Odds Are Bucs Are Playoff Bound
November 22nd, 2010
Yes, it’s still November. Six weeks remain in the season. The playoffs start in January.
A lot can happen in the final weeks of the season, just ask Chucky.
But if one is a betting man, odds are good the Bucs are playoff bound. That’s the word from eye-RAH! Kaufman of the Tampa Tribune who broke down the percentages of the Bucs chances of a playoff berth.
Buccaneer players may be reluctant to use the P-word, but NFL history suggests they now have a good chance to keep playing beyond the Jan. 2 regular-season finale at New Orleans.
Since the NFL re-aligned in 2002 to eight four-team divisions, 28 of the 36 clubs (78 percent) that opened 7-3 advanced to postseason play.
“It’s still early,” Faine said, “and the veteran leaders of this team know you can be 9-3 and still not make the playoffs. As for the younger guys, they don’t know any better. We just tell them to keep focusing on the next game.”
Just a crazy, crazy year for the Bucs. Joe is confident no sober football fan would have said in August the Bucs would have won seven games by Thanksgiving.
November 22nd, 2010 at 1:18 pm
The Bucs are in the driver seat as long as they continue to win.
I fear a drop off. I think we all remember the drop off from “Chuckys” last stand, 4 in a row. No play offs.
That being said. I don’t see this team doing that. They are more confident and continue to make plays on offense. Which is different style than in the past.
Go Bucs !
November 22nd, 2010 at 2:09 pm
There may be a drop off, but let’s focus on one game at a time.
November 22nd, 2010 at 2:47 pm
actually go back to your august or even earlier threads, there were a few of us during the summer that predicted 8-10 haha
November 22nd, 2010 at 2:52 pm
You know…I guess I’m more like Faine…seen too many late season collapses. I want to believe that this team is play-off bound – but I don’t yet. I think Dominick has done a spectacular job delivering talent – Raheem Morris has done a fantastic job of utilizing that talent. Not since the days when Doug Williams, Kevin House and James Wilder paced Tampa Bay’s sidelines have we seen an offense this potent/explosive…but if we had some wins against teams with a winning record I’d be more convinced that we could aim for the play-off’s.
I hate to be a stick-in-the-mud fan – as do I believe we have seen significant improvement. I have no doubt that we will be a play-off team, soon – I just think we need to see what we can do with the likes of the Ravens and Falcons…before we start allowing ourselves to contemplate the play-offs, this season.
Signed,
Realistic believer
November 22nd, 2010 at 2:59 pm
Wow, finally, some sound reasoning by a Bucs vet. Im happy to hear that the vets are just trying to keep team focused… Because we all know the idiot HC is spouting we da best team in da NFC yo!!!
November 22nd, 2010 at 3:13 pm
If the playoffs started today, we wouldn’t be in. Assume the current division leaders make it in (Falcons, Packers, Eagles, NFC West).
The fact of the matter is for use to make the playoffs, 2 of the following 3 will have to miss the playoffs: Giants, Saints, Bears.
Who do you think won’t?
November 22nd, 2010 at 3:14 pm
lol Faine wasn’t saying we weren’t gonna make the playoffs either. Just sayin and I guarantee if you asked Him if he believed His team could he would say yes. Also ask him if he thinks their record is a misrepresentation of what they are and see if you get a pleasant response lol. Don’t twist his words lol
November 22nd, 2010 at 3:15 pm
I’m sure he’d say Buc U! for lack of a better term lol
November 22nd, 2010 at 3:18 pm
Also, note that, for the purposes of tiebreakers, our game against the Ravens is the least important.
It’s very important that we win the following games, in this priority order: Saints, Falcons, Seahawks, Redskins, Lions, Ravens.
November 22nd, 2010 at 3:19 pm
There’s two wild cards not one Mike. So only one of those teams would have to miss the playoffs
November 22nd, 2010 at 3:23 pm
Bears or Giants have tough schedules… odds are that they will fall out.
All the Bucs have to do is worry and win their own.
November 22nd, 2010 at 3:37 pm
@Rican. I assume you mean Matt and not Mike…
Right, there are two wild cards. So 2/3 would have to be out for us (and one of them) to be the wild cards.
Look, I’m just trying to be realistic here. The bottom line is that we’re probably going to have to beat either the Saints or the Falcons (or both!) to make the playoffs, AND take care of the other teams.
Look at it this way: If we only beat the ‘Skins, Lions, and ‘Hawks to go 10-6…to make the playoffs we’d have to hope that 2/3 of the Saints, Bears, and Giants went 2-4 (roughly, I haven’t worked out the tiebreakers).
