At 2-5, the Buccaneers are battling to keep their season alive. Tampa Bay finds itself in this precarious spot largely because of the gauntlet of opponents it has faced so far this season. Overall, the Bucs endured the NFC's toughest and the NFL's third-toughest schedule through Week 7. The teams that defeated the Bucs have a combined 24-7 record, a testament to the onslaught that Tampa Bay has weathered.

Tampa Bay's run through the NFL's northern teams was particularly brutal. The Bengals, Browns, and Steelers all have win percentages of 66% or better, and the Vikings are the league's only remaining undefeated team. The Bucs lost to each of these teams by one score.

The Bucs' strength of schedule doesn't fully excuse this season's poor results. The Patriots and Broncos also faced top-five schedules, but boast winning records.

Fortunately for the Bucs, their remaining schedule doesn't look much harder. The NFC South boasts no team with a winning record, and the Bucs already stomped the Panthers as their only game decided by more than one score. The Bucs are also the only team in the division with a positive point differential.

The Bucs also get the 0-6 Chargers, the NFL's lone winless team, and the 3-4 Rams, whose Super Bowl aspirations have waned as injuries have decimated their roster. However, several challenges remain in the northern divisions. The Bucs still face the Ravens, Lions, and Bears, all with winning records.

Tampa Bay's season still hinges on its own division, though its playoff chances will be more convincing if it can steal a few wins outside the NFC South.