Buccaneers playoff odds: from 3% to 8%

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers can still make the playoffs. We've been saying that a lot recently, mostly because it's true. Chances aren't huge, sure, but no one's contending it's likely that they end up in the playoffs. Just that it's far too early to throw in the towel -- even if the past decade suggests that the Bucs don't actually make good on their chances.

It's interesting to look at the range of chances the various outlets that focus on statistical outlets give the Bucs. NumberFire gives the Bucs just 2.72% of the playoffs -- less than the 3.82% chance of getting the top pick they give them. But numberFire is by far the most pessimistic outlet. FiveThirtyEight gives them a 5% chance, while Football Outsiders even goes with a whopping 8.3%.

Now obviously, less than 10% isn't exactly a large chance and we've certainly had seasons where the Bucs making the playoffs was a lot more likely than that, especially at this stage in the season. But these chances are also not nothing -- we've had eight years since the last time the Bucs made good on their odds and actually made the playoffs. At some point, that's going to happen again. And that could be this year.