10 wins very likely may NOT be in.
November 22nd, 2010 at 3:45 pm
I know this probably won’t happen, but we really need to try to win the rest of our games. I’m telling you, it’s gonna be a dogfight all the way to the end in order for us to make the playoffs.
NFC West: There will be the division winner, so that’ll leave either the Rams (4-6) or Seahawks (5-5) fighting with us for the wild card. 49ers and Cardinals are done.
NFC North: Either the Packers (7-3) or Bears (7-3) will win their division so that’ll leave one of them fighting with us.
NFC East: Either the Eagles (7-3), the Giants (6-4), or Redskins (5-5) will win the division. So that’ll leave two of those teams competing with us. The Cowboys look like a good team again after firing Philips, but it’s too late for them. They’re out.
NFC South: Well, we already know. The Falcons are 8-2 and the Saints are 7-3.
November 22nd, 2010 at 3:46 pm
Chicago remaining schedule
Phili, Det, NE, Min, Jets, GB @Least 4 losses??
NO remaining schedule
Dallas, Cin, Stl, Bal, Atl, TB @least 3 losses?? with losses to both Cle/Ari u never know.
NYG remaining schedule
Jags, Wash, Min, Phili, GB, Wash: w/ 3 tough div games left, a tough jags team, GB, and a Min that could be explosive on any given Sunday who knows how many losses lol.
Atl still has to beat GB, Us, and NO (along with Seachicks and Car twice)
-My point being is that it’s not as simple as you put it and it would not be far fetched for us to land a wild card and even make a run for first in our division.
November 22nd, 2010 at 4:36 pm
The problem with that logic is that the Bucs are currently the odd man out of the NFC playoffs. At least one 7-3 team this year is going to miss the playoffs. That’s a guarantee, because New Orleans and Green Bay are taking up the projected Wild Card spots at 7-3.
By the way, this is why the NFC West’s playoff spot should be revoked. The Seahawks are currently slotted to take that crown at 5-5. That’s some BS.
November 22nd, 2010 at 7:45 pm
I think the point here is that each of the 7 or so teams in contention have to play other teams in contention, which will drop somebody out. We have to play (in NFC contention) the Saints and Falcons (and Redskins if you consider them still a contender).
Chicago has to play Philly and GB, NYG have to play Philly, GB (and Washington twice, considering they’re a playoff contender), Atlanta plays GB, TB, and NO. Philly has to play the Giants and Bears.
This means that playoff contending teams will HAVE to lose games in the coming weeks. We have to gain one spot (currently GB or NO). New Orleans will be the toughest to gain on, as the contenders they play are us and the Falcons (same with us, Atl and NO). The Packers have Chicago, NYG, and Atlanta. That’s the team we can gain on. It’s either that, or a division leader has to fall. Chicago, Philly or Atlanta. Atlanta has 3 tough games, Chicago schedule isn’t easy, and Philly has a few tough games left. We just need one spot from 6 teams, and it is far from out of the question. First things first, of course, we have to beat the Ravens this week.
November 22nd, 2010 at 8:14 pm
yes we have just as good of achance as anyone else to make the playoffs,and for those that dont agree with morris telling his team they are great,go where the coach tells his players we suck and have no chance to win.great season so far but my expectations are high when morris told his team they were the best they started playing like they were,each week they get better,the glazers are starting to look like geniuses changing coaches,makes you think were the players playing for kiffin,when he said he was leaving they sure didnt play for chucky,just saying
November 22nd, 2010 at 10:22 pm
If the Bucs beat the Ravens, look out. Confidence, more respect from everybody. If the D-line shows up like the just did, it will be a heck of a game. I wonder how our offense matches up against the Raven D?
November 23rd, 2010 at 1:33 am
Bucs offense Vs Racens defense will be exciting. We have weapons! Blount, Caddy, Graham, Winslow, and Mike Williams! I expect Arrelious Benn to be da man! The Ravens will scheme for Blount,Winslow, Williams. Ya can’t scheme for everybody! And Benn looks like he is ready to show his talents, which are damn impressive. The Ravens have a lot to watch out for! Throw in a running Qb, and you can see we are becoming dangerous!
November 23rd, 2010 at 8:48 am
Why don’t you wait until the Bucs beat a team with a winning record to plan their play-off run? While this season has fell in place like the “Perfect Storm”, the Bucs still have not beat one team with a winning record!