Buccaneers gain control of their destiny for 2025 thanks to the Saints

The road to the playoffs once again runs through Tampa Bay.

With the Carolina Panthers falling to the New Orleans Saints, the Buccaneers are back in first place in the NFC South, reclaiming control of their own destiny as the regular season heads toward its decisive stretch. If the Bucs take care of business, a division title and postseason berth will follow.

It’s a familiar position for a team that has made a habit of rising when the stakes are highest. After Tampa dropped two divisional games to the Saints and Falcons in back-to-back weeks, the Carolina Panthers held the NFC South lead for four days. With the Saints upsetting the Panthers on a last second field goal the NFC South lead is back in Tampa's hands..for now.

What makes this moment significant isn’t just the temporary lead, but the control that comes with it. Every snap from here on out will carry weight. The Bucs have to win two of their last three games to secure the South, and they'll face the Panthers in week 16 and week 18. Tampa can afford a loss next week if they win against Miami and then at home against Carolina in week 18.

Fortune favors the bold, and bold the Buccaneers must be if they want a 5th straight division title. Tampa's defense must do a complete 180 if they're going to run the table. Josh Grizzard and the now-healthy wide receiver core must figure things out and quickly to put points on the board against a feisty Panthers defense and a Dolphins team who would love nothing more than to play spoiler.

This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Bucs gain control of their destiny for 2025 thanks to the Saints