The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, coming off a decisive 48-14 victory over the Carolina Panthers, found themselves glued to the TV on Dec. 29, eagerly watching the Washington Commanders take on the Atlanta Falcons. A win for the Commanders was essential for the Bucs to maintain their playoff hopes in the NFC South. Following a loss to the Dallas Cowboys, the Bucs were tied with the Falcons, who had already secured the head-to-head tiebreaker.

As the game reached a tense finish, Falcons kicker Riley Patterson attempted a 56-yard field goal, which initially seemed successful. However, a late miss allowed the Commanders to prevail in overtime, keeping Tampa Bay’s playoff dreams alive. With everything on the line, the Buccaneers clinched the division and secured their fifth consecutive postseason appearance by defeating the New Orleans Saints 27-19 in Week 18.