Dirk Koetter needs a Bucs win against the Lions

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers play the Detroit Lions today, the former mostly to save face, the latter to earn a spot in the playoffs. Or at least take a step closer to the playoffs, a place the Bucs haven’t been to in a decade.

That doesn’t mean the Bucs will just play dead and roll over, though. Players are playing for their paychecks, and for free agency or other contract rewards. Coaches, meanwhile, are coaching for their jobs—literally, in most cases, as the Bucs coaching staff could easily be fired if they lose the final four games.

That prospect became even more likely today, as Ian Rapoport reported Jameis Winston and Dirk Koetter are having some issues. They’re not seeing eye-to-eye, supposedly. Who leaked that, with what intentions, and whether it’s even true is completely unknown. But things like that don’t get into the media unless a coach’s seat is at least a little warm.

A win today would go a long way toward cooling that seat, though it won’t do the Bucs’ draft position any good. Here’s your open thread for today.