QB Baker Mayfield's health is shaky, but Tampa Bay needs a super performance. Can he overcome injuries and deliver playoff glory?
The playoff scenario is pretty straightforward for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
If the Bucs beat Carolina Saturday (4:25 p.m. ET) -- and the New Orleans Saints beat the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday -- Tampa, at 8-9, will win its sixth straight NFC South title.
If the Bucs lose to Carolina, they will miss the playoffs and finish the season with double-digit losses. That would be quite a fall for a team that started 6-2.
If QB Baker Mayfield plays well, the Bucs will probably win. If he doesn't, the Bucs will probably go home for the winter.
Eric Edholm of NFL.com understands Mayfield's importance and also points out that the Bucs have some of their key weapons back.
The problem is, Mayfield isn't 100-percent himself.
"The Bucs' offense seemingly has gotten healthier with the returns of wide receivers Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan and running back Bucky Irving," Edholm wrote Wednesday.
But Mayfield is listed on the team's injury report with a right (throwing) shoulder injury after he'd had one to his left shoulder previously this season, adding to his list of recent ailments.
Mayfield has been, as usual wherever he plays, inconsistent this season. He threw 16 touchdowns and two interceptions through the first nine games; then nine TDs and eight INTs through the next seven.
"We’ve been blessed with a chance next week," Mayfield told reporters after Sunday's 20-17 loss in Miami. "We have this one back at home, and it comes down to execution. Players have to deliver. I’ll get this group ready.
"Out of bullets, out of lives. That’s all right with me."
Mayfield also hasn't been afraid to take responsibility when Tampa trips up -- and did so days after the team's Thursday night collapse against the visiting Falcons on Dec. 11.
"It comes down to the offense," Mayfield later told reporters. "You're up two scores, you have a chance to put the game away, and you don't. The easy thing to do is point at the defense, because their situation is the last thing you see in the game.
"But if you look at the whole game, you look at the way it played, blame me, don't blame Todd (Bowles)."
Bowles, Baker and the Bucs have one last chance to make the playoffs.