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Don’t look now, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are getting hot. They smashed the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, and suddenly the Bucs look like legitimate contenders in the NFC. 

Most of the talk in that conference surrounds the NFC North, and rightfully so, where the Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings reside. 

But remember that the Bucs beat the Lions back in Week 2, one of the few losses that any of the top NFC North teams have had this season against a team not in their own division. 

In fact, Tampa has played well against good NFL teams this season. They beat the Commanders and Eagles, in addition to the aforementioned Lions and Chargers. 

Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers scored 40 points against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 15.

Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers scored 40 points against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 15.

(Imagn Images)

On Sunday, the Bucs practically ran the Chargers out of their own building, at least in the second half. Los Angeles took a 17-10 lead and held a 17-13 advantage at halftime. 

But Tampa dropped the hammer over the final 30 minutes, with Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans torching the Chargers secondary, repeatedly. 

The Chargers came into Sunday with the #1 scoring defense in the NFL, allowing just 15.9 points per game. 

The Bucs scored 27 points in the second half alone en route to a 40-17 beat down of the 8-6 Chargers. 

The win moved the Buccaneers to 8-6, and they lead the NFC South by 1.5 games over the Atlanta Falcons, who play the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday Night Football. 

The Falcons have served as Tampa Bay’s kryptonite this season, having beaten the Bucs in both meetings. That means Atlanta has the tiebreaker, should the division come to that. 

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers dismantled the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, and they look like legitimate contenders in the NFC.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers dismantled the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, and they look like legitimate contenders in the NFC.

(Imagn Images)

But it shouldn’t. The Bucs are a good team and the tough part of their schedule is behind them. Their other four losses have come against the Broncos, Ravens, Chiefs and 49ers. 

Over the final three games, Tampa won’t face a single team with a winning record. They’ll play Dallas in Week 16, Carolina in Week 17 and New Orleans in Week 18. 

Those are all winnable games. And since losing four-straight games, the Bucs have rattled off four consecutive wins. 

If they can take care of business against their next three opponents, they would enter the playoffs on a seven-game winning streak and be one of the hottest teams in the postseason. 

That’s a squad that could be a tough out for anyone and I don’t think any team in the NFC is looking forward to facing Tampa Bay.