The Bucs have been in this situation before. Almost exactly a year ago all Tampa Bay had to do was beat New Orleans at home in Week 17 to clinch the NFC South title.

The Saints had other ideas and raced out to a 23-0 lead before the Bucs clawed back to make the final score 23-13. That meant that the team had to go to Carolina in Week 18 to beat a two-win Panthers team to clinch the NFC South. They did it, but the Bucs didn’t make it look easy as they won, 9-0, due to stellar defense and a trio of Chase McLaughlin field goals.

Even in 2022, the Bucs trailed the Panthers at home, 14-10, at halftime in Week 17 before coming back to win the game and the division, 30-24, in the nick of time.

This time around, after just defeating the Panthers, the Bucs are once again in a “win-and-in” type of scenario when it comes to the NFC South title and the playoffs. Instead of going on the road to Carolina, they’ll be home at Raymond James Stadium facing a different division rival, a 5-11 New Orleans Saints squad. This should be a game where the Bucs dominate and win handily, but last season’s clinching game was too close for comfort, and Tampa Bay hopes to avoid a repeat performance.

Todd Bowles Was Asleep As Bucs Moved Into First Place

Bucs head coach Todd Bowles – Photo by: USA Today

Of course this was all made possible by the fact that the Washington Commanders defeated the Falcons in overtime on Sunday night football to put the 9-7 Bucs ahead of 8-8 Atlanta. Many members of the Bucs organization stayed up to watch the game. Baker Mayfield went as far as to say that he’s the “biggest Jayden Daniels fan.”

But one person who didn’t watch the game, opting for a good night’s sleep after the 48-14 win over the Panthers, was head coach Todd Bowles.

“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.”

Bowles has been known to arrive at the Bucs facility very early in the morning before dawn. Regardless of when he saw the news, it’s a good feeling to have Tampa Bay back in control of its own destiny once again.

“[We’re] very fortunate,” Bowles said. “It was a good ballgame, went back and forth, but to have a chance to control our own destiny is all we can ask for so we have to go out and take it.”

How Will The Bucs Respond To A Must-Win Scenario When The Saints Come To Town?

Bucs DB Tykee Smith – Photo by: USA Today

The scenario of clinching the division crown by just needing a win feels different and better this season. It’s probably because Tampa Bay has a Top 5 offense in every important statistical category. The Bucs are averaging 29.7 points per game and are scoring at a high rate. They’ve reached at least 40 points in two of their last three games, including Sunday’s 48-14 win over Carolina.

The Saints, on the other hand, don’t look like a threat at all. They have an interim coach and an aging team. They’ve scored 10 points in their last two games and have rookie Spencer Rattler in at quarterback with Derek Carr out with an injury. Let’s remember that this is the opponent that the Bucs scored their most points against this season, dropping 51 on them in New Orleans during Week 6 in a come-from-behind 51-27 win that featured a second half shutout.

Certainly the Saints would like to play spoiler and end their awful season on a high note. But with how explosive the Bucs offense looks, and how lethargic the Saints look when they have the ball, it looks like Tampa Bay won’t have to stress all that much on Sunday.

Just take care of the football and take care of business in getting to 10 wins this season.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: USA Today

“They have to do the little things right,” Bowles said. “They shouldn’t respond any other way than they responded yesterday. We have to do the little things right. It’s a division opponent, we know it’s going to be a dog fight. We had to win one last year – last game of the season, it was 9-0. It was a dog fight with Carolina so we expect the same thing.”

Then again, division games are always the most difficult. Especially when it’s your most bitter rival.

New Orleans is 5-1 in its last six trips to Raymond James Stadium, so the Bucs can’ take the Saints lightly.

“Just knowing it’s going to be a tough game,” Bowles said. “They have a lot of prideful guys over there. It was a tough game at half time 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.”