Playoffs Appear Grim
December 5th, 2010
Raheem Morris has said since training camp if the Bucs finish the race to 10 they will be in the playoffs.
Unlikely this year.
The Bucs playoff hopes took a massive hit today when Matty Ice and the Dixie Chicks rallied from 10 points down in the fourth quarter to beat the Bucs. So let’s look at the NFC standings.
If the season ended today, the Dixie Chicks would win the division and have the best record in the division. Both Philadelphia and the New York Giants are a game ahead of the Bucs at 8-4. The Dixie Chicks are three games ahead of the Bucs and the Saints are two games ahead of the Bucs at 9-3. Both the Bears (9-4) and the Packers (8-4) lead the Bucs.
What will kill the Bucs is tiebreakers. The Bucs — all together now — have yet to beat a team with a winning record so unless the Bucs tie with the Saints and beat the Saints in New Orleans, it’s difficult to imagine the Bucs would have any tiebreaker advantage.
The Bucs will have to beat the Saints for just about any prayer of a playoff berth short of Chicago, Green Bay, Philadelphia and/or New York collapsing down the stretch.
December 5th, 2010 at 10:22 pm
Strength of schedule is down the list of tie-breakers. Head to head, division record, and conference record all come before that one, and I think even record against common opponent (minimum of 4) is also before that one.
December 5th, 2010 at 10:23 pm
Oh that’s riiiiight… Another reason why it is important to beat good teams with winning records, the Tie Breaker! That’s as good as reason as any to win against a team with a winning record.
No big deal. The Bucs still have another year to really start turning the corner and becoming perennial winners who run deep into the play offs. Who the he’ll needs a 9-3 start anyway?
December 5th, 2010 at 10:30 pm
Bucs can make the playoffs at 10-6 all they need is some help along the way. The teams we want to lose are the Bears,Packers and Giants . I dont see us overcoming the saints. These teams have tough schedules and i see the bears and giants collapsing. Gmen have at minnesota, vs philly, at Green Bay and at wash i see them finishing 9-7. Bears have tough games comin up vs NE, AT Minnesota,vs Jets, and at Green Bay and i could see them losing out.
December 5th, 2010 at 10:45 pm
I don’t know how much actually made it on TV, but it was the worst officiating I have ever seen. It really looked the refs were paid off. The fix was in, and I thought I was watching the NBA at times.
December 5th, 2010 at 10:48 pm
I have been a Bucs fan since the begining…and I have never seen a team with more hope than this team! I never harbored any delusions of a Superbowl win this year, but give this team a couple of years to mature, ant watch out!!
December 5th, 2010 at 10:58 pm
@Josh
Not both the Packers and Bears have to lose, only one of them does. Cause one of those teams will their division anyway.
You’re right about the Bears and Giants. I don’t think the Bears will beat NE or Jets. Two losses right there and two probable wins at MIN and GB would put them at 10-6. Out.
If the G-Men lose a bunch of games, that’ll be a major help as the Eagles will go on to win the NFC East and there will be no wild card team from that division.
That will leave the Saints and Bucs with the two wild card spots. The NFC South could possibly have 3 teams in the playoffs.
We have to win out though. Especially against the Saints.
December 5th, 2010 at 10:59 pm
BigMac, u r correct, the officials picked on us today.
December 5th, 2010 at 11:06 pm
congrats buc you, you get another losing week to act like a complete douche bag. like a hog roling around in sh@t, i’ve never seen a “fan” so happy to see their team lose.
December 5th, 2010 at 11:08 pm
I can remember when we actually used to win the Division.
December 5th, 2010 at 11:20 pm
“Raheem Morris has said since training camp if the Bucs finish the race to 10 they will be in the playoffs.”
Don’t think he’s ever definitively said that. He has said that “it gives us a chance.”
December 5th, 2010 at 11:24 pm
The Sky is falling the sky is falling.
So Eric you’re saying that before the season you expected this team to win the division? I’m pretty sure that no one expected us to even be in the playoff conversation at this point.
This is not the end of the world. Do you really think all the teams ahead of us are going to win out? If the Bucs take care of business the rest of the way then they will be in the playoffs.
December 6th, 2010 at 12:00 am
ray j’s grounds keeper needs to have his balls cut off. the field was an embarrassment. no games for 2 weeks until the usf game.
December 6th, 2010 at 12:01 am
eric can kiss my red rosey on main street
December 6th, 2010 at 12:11 am
I suppose playoffs are mathematically possible, as is 7-9.
I could alo hit the lottery and buy JBF.com for a couple of million.
Realistically though, it aint happening.
But, we will have another draft to look forwrd to, as well as rah and his magnificant staff for 2011. That is if they play in 2011.
December 6th, 2010 at 12:16 am
I also remember when we used to win the division, every other year…. after getting a top 5 draft pick the year before….
I also remember eric saying we’d be lucky to win 3 again this year, even with the “easy” schedule. And saying Raheem Morris will never get this team to the playoffs, EVER.
Yeah, well, maybe we won’t make the playoffs, or win the division, but we’ve exceeded what he thought the team was capable of to begin the year. We’ve exceeded what most anyone thought we’d do at the beginning of the year. Let him stay negative and proclaim to be a “realist”. A realist would actually see that the team has won 7 games with 4 to go. A realist would see the difference between the Steelers/Saints games and the Falcons/Ravens games and see the improvement in this young team and see that the future should be bright, instead of crying out about how bad this team is.
