Could The Bucs Get “Flexed?”
October 25th, 2010
Joe doesn’t care much about what the flimsily informed national NFL pundits have to say about the Bucs. But it does matter, especially when TV networks are considering what teams get to play football in prime time.
With the Bucs now 4-2, they have a shot at getting a “flex game” on Sunday Night Football later in the season. In weeks 11-17, the NFL can pull the scheduled 8:30 p.m. game in favor of a more attractive matchup.
Curious Joe took a peek ahead and sees a reasonable chance for the Bucs to get “flexed” only in Week 14.
Yes, NBC has the Eagles-Cowboys game on the schedule, two big markets with star players. But Dallas is 1-4 and has a brutal schedule between now and then. Even if the Cowboys are sitting at 5-7, that might not be the most attractive game to the network.
The Bucs are in Washington that Sunday. A 6-6 or 7-5 Bucs team against a Redskins club with the same record and Donovan McNabb likely would have much greater playoff implications and interest. Keep in mind, while Dallas (No. 5) and Philly (No. 4) are big TV markets, Tampa Bay (No. 14) and Washington (No. 9) are no slouches.
Joe thinks the only other shot would be Week 16, when the struggling small-market Bengals and Chargers are scheduled on Sunday night. But Joe can’t yet imagine the Bucs in the playoff hunt that deep into the season. That’s a bit too much fantasy football for Joe right now.
October 25th, 2010 at 3:16 pm
What about Dec 5th, at home, vs the Falcons? Potential playoff and NFC South implications on the line?
October 25th, 2010 at 3:19 pm
Joe here,
NBC has scheduled Steelers and Ravens. Not going to happen. Two great hard-hitting teams.
October 25th, 2010 at 3:59 pm
Ya never know?.?.?.? Ratings is ratings.
October 25th, 2010 at 4:50 pm
I could see it in week 12. Currently they have the Chargers and Greenbay. With Greenbay’s inujuries continuing to mount, and the Chargers just flat out sucking, they could be looking to swap out that game.
I’m assuming we will lose to the Falcons in Atlanta, but if we can beat the Cardinals, Panthers, and 49ers….we’d be 7-3. We play the Ravens which could draw big ratings.
Honestly I hope it doesn’t happen. The Ravens game will likely be an embarassing game for this young team. No need to put us on national TV for all to see.
October 25th, 2010 at 4:53 pm
Right now we are a promising young team who is just good enough to win ugly against bad teams. Our offense is promising but has a lot of growing to do, and our defense is just embarrassing, especially since Tampa has been known as a great defense for so long. Do you really want us to get destroyed in a night game on the national stage?
I’ll pass.
October 25th, 2010 at 4:54 pm
I could never see us being on national television this season over the Cowboys, regardless of their record.
October 25th, 2010 at 5:06 pm
Yup. The Cowboys could suck a lot and still the whole nation would prefer to watch them over us Bucs.
October 25th, 2010 at 5:26 pm
Let’s be frank here…unless the Bucs really step it up, they won’t get flexed into anything. Simply put, they are not good enough yet to warrant the attention.
It’s nice to dream, but let’s not lose touch with reality. Now, if the DL and OL start working out well…then it’s a whole new ball game. But until then, no one is going to toon in to watch them but us.
October 25th, 2010 at 5:43 pm
toon = tune
October 25th, 2010 at 5:46 pm
yeah thanks Pete. We are all too stupid to realize what you meant there without the correction. LOL.
October 25th, 2010 at 5:56 pm
I dont think i can handle another Monday night game like in carolina again.
October 25th, 2010 at 6:12 pm
Joe, what about the season finale between the Saints and Bucs? I could see that as a possible flexed game. The Saints will likely be a contender again.
October 25th, 2010 at 6:59 pm
I’d actually rather see us not get flexed into any prime time games this year. Let these guys grow up this year, let them learn and get better. If they seriously improve THIS year, then we’ll get our national TV game. It’s called a wildcard birth and the playoffs. It’s looking like 9-7 could make the wildcard in the NFC. If that’s the case, the Bucs are just as likely as anyone to get there…. assuming these guys grow and get better progressively in the next 10 games. Even if we happened to shock everyone and actually achieve that, we’ll probably get beaten that week, and it’ll be our only national game this year, but it’ll be a great experience for these guys. Not that I’m expecting playoffs or anything, we’re definitely not at that point yet. They’ve gotta get better first.
October 25th, 2010 at 7:25 pm
BamBamBuc, how could anyone not want their team on national TV? Especially Bucs fans. When we rarely ever have any.
October 25th, 2010 at 8:01 pm
Simple… I think it’s too early for this young team and a national game. If they get a national game, it would be against an opponent like the Falcons or Ravens that could reinforce the public opinion that the Bucs have been “lucky” and could kill the confidence of the team in a national spotlight. Let them grow up this year, and next year I’d LOVE to see them on a national game (unless they get one in January this year, which would be even BETTER).
October 25th, 2010 at 8:04 pm
Also, this team has never gotten the national “love” when it comes to prime time games. Even after the Super Bowl win, they only had one, yes ONE, prime time game the following year (admittedly, that next year wasn’t a very good one). The Bucs will only get a prime time game when they are beating teams like the Saints and Steelers and Patriots on a regular basis and making the playoffs consistently. Then they might get one.
October 25th, 2010 at 8:23 pm
Joe,
what do you think about Bucs Hard Knocks next year or in the near future? They are an exciting, young, and up and coming team. I think it would be a great/different perspective on the show, seeing a team led by very young talent and a young coach. Though I find it pretty entertaining, my friends that are fans of the teams which have been on love the show. Like Rex, I think seeing Raheem motivating these guys in the off season would be great.
Though i think it may put a target on your back, and expose some of your players as dopes (Sanchez/Cromartie). Is it too much exposure?
October 25th, 2010 at 9:02 pm
Well after being thoroughly embarrassed my the Panthers in 2008, and seeing how that was like the spike thru our heart that has made us suck ever since…I think I’d rather let these guys grow up a little and get better before we through them on a Sunday or Monday night. Can you imagine a Steeler or Saints type domination on Monday night football? That could crush this young teams confidence.
October 25th, 2010 at 9:27 pm
BucFan:
Since Joe doesn’t have HBO, this is a non-issue. But remember, Park Ave. doesn’t like fairly tales with its reality TV. They look for splash players, name players. The Bucs don’t have those, with the possible exception of Ronde Barber and he’s not much of an extrovert.
The perfect Bucs team for Hard Knocks would have been the 2003 Bucs, just off the Super Bowl with larger-than-life personalities and big-named stars.
October 25th, 2010 at 9:33 pm
Patrick:
No Sunday night game is scheduled for the final week of the season.
October 25th, 2010 at 9:44 pm
You know if we get a Sunday night home game, we have to have a sellout. Right?
October 25th, 2010 at 10:31 pm
After looking at the picture of Dungy for this article I just realized that he has a really weird shaped head. Its shaped just like a football like Stewie from Family Guy but going vertical instead of horizontal. Wow…. I just realized I spend way to much time thinking about football in between Sundays.
October 26th, 2010 at 12:17 am
BamBamBuc is 1,000% right.
October 26th, 2010 at 8:09 am
Please get a night game!!! I will be soooooo happy!