Josh Freeman became Tampa Bay’s first 4,000-yard passer and also threw for more touchdowns in a season than any player in franchise history, yet the NFL playoffs will begin without the Buccaneers for the fifth straight year.

Sunday’s 22-17 victory over the Atlanta Falcons stopped a five-game losing streak and enabled the Bucs (7-9) to finish with three more wins than they did a year ago, when a season-ending 10-game skid led to the dismissal of former coach Raheem Morris and the hiring of Greg Schiano.

In addition to Freeman’s record-setting season, Tampa Bay had a 1,400-yard rusher in rookie Doug Martin and a 1,400-yard receiver in Vincent Jackson. One of Freeman’s other playmakers, Mike Williams, finished four yards shy of giving the Bucs their first pair of 1,000-yard receivers.