Despite struggles, Bucs gearing up for first-place showdown in Atlanta The Bucs are still alive and kicking in the NFC South. Despite dropping six of their past eight games, Sunday's 21-18 win over the Panthers set them up for a chance to take over first place when they face the division-leading Falcons next week in Atlanta. "Coach (Todd) Bowles said it (Saturday) night," quarterback Baker Mayfield said. "We have an eight-day window, including (Sunday) that we can be in first place in the division. So take care of business next week and see what happens the rest of the way. But it's a one-game-at-a-time mentality. Our guys came ready to play, and we found a way to win. It doesn't have to be pretty, a lot of things to correct, but, we found a way to win." Mayfield completed 14 of his 29 passes for 202 yards and a touchdown. He threw an interception for the fourth straight game. But as the quarterback said, the Bucs don't have to look pretty; they just have to survive and advance. In October, the Falcons visited Raymond James Stadium and grabbed a 16-13 win. "We've talked about it before," Bucs receiver Chris Godwin said. "Like, we needed to win. We're in a tough spot right now, but we still have the opportunity to win the division. "We've got another big game coming up next week." Kristie Ackert, The Tampa Bay Times, published 4 December 2023