Rather than watch the Falcons play at Washington on Sunday night — which would determine whether the Bucs regained control of their playoff fate — Todd Bowles said he decided to go to sleep.
But the Bucs head coach awoke to an outcome that he only could dream about.
The Commanders beat the Falcons 30-24 in overtime on a 2-yard touchdown pass from rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels to tight end Zach Ertz.
Simply put, the Bucs (9-7) not only regained a one-game lead over Atlanta (8-8) but they can win a third straight NFC South championship with a victory this Sunday over New Orleans at Raymond James Stadium.
“I was actually asleep, but I saw the results this morning and I’m good,” Bowles said. “I saw the highlights and everything this morning.
“We’re fortunate. It was a good ballgame. It went back and forth and having a chance to control our own destiny is all we can ask for. We have to go out and take it.”
The Bucs beat the Saints (5-11) 51-27 in New Orleans on Oct. 13. But despite rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler making his first start, the Bucs blew a 17-0 lead and were outscored 27-7 in the second quarter before not allowing a score in the second half.
Since then, New Orleans has fired head coach Dennis Allen and lost 25-10 to the Raiders on Sunday. But Bowles said he expects a tough game from another NFC South opponent.
“They have a lot of prideful guys over there,” he said. “It was a tough game at halftime the first time we played them, (we) kind of got away from them in the second half. We made some plays; we don’t expect it to be any different. We have to keep doing the little things right, we have to play every play and we have to try to make some plays to win this ball game.”
Bowles said he still was uncertain about the health status of some players. Cornerback Jamel Dean left Sunday‘s game with a knee injury and did not return. Safety Antoine Winfield Jr. has missed the last three games with a knee injury but could return against the Saints.
“He’s getting better,” Bowles said of Winfield. “Again, I have to see him run a little bit more before I make that decision.”
The Bucs also could get some pass rush help from former Pro Bowl edge rusher Shaquil Barrett, who ended his retirement and re-signed with the team Saturday but was inactive against the Panthers. Bowles said it’s possible Barrett could be active against New Orleans.
“We’ll consider it,” Bowles said. “We have to see how his practice week goes.”
The Bucs are coming off one of their best performances of the season. Quarterback Baker Mayfield passed for 359 yards and five touchdowns, including two each to Mike Evans and rookie Jalen McMillan.
Evans needs only 85 yards receiving to tie Jerry Rice with 11 consecutive seasons of at least 1,000 yards receiving.
Evans said he was pleased by the way his team bounced back from a 26-24 loss to the Cowboys the previous week.
“Everybody’s professional and we’ve got guys with a lot of experience that’s been here before and we keep playing,” Evans said. “Keep playing hard for one another and for this franchise.
“We were the most physical team. I told the guys before the game, ‘The most physical team will win this.’ We knew we were more talented than them, we just had to play harder and be more physical and we did that. When you lose games, it shifts your focus back to what it should be and that’s being very detailed and very physical. We came out here (Sunday) very angry and that’s what it going to take.”
As for the streak, Evans said he knows it’s within reach.
“I couldn’t track it, but I know I’m getting close,” he said. “I’m just trying to make every play that comes my way.”
For the second straight season, the Bucs enjoyed a 3-1 start, hit a midseason swoon by losing five of their next six games and now could finish the season by winning six of their final seven.
“We have one more to win,” Bowles said. “They’ve taken it game by game. They’ve taken the little things every day and tried to get better. We really didn’t look outside of what we couldn’t control, and we can’t do that this week as well. I thought the guys handled it well.”
Up next
vs. Saints, 1 Sunday, Raymond James Stadium TV/radio: Fox; 97.9-FM
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Conclusion:
The Bucs are in a strong position to secure a third straight NFC South championship with a victory over the Saints. Despite facing challenges, the team remains focused on controlling their destiny and making the most of their opportunities on the field.
FAQs:
1. What is the Bucs’ current record?
The Bucs are 9-7 and leading the NFC South.
2. Who did the Bucs defeat in their previous game?
The Bucs defeated the Saints 51-27 in New Orleans.
3. What milestone is Mike Evans close to achieving?
Mike Evans needs only 85 yards receiving to tie Jerry Rice with 11 consecutive seasons of at least 1,000 yards receiving.
