FLOWERY BRANCH -- The Falcons playoff chances improved dramatically with a win over Tampa Bay and losses by Carolina and New Orleans last week.

The Falcons have a 27.6% chance of making the playoffs and need to win 7 of the remaining 7 games to virtually clinch a playoff berth. Before last week their playoffs chances were at 14.2 percent, according to www.makeNFLplayoffs.com which calculates the chances each NFL team will make the playoffs.

The site is in its 7th year providing statistics on each team's chance of making the NFL playoffs. The information is updated after each game.

                         TOTAL   DIVISION    CONF        Win      Make

   AFC Team Name        W--L--T   W--L--T   W--L--T   Division  Playoffs

--------------------   -- -- --  -- -- --  -- -- --   --------  --------

Philadelphia Eagles    7  2  0   2  0  0   4  2  0    0.59685   0.79127

-1st-Round-BYE -Host-Wildcard- -Road-Wildcard-  Make

Team Name         Champ    2nd     3rd     4th     5th     6th   Playoffs

--------------------   ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- -------  -------

Atlanta Falcons   0.00006 0.00107 0.00809 0.26553 0.00018 0.00127  0.27621

FALCONS FAN MAILBAG: We take your questions from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Friday.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT -- ICYMI

GAME STORY: Falcons beat Bucs, end 5-game losing streak

NOTEBOOK: Jackson powers rushing attack with 81 yards

QUOTEBOARD: What the Falcons were saying after the win over the Bucs

PHOTO GALLERY: Falcons at Buccaneers 

Falcons victory by the numbers

COLUMN BY JEFF SCHULTZ: Falcons' bad news: no more games vs. Bucs