Buccaneers Target Three Wins to Rejoin NFC South Race

Tampa Bay's chances of returning to the NFC South playoff race will depend heavily on its next three games after the Buccaneers earned their first victory of the 2026 NFL season with a 24-16 win over the Dallas Cowboys. The result improved Tampa Bay to 1-4 and gave rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels his first NFL victory, creating an opportunity to close the gap on division leaders Carolina and Atlanta.

According to Sports Yahoo's October 11 report, the Buccaneers face the Pittsburgh Steelers at home in Week 6 before playing two consecutive divisional opponents: the Carolina Panthers on the road in Week 7 and the Atlanta Falcons at home. Winning those games would give Tampa Bay a chance to improve its position in a division where an eight-win record was enough to claim the title last season.

The NFC South remained competitive through the opening weeks. Carolina and Atlanta entered Week 5 with 2-2 records, while Tampa Bay's victory lifted it from 0-4 to 1-4. The New Orleans Saints also stood at 1-4 after losing to the Minnesota Vikings, according to the October 11 report.

Tampa Bay's immediate challenge is Pittsburgh, which entered the season's sixth week at 3-2. The Steelers have produced inconsistent results, giving the Buccaneers an opportunity to build on their performance in Dallas before facing two opponents from their own division.

The Panthers had strengthened their position with a 32-26 victory over the Detroit Lions in Week 4, according to the Carolina Panthers' October 8 report. Quarterback Bryce Young and receiver Tetairoa McMillan helped lead the offense, while Carolina's defense held Detroit below 30 points for the first time that season.

Carolina's head-to-head victory over Atlanta in Week 2 also gave the Panthers an advantage in the division standings. The Falcons subsequently defeated the Saints 45-24 in a nationally televised game marking the 20th anniversary of the Superdome's reopening after Hurricane Katrina.

For Tampa Bay, the victory in Dallas followed a difficult opening stretch that included a 17-14 loss to the Green Bay Packers. Daniels made his first start in that game while Baker Mayfield recovered from a dislocated thumb on his throwing hand.

The Buccaneers' official October 8 division roundup reported that Daniels completed 19 of 27 passes for 148 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions against Green Bay. He also rushed for 55 yards on eight carries, setting a franchise record for rushing yards by a rookie quarterback.

Head coach Todd Bowles backed Daniels to continue starting after his first appearance, despite the loss to Green Bay. Tampa Bay's decision reflected Mayfield's injury and the coaching staff's assessment of the rookie's performance.

Bowles said the team needed to correct its mistakes and finish games more effectively after the Packers loss.

"It's on us," said coach Todd Bowles. "We know what the problem is. It's on us.

We can't keep getting close and not winning. That's not good enough. Our record says what we are.

We're 0-4. We acknowledge that and correct our own mistakes (or) it's going to keep happening. We talked about it as a team: We're going to be a team, and we've got to play tougher in the end, and we've got to execute in the end.

That's the only way you can win a ballgame."

Bowles also confirmed Daniels would start against the Cowboys, citing the rookie's ability to remain composed and use his mobility despite the challenges of his first NFL start.

"Yeah, he'll be the quarterback Thursday night," said Bowles. "He had some ups, and he had some downs, but for his first time out there, he didn't panic; he didn't do anything. He escaped, used his legs well at times. It's his first game – he's going to have some ups and downs."

Tampa Bay's defense had also delivered encouraging performances despite the team's early losses. The Buccaneers held Green Bay to 283 total yards, extending their streak to three consecutive opponents held below 300 yards, the team's longest such run since 2007. The defense ranked fourth in the NFL in total defense at that point, allowing an average of 282.8 yards per game.

However, the defense failed to record a sack against Green Bay and managed only two quarterback hits. Safety Antoine Winfield Jr. also suffered a rib fracture and was expected to miss two to four weeks, according to Bowles.

Mayfield's recovery remained another factor in Tampa Bay's immediate outlook. The initial estimate placed his absence at a minimum of three weeks, while an ESPN report cited by the Panthers' roundup suggested a three-to-six-week recovery period that could keep him out for the Week 7 game against Carolina.

The Buccaneers' next scheduled test is their Week 6 home game against Pittsburgh, followed by the divisional matchups against Carolina and Atlanta. Daniels is expected to make another start while Mayfield continues recovering from his thumb injury.