Colts and Buccaneers play as both teams hoping for a late run

Late November is when clubs hoping to make the playoffs should start racking up victories.

When they meet each other on Sunday in Indianapolis, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Indianapolis Colts most definitely suit that description.

Tampa Bay may be in a better position to enter the postseason even though they are just 4-6 following a 27-14 loss in San Francisco last week. This is because New Orleans, with a 5-5 record, leads the NFC South. Gain some traction for a few weeks, and it could be sufficient to win a division title.

Safety Antoine Winfield Jr. of the Buccaneers stated, “It’s still in our hands.” “We must now go and ensure that we attend to our business. We must prevail in the games that we are expected to win. For us, it’s still there. In that regard, we have hope.

It’s becoming more serious. It’s approaching the thin end. As these last games approach, we need to make sure we pick up some victories so we can push for the playoffs.”

The Buccaneers, whose offensive has been about as hit as miss, will need to produce more if they are to make the greatest push possible. They scored 37 points in a heartbreaking loss in Houston two weeks ago, but they have only mustered 34 in their last two games.

Although Tampa Bay is having trouble scoring touchdowns, quarterback Baker Mayfield is having a strong season statistically, finishing 64.6 percent of his throws for 2,389 yards with 15 touchdowns and six interceptions. It is tied for 28th in the league with a red zone touchdown percentage of 46.4.

Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles stated, “We have to figure out how to punch it in the end zone and that’s holding us back.” “The small things are holding us back from winning these ballgames.”

Indianapolis (5-5) has returned to action following their Week 11 bye. It was able to turn a 1-yard touchdown run by Jonathan Taylor and a 51-yard ( goal by Matt Gay into a victory two weeks earlier, defeating New England 10–6 in Germany despite only gaining 264 total yards.

The Colts trail Pittsburgh and Houston by one game going into Week 12 in the AFC wild card race. Considering that none of their next seven opponents have a record higher than 6-4, it looks like they have a schedule that will allow them to succeed.

Isaiah McKenzie, a wide receiver who spent the last four seasons with Buffalo on playoff teams, is attempting to instill confidence in his younger colleagues that they are capable of causing some serious postseason damage.

“I feel like everybody is on board and everybody has to always be on board because this is the NFL,” McKenzie stated. “You can never predict what will occur. Everyone seems aware of the situation and prepared to try to make a run at the playoffs, in my opinion.”

In their all-time series, Indianapolis leads Tampa Bay 8–7, but Tom Brady and the Bucs prevailed 38–31 in their most recent meeting on November 28, 2021.