Jalen McMillan had his index finger taped and didn’t realize he had made the motion of shooting a gun when he saw the penalty flag for unsportsmanlike conduct. On the one hand, he had helped the Bucs convert a ridiculous fourth-and-8 situation.

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 had to rally Sunday to beat the Saints and secure the NFC's last playoff spot. “It all makes you stronger,” Todd Bowles said.