The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have owned the NFC South for most of the decade.
In 2020, they won the Super Bowl, followed by four straight years of division titles from 2021 to 2024.
Last year, it appeared that they were on their way to a fifth straight NFC South crown, as they were comfortably in first place at 6-2. However, the injuries began to pile up. Quarterback Baker Mayfield hurt his shoulder in November, and he and the team were never the same.
They lost seven of their next eight games after the hot start and finished 8-9, just short of a division title by virtue of a tiebreaker.
Is now the time to bet on the Bucs’ bounce back?
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The Buccaneers currently have +190 odds to once again win the NFC South, and I think that is tremendous value. Yes, they are 0-1, but so is every other team in the division.
Tampa Bay will take the field Sunday as 9-point favorites and will likely be 1-1 in just a few days.
Even in the loss to the Bengals last week, there were some good things to take away for T.B. When diving into the box score, the game was there for the Buccaneers — however, there were four Tampa Bay fumbles, they were all recovered by the Bengals, and one of them was returned for a touchdown.
Could Baker Mayfield lead Tampa Bay to an NFC South title in 2026? (Getty Images)
When looking at the competition within the division, the Falcons don’t look like they’re going to be a contender due to their issues at quarterback. The Panthers won the NFC South last year but were under .500 and outscored by 69 points overall. The Saints were a trendy pick coming into the season, but they are 0-1 and 8-point underdogs in Week 2 against the Ravens.
This division seems wide open, and without a clear-cut great team at the top, perhaps it is.
But based on recent history and considering the competition, the Buccaneers at +190 is a bet that’s worth making.
