The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are running out of room for error, and the latest NFL power rankings reflect a team struggling to find consistency through six weeks.
According to Brianna Dix of Buccaneers.com, Tampa Bay ranks between No. 25 and No. 29 across five major national outlets entering Week 7. Four of those outlets place the Buccaneers among the NFL's bottom five teams following their 26-19 overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
CBS Sports' Pete Prisco and FOX Sports' Ralph Vacchiano have Tampa Bay ranked No. 29, while ESPN and The Athletic place the Buccaneers at No. 28. USA TODAY's Nate Davis offers the most favorable assessment at No. 25. Combined, the five rankings give Tampa Bay an average position of 27.8.
The rankings are hard to argue with, given how Sunday's game unfolded. Tampa Bay carried a 16-3 lead into the fourth quarter against Pittsburgh but couldn't finish the job. The Steelers scored 16 unanswered points to take the lead before Chase McLaughlin's 53-yard field goal forced overtime. Pittsburgh then scored a touchdown on its opening possession, handing the Buccaneers their fifth loss of the season.
Individual players have had encouraging performances, but Tampa Bay has struggled to put together four complete quarters. The offense has been inconsistent, and Sunday's fourth-quarter collapse showed that even a strong defensive performance for much of the afternoon isn't enough when the team fails to close out games.
The NFC South rankings offer another concerning comparison. Carolina sits between No. 10 and No. 15 across the same five outlets, while Atlanta ranges from No. 16 to No. 25.
The Buccaneers now turn their attention to Carolina for their first divisional matchup of the season. The Panthers enter Week 7 leading the NFC South, giving Tampa Bay a chance to close the gap on a divisional opponent.
Power rankings don't determine playoff positioning, but a 1-5 record and repeated late-game struggles explain why national analysts have little confidence in the Buccaneers right now. A win over Carolina would be a meaningful first step toward changing that perception, but Tampa Bay needs to start turning competitive performances into victories.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Buccaneers fall near bottom of NFL power rankings in Week 7