Week 18 provided its annual reminder that the motivations of professional football players need not be dissected. It does not matter if a loss means their team will draft first or a victory means their season will survive. If they are on the field, they will try to win. Here is what to know from the final day of the regular season:

The Buccaneers won their fourth straight NFC South title, while the Patriots' victory cost them the No. 1 pick. Here are the winners and losers from Week 18.

The NFC South race seemed to be over long before Sunday when the Falcons lost in overtime at Washington in Week 17. The Buccaneers were facing the sad-sack Saints, who had lost their previous two games by a combined 59-10 score. Once the Buccaneers won, they'd be on their way to the playoffs.

The Bucs host the Commanders in the opening round of the 2025 NFL playoffs. Tickets are available for as little as $112.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers secured a place in the NFL playoffs, winning the NFC South division thanks to a 27-19 victory over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. The win for Tampa Bay denied the Atlanta Falcons a place in the playoffs as Atlanta lost their final game 44-38 to the Carolina Panthers.