Tampa Bay's playoff chances are growing slimmer, but still alive despite fourth straight loss

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David delivered a speech to his teammates in the locker room following Sunday's 20-17 loss to the Miami Dolphins.

Baker Mayfield wanted to keep the contents of that message in-house, but the quarterback of the reeling Buccaneers indicated that the veteran's words were clear that their playoff chances are still alive.

“Here's the thing,” Mayfield said. “We still have a chance next week. We’ve been blessed with a chance next week, and guys need to handle it the right way. Lavonte spoke to the team after the game and hit the nail on the head, so we’ve got to respond.”

The Buccaneers (7-9) have won the NFC South the past four years and have made six consecutive playoff appearances, but both streaks are in jeopardy because of a dismal stretch in which they've lost seven of their past eight games and four straight.

They were close to snapping their skid on Sunday. After falling behind 17-7 to the Dolphins, who are already eliminated from the postseason, Tampa Bay pulled within three points with 54 seconds left on Mike Evans' 4-yard touchdown catch.

“We didn’t deserve it,” Evans said. "They played like they had a chance at the playoffs, and we played like we were ready to go home.”

The Bucs are still alive in the postseason hunt, however, with the Carolina Panthers' 27-10 loss to Seattle on Sunday setting up a key Week 18 matchup between the division rivals.

The Buccaneers would still clinch their fifth consecutive division title and a playoff berth if they beat Carolina (8-8) in next week’s regular-season finale to force a two-way tie. If Tampa Bay, Carolina and Atlanta all tie at 8-9, the Panthers would win the division. The Falcons (6-9) host the Rams on Monday night.

“We have to get ourselves together before we worry about anybody else,” said Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles. “Carolina or anybody else. We’re just shooting ourselves in the foot at every chance. That starts with me, I've got to coach them better. They've got to play better, and then we've got to figure out how we can stop making our mistakes to move on. So if we play and do the things we did today next week, we won’t be going anywhere.”

The Buccaneers have just two wins since beating playoff-bound San Francisco 30-19 on Oct 12 to put Tampa Bay at 5-1. They fell one game behind Carolina in the division following a 23-20 loss against the Panthers last week.

Mayfield began the season in MVP conversations but has struggled during this recent stretch. He has thrown an interception in each of the past four games, including two on Sunday, and has failed to record 200 yards passing in five of his past seven games.

Mayfield, who threw for 145 yards with a touchdown and interception at Carolina last week, said he hopes that playing at home will give Tampa Bay an advantage.

“We need to rebound from this, hit the reset button,” he said. “Like Todd said, erase it. It’s about us executing. Listen, to have a chance at home to get in the playoffs and win the division, wouldn’t have it any other way.”

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin Jr. (14) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Miami Dolphins during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Miami Dolphins cornerback Jack Jones (23) tackles Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan (11) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles speaks during a news conference after an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (13) makes a catch for a touchdown against the Miami Dolphins during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield, center, runs against Miami Dolphins linebacker Bradley Chubb (2) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

CINCINNATI (AP) — Ja'Marr Chase caught two touchdown passes from Joe Burrow, who threw for 305 yards as the Cincinnati Bengals beat the Arizona Cardinals 37-14 on Sunday.

Chase finished with seven catches for 60 yards and became the first player in NFL history with at least 80 receptions, 1,000 receiving yards and seven TD catches in each of his first five seasons.

Burrow passed for 300 yards or more for the 28th time, tying Andy Dalton for the most in franchise history.

“He's playing like I know Joe to play,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said. “It's fun to watch. We all just want to finish the season the right way.”

Chase Brown rushed for 101 yards and two touchdowns as the Bengals (6-10) improved to 3-2 since Burrow returned from left toe surgery.

In the lone bright spot for Arizona (3-13), Trey McBride had 10 catches, giving him 119 this season to break the NFL single-season record for a tight end. He surpassed Zach Ertz’s 116 receptions in 2018 and also broke DeAndre Hopkins’ Cardinals franchise record of 115 catches, set in 2020.

“I’m proud of him,” Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon said. “He’s one of the best players out there. I’m down about the team and I know he’s down about the team, but I don’t want to overlook that. He has had a fantastic year.”

The Cardinals had the seventh-ranked pass offense the league, but the Bengals' improved defense held them to 233 total yards. Jacoby Brissett threw for 212 yards and two TDs but was sacked four times.

“Our defense really set the tone the past two weeks and our offense countered off that,” Taylor said.

The Bengals scored on their first two possessions.

Chase caught a short pass from Burrow, broke one tackle, spun away from another defender and dived into the end zone for a 13-yard touchdown. It was his first TD since Oct. 16 against Pittsburgh.

“I walked into the building today telling myself I'm going to make sure I get in there some sort of way,” Chase said.

Samaje Perine's 1-yard TD run capped a 12-play, 79-yard drive. Evan McPherson missed the extra-point attempt and the Bengals led 13-0.

The Cardinals drove 70 yards in five plays for their first points. Michael Wilson's 38-yard touchdown reception, his fifth TD catch in four games, made it 13-7. Wilson had five catches for 89 yards.

Chase's 8-yard TD catch put the Bengals ahead 23-7 with 1:15 remaining before halftime.

The Bengals had possession for more than 22 minutes in the first half.

Cincinnati then drove 84 yards in 11 plays on its first possession of the third quarter, capped by Brown's 6-yard TD plunge.

“We know they can score a bunch of points,” Gannon said. “I think it really comes down to, for me, third down. They converted a bunch. We didn't.”

The Bengals ran a trick play in the third quarter, with Burrow completing a 21-yard pass to right tackle Cody Ford to set up Brown's second rushing TD.

Ford broke two tackles before being brought down at the 2-yard line.

“When you get the ball in those guys' hands, their eyes light up like a kid at Christmas,” Burrow said.

Cardinals: LT Paris Johnson was placed on season-ending injured reserve. He missed the previous two games with a knee injury.

Bengals: CB Josh Newton was inactive with a hamstring injury, and CB Bralyn Lux was elevated from the practice squad. RT Amarius Mims left in the second quarter with a right shin injury and was replaced by Ford.

Cardinals: At the Los Angeles Rams next weekend.

Bengals: Host Cleveland next weekend.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Cincinnati Bengals halfback Chase Brown, center, runs into the endzone for a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, right, scores a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett looks to throw during the first half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow reacts during the first half of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase celebrates with fans after scoring a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)