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Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians said earlier that his team is simply happy to be in the playoffs, regardless of the seed. That said, they still want the highest seed they can get.
Arians appeared on SiriusXM NFL Radio and made it clear that his team wants to finish 11-5 and finish fifth in the NFC via a Week 17 victory over the Hawks.
‘We’re all going to play, ”Arians said. ‘Atlanta plays so well that we can not get a lead like last week [against the Lions] and rest anyone. But we’re going to play to win and try to keep our momentum going. ”
Arians also elaborated on his recent claim that it is ‘Super Bowl of bust’ for the Buccaneers.
“This is what we expect to do,” Arians said. ‘Our goal is to win our first event every year. . . . [T]hat is our goal every year. I do not shy away from it. ”
Arians do not shy away from anything. Although his methods will not yield a division title in 2020, the improvement of the Buccaneers in the game series round means the Giants, Cowboys or Washington to defeat the number 5 series. Tampa Bay will therefore enjoy the preference to win the first post-season game since Super Bowl XXXVII, about 18 years ago.
If they as no. 6 traveling to Green Bay, New Orleans or Seattle, the road to the division round will not be quite so clear.