Earlier start time doesn't help the Bucs

No one wanted to see the Chargers and Bucs play at 8:15 p.m. Sunday. Big game sure, but we shouldn’t have to wait all day to start a game between one team that is 9-5 (the Bucs) and another that is 6-8 (the Chargers).

Thank goodness for the NFL’s flex scheduling.

Now the Bucs and Chargers kick off at 1 p.m.

And that is actually bad news for the Bucs.

Why?

Good question.

Here’s why.

The Chargers need a win and a loss by the Broncos to set up a winner-take-all game next week for the division title.

The Broncos play at 4 p.m. If they win, the Chargers are out regardless of what the Chargers do against the Bucs.

So, if kickoff were still 8:15 p.m., the Chargers would already now their fate. If the Broncos win, it wouldn’t matter what the Chargers do. Think mail it it.

But now that it is at 1 p.m. start, the Chargers are still playing for a playoff spot. They have something to play for, which means they should give the Bucs a better game than if they were already eliminated.

Not that it should change the way the Bucs approach the game. They need a win to enhance their playoff chances.

But it will change the way the Chargers approach things, and that could mean a tougher afternoon for the Bucs.