'Buccaneers OC Liam Coen’s hilarious response to head coaching buzz');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Liam-Coens-hilarious-response-to-head-coaching-buzz.jpg"></figure><h1>Buccaneers OC Liam Coen’s hilarious response to head coaching buzz</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-20T07:46:40-08:00">December 20th, 7:46am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-20T07:46:40-08:00">December 20th, 7:46am</time><address><a>Ryan Bologna</a>Ryan Bologna is an author at ClutchPoints. He studied journalism and communication at UConn.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NFL</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen has thrust his name into head coaching candidacy in just his first year working with the team, and being one of the hot names in this cycle as a young and exciting offensive mind, he was asked how he is handling that buzz, saying that it is <a href="https://twitter.com/PSchrags/status/1870120088784818386" rel="noopener">not hard to ignore</a> because of all of the distractions he has with his current team and being a parent at home.</p><p>“Not extremely difficult at the moment, I’ll be honest,” Liam Coen said, via Peter Schrager of NFL Network. “I mean it’s — there’s literally one goal and that’s the only one, I really hate to sound PC, but that’s the truth. I mean, there’s just no time in the day. I got a kid sick throwing up at home last night. I mean there’s just no time to even truly think about these things. I mean obviously is that a goal, is that a dream? Yeah, but that’s not at all what’s on my mind right now. And the one thing is how are we gonna try to go score points and stop Micah Parsons in this game on Sunday Night Football. That’s truly where the focus is, that’s where it has to be, and you really don’t have enough time to think otherwise right now.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Liam Coen can't think about head coaching buzz because he's got a kid throwing up at home. </p><p>One of us. One of us. One of us.  <a href="https://t.co/uNZBOsifhm">pic.twitter.com/uNZBOsifhm</a></p><p>— Peter Schrager (@PSchrags) <a href="https://twitter.com/PSchrags/status/1870120088784818386?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Coen’s explanation is undoubtedly relatable for some of those out there, including Schrager, who posted the clip on X, formerly known as Twitter. Coen will likely receive interview requests from teams in a matter of weeks, as once the season wraps up, all of the head coach openings will be known, and those teams will be trying to fill their positions.</p><h2><b>Buccaneers look to stay hot as playoffs approach</b></h2><p>Coen <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/why-buccaneers-are-a-clear-super-bowl-contender-after-blowout-win-over-chargers">and the Buccaneers</a> currently sit at 8-6 overall, and are looking to close out the NFC South once again down the stretch. The three games remaining are against the Dallas Cowboys, Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/buccaneers-news-baker-mayfield-misses-practice-ahead-cowboys-knee-injury">The Buccaneers were</a> 4-6 at one point, but have won four in a row in games against the New York Giants, Panthers, Las Vegas Raiders and Los Angeles Chargers. The win over the Chargers was especially impressive. Tampa Bay should be favored in each of its remaining matchups for the rest of the season. The Atlanta Falcons are trying to chase down the Buccaneers for the division title, but Tampa Bay is in complete control of its own destiny.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Buccaneers OC Liam Coen’s hilarious response to head coaching buzz

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/buccaneers-news-baker-mayfield-misses-practice-ahead-cowboys-knee-injury');   ga('set', 'title', 'Buccaneers’ Baker Mayfield misses practice ahead of Cowboys clash with knee injury');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Baker-Mayfield-misses-practice-ahead-of-Cowboys-clash-with-knee-injury.jpg"></figure><h1>Buccaneers’ Baker Mayfield misses practice ahead of Cowboys clash with knee injury</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-18T16:19:13-08:00">December 18th, 4:19pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-18T20:46:22-08:00">December 18th, 8:46pm</time><address><a>Derek Hryn</a>Derek Hryn is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints specializing in NFL and NCAA Football coverage. Derek was previously a fantasy football expert at DK and SB Nation, and he has been featured at FanSided, USA Today, NBC Sports, The New York Post, and others.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NFL</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfc-playoff-picture-after-rams-take-control-of-nfc-west-in-week-15">pushing to remain in NFC playoff contention</a>, but there could be a huge blemish on the injury report leading up to a Week 16 matchup with the Dallas Cowboys.</p><p>Baker Mayfield <a href="https://x.com/TomPelissero/status/1869515798022349224" rel="noopener">did not practice</a> on Wednesday because of a knee injury, per Tom Pelissero on X, formerly Twitter. It’s uncertain how serious the ailment is, but it’s certainly <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/why-buccaneers-are-a-clear-super-bowl-contender-after-blowout-win-over-chargers">not what the Buccaneers need</a>, riding a four-game win streak.</p><p>Mayfield has thrown for 3,617 yards and 32 touchdowns in his seventh campaign, and has been locked in with star wide receiver Mike Evans as the tandem attempts to lead their squad to a playoff appearance. On a side note, Mayfield gives Evans the best opportunity to reach his incredible 1,000-yard milestone. He is currently sitting on 749 yards, and has three more games left to hit 1,000 yards for his 11th consecutive NFL season.</p><p>At 8-6, the Tampa Bay is looking like one of the league’s strongest offenses with Mayfield under center. It would certainly make things difficult if the 29-year-old gunslinger finds himself on the injury report going into the weekend.</p><h2><b>Buccaneers’ Week 16 outlook if Baker Mayfield doesn’t play</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Baker-Mayfield-1.jpg"><figcaption>Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The Buccaneers are very balanced offensively. As high-powered they are in the passing game, the backfield has been just as explosive with Rachaad White and Bucky Irving operating in a timeshare.</p><p>Each game is being treated <a href="https://www.buccaneers.com/news/baker-mayfield-fast-starts-bucs-have-keep-foot-gas" rel="noopener">like a must-win</a>.</p><p>“We’ve done an exceptional job of starting fast,” said Mayfield, per Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com. “Now it’s about not taking your foot off the gas and still being consistent. Why have we started fast? Guys are executing the plan. Whatever is being called, we’re executing at a high level. It’s just got to stay that way. There needs to be no drop-off. You have to hit the reset button. It goes back to good or bad, the next play is the most important one.”</p><p>As the team continues to try and fend off the 7-7 Atlanta Falcons for the NFC South, it’s doesn’t go unnoticed that any potential Mayfield absence could spell trouble down the stretch.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

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