Coming out of their bye week, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers needed a solid showing to try and get the season back on track. That’s exactly what happened, and while the New York Giants are hardly formidable foes, the way the Bucs launched them into the core of the sun is precisely the type of win they needed to have.

It was the first game in the softest part of Tampa Bay’s schedule, which is a stretch of games that should go a long way in getting the Bucs back into the NFC South race. If that happens it would not only mean dethroning the Atlanta Falcons but potentially meeting them for the first time ever in the playoffs.

Atlanta is coming off back-to-back losses and has games against the Vikings and Chargers coming up, while the Bucs get the Panthers and Raiders. If all goes well there could either be a tie or an outright flipping of the standings in just two weeks time.

That’s what Bucs fans have been hoping for after a brutal four game losing streak spoiled a hot start to the season, but all eyes are on the playoffs. If one of those matchups ends up being the Falcons, Rachaad White likes Tampa Bay’s chances.

Rachaad White thinks the Bucs will beat the Falcons if they meet in the playoffs

White appeared on Stacking The Box and let the world — mostly Atlanta — know that a third meeting with the Falcons probably won’t go the same way the other two did.

“I just think I like our chances against anybody. No matter who it is or what day it is, any given day for anybody,” White said. “Yeah, they beat us twice, and if [we play them again], it is what it is, but when it comes down to it, I like our chances.”

Elsewhere in the interview he touched on Baker Mayfield’s grit and swagger rubs off on everyone in the locker room and this feels torn out of that book. Atlanta might have beaten the Bucs twice but both times were by a touchdown or less and came down to a final drive.

History is on the Bucs’ side in terms of making the third time the charm as well. Back in 2020 Tampa Bay lost twice to the New Orleans Saints in the regular season only to beat them in the playoffs and retire Drew Brees on his own turf.

We all know what happened after that, as two games later the Bucs brought home a Super Bowl trophy.

That’s the goal again this year, but the idea of seeing the Falcons a third time especially given how close those games were suggests things might end up the way White is thinking.

Rachaad White spoke on behalf of My Cause My Cleats.