Buccaneers are focused on playing the Panthers, knowing they’ll need help to win the NFC South

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) 鈥� The Tampa Bay Buccaneers showed up for practice on Tuesday for the first time since losing control of their playoff hopes.

After a major collapse, the Buccaneers to get in.

First, they must beat Carolina on Saturday to snap a four-game losing streak. Then, the Falcons have to lose or tie to the Saints on Sunday.

If that happens, the Buccaneers (7-9) would secure their fifth straight NFC South title and second with a losing record under coach Todd Bowles.

鈥淲e just have to win the game on Saturday and then we鈥檒l see,鈥� Bowles said Tuesday. 鈥淲e鈥檝e made this bed (and) we understand that. We can鈥檛 do anything on Sunday unless we win Saturday.鈥�

For a team that started 3-0, 5-1 and was 6-2 at the bye, it鈥檚 taken a lot of poor football to reach this point. The Bucs had a soft schedule over the past month and still couldn鈥檛 beat teams with losing records. They lost at home to the Saints, blew a 14-point fourth-quarter lead at home to the Falcons, lost at Carolina and to a backup quarterback in Miami.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 think I鈥檓 stunned to be in this position 鈥� it鈥檚 disappointing, it鈥檚 frustrating and it鈥檚 part of the ebbs and (flows) of the season,鈥� Bowles said. 鈥淭his is the first season we鈥檝e gone through something like this at the end of the season, so you try to make the best of it, and you try to come out of it. You put your head down and you keep working.鈥�

Baker Mayfield, who played at an MVP caliber over the first month of the season, has thrown critical interceptions in the fourth quarter in each of the past three losses. He had his full complement of wide receivers in only those three games this season.

鈥淚t鈥檚 how well can you execute,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou look at the things we鈥檝e messed up in these last few games, you鈥檝e got to be able to do the little details, right. Everything 鈥� you never know when that play is going to really make the difference. So, be on your p鈥檚 and q鈥檚 on normal downs and distances, and obviously, third downs and red zone (we) have to be really locked in. How well can we do our jobs? That鈥檚 the goal.鈥�

Pro Bowl left tackle Tristan Wirfs missed the previous game because of a toe injury and didn鈥檛 practice Tuesday. Cornerback Jamel Dean (shoulder), cornerback Benjamin Morrison (hamstring) and linebacker Anthony Nelson (knee) also didn鈥檛 practice.

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