We’ve played the Falcons twice now as well as the Ravens did. The Saints have also lost to the Falcons. And the Packers… geez, those teams really suck….
December 6th, 2010 at 12:28 am
the team is borderline mediocre, which i suppose is an upgrade over complete disaster.
Sorry, not impressed. Your perfectly welcome to be all excited about it, however.
Knock yourself out!
December 6th, 2010 at 3:03 am
I don’t see the Bears winning any of their remaining games. Maybe @Min, but the Vikings look a lot better without Chilly. Just have to hope the Giants stumble, which is unlikely. We probably miss the playoffs at 10-6 or 9-7 unfortunately. Next year we play a 3rd place schedule with a much better team and win the division.
December 6th, 2010 at 8:07 am
Eric: Borderline mediocre? Really? Wow then your expectations are sky high then. I have learned that it is hard to discuss things with highly negative people because they can only see things through that negative lens.
This team is good. Not great, but good. They were supposed to SUCK this year. People thought they would win 2-3 games. They have played very well almost every week and will probably have a winning record…and if they don’t make the playoffs that’s cool with me because I can be excited about next year….if there is a next year….
December 6th, 2010 at 9:35 am
Right on Andrew, and do not worrie, Eric is invisible when we win, so you will only have to listen to him for a week. If we take care of business next week, he will go back into hiding. Some people are never happy, and we have a few of them here on JBF. This loss was a huge bummer, they should have won. The Falcons showed why experience is so important, but you know what…the Bucs will grow together just like ATL has oveer the last few years. Dom and Morris are doing this the right way, and the results are showing well.
December 6th, 2010 at 9:51 am
He never said 10 would get us in. He said it’s a race to 10. The Falcons won that race.
December 6th, 2010 at 9:58 am
I really only questioned the coaching a couple times in the game. The 3 man rush is useless and should be throw away forever. I thought it had been, I was wrong. On 4’th & 1 when we kicked the field goal, we were playing ‘Not to Lose” instead of going for it and playing to win. The 3’rd & 1 down before that, they ran Blount, but ATL read an obvious play. I would like to have those two plays back. There were I think two other situations where we had 4’th & 1 or 2, inside their 45 0r 40 when I wish he would have went for it. Honestly, giving Matt Ryan the ball on the 10, 20 or 40 doesn’t make a lot of difference. When you play this ATL team, you have to put up as many points as possible every chance you get. Raheem played not to lose, a play right out of Chucky’s book, and one that got him fired. Like in MMA, keep it out of the judges’ hands, tap out, knock him out, but don’t give them a chance to rob you. The refs robbed us today, but the Bucs gave them the opportunity to do it. All said and done, I love this team and coach, and Freeman is my hero on Sundays.
December 6th, 2010 at 10:31 am
Great post Bigmac, spot on…
December 6th, 2010 at 10:50 am
Eric and I actually had a Bet. He said the Bucs wouldn’t win 4 games, or he would wear a “I love Raheem tshirt at the corner of Dale Mabry on game day. I said I would wear an “I love Chucky” tshirt at same corner by the stadium if they didn’t win 8 games. Eric hasn’t responded to that since they won 5 games. I’m sure Joe could find that bet in the summer post. I’m not concerned if we make the playoffs or not.it would be great, but not a goal before the season. Bucs and staff have already exceeded my expectations, and I am very excited about the future of this team
December 6th, 2010 at 11:29 am
Captain, Eric isn’t stupid, but he is a bird brain and has Zero Buc’s Credibility on this site. I know if I ever needed a lawyer, and I do from time to time, he’d be the last person on the planet I would call. I’d call 1-800-ASK-GARY before I’d call Eric. It was really disheartening yesterday and I felt bad for our players. They played their hearts out, and the last thing you want to hear the next day, is some scumbag shyster lay into them. Eric, pal, suck it.
Again, worst officiating in the 4’th quarter that I have ever seen.
December 6th, 2010 at 1:23 pm
BigMacAttack- refs were horrible yesterday. They were just as bad in Atlanta. Think the NFL is thinking Atlanta needs to Represent the NFC south in the SuperBowl this time. Guess each of us gets a shot, lol. Yeah, the whole thing with Eric is just kinda sickening. Who would lie in wait for weeks, just hoping their team loses, so they can post some stupid hater crap? Really? He has sat Round for weeks- not saying a word, just waiting until we lose a game so he can be an ass! That’s pretty low down and nauseating even by Lawyer standards- which are pretty low to begin with!
December 6th, 2010 at 1:32 pm
@ Eric
you say: “I can remember when we actually used to win the Division.”
when exactly was that again? after the 5-11 season of 2004 (11-5 05)and the 4-12 season of 2006 (9-7 2007)… those are the last two division wins but we didn’t have to play bad teams then did we ??? oh yeah through your eyes those were good teams we were beating… and our division in 2007 what was the other teams records we went 5-1 in our division oh yeah 7-9 for both the panthers and the saints and a 4-12 falcons team.. so as your logic says we where not a good team then? i mean 5 of our 9 wins came against teams in our division…….
December 6th, 2010 at 1:33 pm
with below .500 records and we lost one game to one of those teams…..