The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will finish the NFL regular season with a losing record — but they could still make the playoffs.

The 7-9 Buccaneers will battle the 8-8 Carolina Panthers with a chance to claim the NFC South title in Week 18 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. If Tampa Bay defeats Carolina, and the Atlanta Falcons don’t win their final game, the Bucs will earn the NFC’s last available playoff berth and host a Wild Card Round game as the No. 4 seed.

The 7-9 Falcons, who have already been eliminated from postseason contention, host the New Orleans Saints in their regular-season finale. If Atlanta beats New Orleans and Tampa Bay beats Carolina, it would set up a three-way tie for first place in the division with the Panthers owning the tiebreaker.

The Bucs entered the 2025 campaign as four-time defending NFC South champs, and they looked well on their way to a fifth straight division title following a 6-2 start. But Baker Mayfield and Co. have dropped seven of their last eight games, putting Tampa Bay in danger of missing the postseason for the first time since 2019.

Tampa Bay’s slide has included a 23-20 road loss to Carolina in Week 16. If the Panthers can sweep the season series against the Bucs, they would secure their first division title since 2015 and first playoff berth since 2017.

But, should the Bucs come out on top, they could join a small group of teams to reach the postseason with a losing record:

Has a team ever made the NFL playoffs with a losing record?

There have been a handful of teams to make the NFL playoffs despite posting a losing record.

Who was the last team to make the NFL playoffs with a losing record?

Believe it or not, the Buccaneers stand as the most recent team to qualify for the postseason with a sub-.500 record. The Tom Brady-led Bucs won the NFC South in 2022 with an 8-9 record, before losing to the Dallas Cowboys in the Wild Card Round.

How many teams have made the NFL playoffs with a losing record?

Those 2022 Buccaneers were just the fourth team in a non-strike season to ever make the playoffs with a losing record. Here’s a look at all four, including how they qualified and how they fared in the postseason:

In the strike-shortened 1982 season, the Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions reached the playoffs with 4-5 records. They then both lost in the Wild Card Round.

The 2010 Seahawks and 2014 Panthers are the only teams with a losing record to win a playoff game. A sub-.500 team has yet to advance past the Divisional Round.

When do the Panthers and Buccaneers play in Week 18?

Panthers-Bucs is the Week 18 opener, taking place on Saturday, Jan. 3.

What time is the Panthers vs. Buccaneers Week 18 game?

Kickoff from Raymond James Stadium is slated for 4:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. CT/1:30 p.m. PT.

What TV channel is the Panthers vs. Buccaneers Week 18 game on?

The NFC South showdown will air across ABC and ESPN.

Where to stream the Panthers vs. Buccaneers Week 18 game live online

It will also be available to stream on ESPN.com, the ESPN app and via NFL+.

How can the Buccaneers, Panthers make the NFL playoffs?

The Panthers will win the NFC South with a win or tie against the Bucs, or if the Falcons beat the Saints.

The Bucs need to take down the Panthers and have the Falcons lose or tie against the Saints.

Here’s a look back at the five coldest games in NFL history.