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Player who must step up: WR Breshad Perriman

This one might come as a surprise, given that Perriman was just called up from the practice squad. But the former first-round draft pick out of UCF lined up as the Bucs' third wide receiver against the Falcons on Sunday, playing 83.3% of offensive snaps as compared to 13.2% for Tyler Johnson and 5.9% for Scotty Miller. With Antonio Brown out two more weeks due to his suspension and the uncertainty surrounding Brown's future with the Bucs, Perriman has a chance to resurrect his career after being cut twice already this year (by the Lions and Bears) and really help the Bucs in their push for another Super Bowl. -- Jenna Laine

Is it Tom Brady's turn to be the MVP favorite? Brady threw four more touchdowns on Sunday -- giving him a league-best 34 on the season -- in an easy win over the Falcons that pushed Tampa Bay one step closer to an inevitable NFC South title. Brady opened the game with 13 consecutive pass attempts and completed 38 of 51 passes overall. He remains the unquestioned driver of his offense in his 22nd NFL season, and he's been the best quarterback in football during a year in which the quality of play at the position has been strangely inconsistent. The Bucs don't need balance to their attack when they have the G.O.A.T. at the controls.

They still aren't playing great on the defensive side of the ball, but they are winning games. Now comes a tough one with the Bills.

WR Chris Godwin doesn't get nearly as much pub as some of his more recognizable teammates, but his club-record 15 catches Sunday are indicative of what he means to NFC South leaders.

Best-case scenario: The Bucs became the first team to play a Super Bowl in their home stadium in February, but had to survive three road playoff games to get there. There's a path for the Bucs to claim the top seed in the NFC -- a fairly easy one if they can beat Buffalo this week. After that, Tom Brady and company have a soft landing with two games against Carolina and one each vs. the Jets and fading Saints. If Tampa Bay wins out to get to 14-3, it then would need Green Bay to lose once and for Arizona to fall to the Rams or Cowboys.