The upset knocked the Bucs out of first place in the division and put the Carolina Panthers on top by one-half game. With its fifth loss in its past six games, including a 24-20 setback to NFC South cellar-dweller New Orleans on Sunday, Tampa Bay dropped to 7-7 for the 2025 season.

Week 15 begins with a game the Buccaneers need to win if they want to stay in first place in the NFC South, and continues with several other games that have playoff implications.

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There are still seven available playoff spots in each of the AFC and NFC, but that could change as we enter Week 15 of the NFL season.

Week 16 begins with an NFC South showdown between the Atlanta Falcons (4-9) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-6). Although the Falcons have been eliminated from playoff contention, they can still play spoiler for a Bucs team fighting for the division title with the Carolina Panthers (7-6).

Kirk Cousins threw three touchdown passes to Kyle Pitts Sr., and Zane Gonzalez kicked a 43-yard field goal as time expired to complete the Atlanta Falcons' rally for a 29-28 victory victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday night.