The Bucs face New Orleans in Tampa in Week 18 of the 2024 NFL season

The Bucs face New Orleans in Tampa in Week 18 of the 2024 NFL season

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will face the New Orleans Saints at home in Week 18 with their destiny in their own hands as they look to secure their fourth straight NFC South Division title.

The Buccaneers moved into first place in the division with their dominant 48-14 victory over the Carolina Panthers, followed by a 30-24 overtime loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday night in Washington. The 9-7 Buccaneers hold a one-game lead over the 8-8 Falcons with a week to play and will need to maintain that lead since Atlanta has the tiebreaker due to a straight-up regular season win.

The Buccaneers host the Saints on Sunday, January 5 at Raymond James Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. ET on FOX. The Falcons will play at home against the Panthers at the same time, the game will be broadcast by CBS.

In the battle for the season-ending division title, the Buccaneers struck first with a 551-yard offensive performance against Carolina in Week 17 that saw the team score on seven of its nine possessions. Baker Mayfield threw for 359 yards and five touchdowns and both Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan reached the end zone twice. Rookie running back Bucky Irving surpassed the 1,000-yard rushing mark on an afternoon in which he posted a season-best 190 yards from scrimmage. The Buccaneers defense sacked Panthers quarterback Bryce Young five times and held the visitors to 204 total yards.

Atlanta’s performance in Washington on Sunday night was a thriller. Rookie quarterback Michael Penix threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to tight end Michael Penix on fourth-and-goal, tying the game with a minute left in regulation. Luckily for the Buccaneers, the Commanders won the coin toss in overtime and gained the first possession 70 yards for a game-winning touchdown that ended with a two-yard scoring pass from Jayden Daniels to Zach Ertz.

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