As we approach the halfway point of the regular season, picking up wins is crucial for teams that are hovering towards the middle of the standings, including these five squads who need the sweet taste of victory in Week 8.
The NFL season is flying by, with Week 8 marking the last week of October in the pro football world. With most teams closing in on the halfway point of their schedule, the playoff picture is beginning to formulate.
While there is a clear delineation between the haves and the have-nots, the league’s middle class is very muddled and that group could trend anywhere from division titles to a top-10 pick in the draft. As such, teams in that tier need to start picking up wins, including the five we have identified as most in need of a victory this week.
We’ll kick off this week’s list with the Tampa Bay Bucs.
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers have been a bit of an enigma for most of the season, with Jameis Winston flashing franchise quarterback potential at times and remaining a frustrating turnover machine at others. Winston was a disaster against the Panthers in London before the Bucs’ bye, turning the ball over six times in a crucial loss.
Tampa Bay still has an outside shot at a playoff spot, but they will need to get back in the win column this Sunday against the Tennessee Titans. The Titans looked sharp in a win over the Los Angeles Chargers last week, but Ryan Tannehill isn’t a world beater at quarterback, so the Bucs need to find a way to beat Tennessee and improve to 3-4.