Over the last four seasons, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have taken advantage of a consistently below-average NFC South.

In search of its fifth straight division title, Tampa Bay (7-6) will strive to avoid dropping its second consecutive game to a woeful rival when it hosts the reeling Atlanta Falcons (4-9) on Thursday.

The Buccaneers, who sit tied atop the division with the Carolina Panthers, are coming off a head-scratching home loss to the previously two-win New Orleans Saints. With another sub-.500 opponent on the horizon, the team knows it can't afford an extended lull.

"We're playing a divisional opponent and they would love nothing more than to beat us and screw up our chances," quarterback Baker Mayfield said. "Do the (Falcons) really have a lot on the line? Yeah, because they're tr

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