‘We’re in a playoff-mode mentality’: Bucs remain focused on postseason goal through adversity

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — The Bucs have six games left in the regular season. Each week, the margin for error gets smaller, and the need to win gets amplified.

As the team fights to get back in the win column Sunday against the Panthers, they have a heightened awareness of what’s at stake down the stretch. 

“For me, my mindset right now –and it should be for the whole team – is we’re in a playoff-mode mentality,” said Bucs’ quarterback Baker Mayfield. “We have to take care of business each week to move on and to get to where we want to go. It’s a matter of we don’t really have any more room to – there’s no slack. We have to pick up the pace. We’ve got to have a sense of urgency about it. I think now everybody realizes what’s at stake now. We have to win out. We have to win these division games to get to where we want to go, to get into the playoffs.

“It’s a sense of urgency. It’s a matter of guys doing all the treatment and getting everything we need to get done, young guys stepping up and realizing that they’re going to play a pivotal role in this final season push that we have. Everybody just has to be on board,” Mayfield continued.

“It’s got to start Sunday,” said Bucs’ head coach Todd Bowles. “We don’t really care if it was a 12-0 team or a 1-10 team. We’ve got to start with ourselves, and we’ve got to play hard no matter who we’re playing on Sunday. The urgency’s got to be there no matter who’s on the other side of the field.”

Even at 4-7, the NFC South division title is still within reach for Tampa Bay, which is helping this team stay together through the adversity of injuries and losing six of their last seven games. 

“I mean, it’s hard,” said Bucs’ wide receiver Mike Evans. “It’s extremely hard losing like this with the talent that we have, but fortunately for us, our goals are still there, so they still can be accomplished. That’s what’s kind of keeping me balanced right now.”

“I think we still have everything ahead of us,” said Bucs’ defensive lineman Calijah Kancey. “It’s just, we’ve got to win. That’s what we’ve got to do, and that’s what we want to do.”

Of the Bucs’ final six games, four are against division opponents — the Panthers and Falcons the next two weeks, then the Saints and Panthers to close out the regular season.