Bucs Back On Monday Night Football!
April 19th, 2011
Bring on the fresh meat for the young Bucs to pound into submission.
Here’s the schedule for the “best team in the NFC:”
9-11 LIONS (1 p.m.)
9-18 @Vikings (1 p.m.)
9-25 FALCONS (4:15 p.m.)
10-3 COLTS (Monday Night Football)
10-9 @49ers (4:05 p.m.)
10-16 SAINTS (4:15 p.m.)
10-23 BEARS (in London)
BYE
11-6 @Saints (1 p.m.)
11-13 TEXANS (1 p.m.)
11-20 @Packers (1 p.m.)
11-27 @Titans (1 p.m.)
12-4 PANTHERS (1 p.m.)
12-11 @Jaguars (1 p.m.)
12-17 COWBOYS (8:20 p.m.) NFL Network
12-24 @Panthers (1 p.m.)
1-1 @Falcons (1 p.m.)
Joe is fired up. End the damn lockout already.
The Bucs opened 2010 with four out of their first six at home, and the same holds true for 2011.
There can be no whining about this schedule from an exposure standpoint. The Colts at home on Monday Night Football in Week 4 (Chucky’s return), and the Cowboys on a Saturday night in December on NFL Network, plus the Saints and Falcons at home in 4 o’clock games.
April 19th, 2011 at 7:17 pm
i love the schedule!!!! GO BUCS
April 19th, 2011 at 7:18 pm
That is a brutal ending to the season with six away games and only three home games. As excited as I am to see this (if there is a season, fingers crossed), I am concerned with this schedule. If last year was any indication of how well I can guess at a record, I am going to leave that alone this year. Go Bucs!!!
April 19th, 2011 at 7:19 pm
Joe here,
@Bucnole – Way better off with those early home games to build confidence …hopefully
April 19th, 2011 at 7:20 pm
I am liking it. Some national exposure. Bye week right in the middle and only one west coast trip against the 49ers.
I’m stoked!
Go Bucs
April 19th, 2011 at 7:20 pm
I love that both primetime games are at home! No more blackouts? This is the year to show we are a serious threat!
April 19th, 2011 at 7:21 pm
I am still surprised neither of the bucs falcons or bucs saints game made it to a night game.
April 19th, 2011 at 7:26 pm
Joe-Just seen a poll on sportsnation and it asked what team would you like to see most play a monday night football game that didnt play last year. The number one team voted on…drum roll please….Oh yeah, TB…people other than us are hopefully interested….
April 19th, 2011 at 7:35 pm
With five of the first seven being (at least nominal) home games, looks like we’ll need to start at least 5-2 in order to have a reasonable shot at 10 wins.
Bucs are gonna have to get while the gettin is good – win early and often.
April 19th, 2011 at 7:38 pm
Minus the London game, I LOVE having a lot of early home games in the Florida each. Best way to take advantage of our home field.
Also, our @Packers game is only in November, so it shouldn’t be too cold.
Can’t complain.
April 19th, 2011 at 7:45 pm
Also, it’s good to see that we finally get to see Peyton Manning play at Raymond James Stadium. It’s never happened before.
Not once.
Ever.
(And you can’t convince me that is has.)
April 19th, 2011 at 7:46 pm
karma is a bitch and we will take it to detroit in week one. they wont get a win with a bs call this time… bring on indy and gruden on mnf we got something for them to avenge that 2003 game
April 19th, 2011 at 7:50 pm
Like the schedule a lot. I only wish we played Atlanta in December we usually do in Tampa instead of September.
April 19th, 2011 at 7:52 pm
Every potential national TV game is a home game. This goes against everything the media was saying a few months ago. They said if we got a national TV game it would be an away game because nobody wants to televise an empty stadium to the rest of the country (I think there was an article on here about Peter King saying something like that, too). And here we are with 5 potential national TV games. The MNF game is national, the NFLN game is national. There are the two home games against the Saints and Falcons in the late time slot with potential national game coverage. And of course, the Bears game is a “home” game that isn’t home. We also may see national coverage @Panthers, because it’s a Saturday game.
All that said, and excitement for many TV opportunities aside, I must say I think this is a very difficult schedule. Open against the Lions at home, but the Lions won their last 4 games and are improving rapidly. No push over there, good challenge to see where the team is at to start the year.
Then a run of Vikings, Falcons, Colts could really test the young group before we travel to the west coast and the 49ers. That trips gotta be almost as bad as the London trip later in the year. I think this team is gonna have to be Road Warriors to have a playoff chance. Gonna have to finish the season strong on the road.
Not to sound unusually pessimistic, but I’d say 8-8 is where they’ll be and miss the playoffs again. Of course I hope for better, but think they’d have to improve more than a team without offseason work can to achieve that. I also know that’s an early prediction without a draft or free agency or anything to go on other than schedule so far. Maybe my opinion will change as we get closer to real games.
April 19th, 2011 at 7:53 pm
Derek you took the words out of my mouth…the NFL is giving us a chance at some redemption. I expect the Bucs to have a little extra edge for that first game against detroit, especially K2.
April 19th, 2011 at 8:00 pm
I’ll be the first to go out on that limb. 11-5 if we get a CBA before June 1st, otherwise 9-7. Split with Saints and Falcons, advantage over teams with new QBs and new coaches, revenge against the Lions. Go Bucs!
April 19th, 2011 at 8:02 pm
“CAN’T WAIT”
April 19th, 2011 at 8:14 pm
Joe here,
@Matt — Joe will take the bait. Peyton already played here in what was one of the most memorable games in Bucs history on a Monday Night, so why do you say Manning was never here?
April 19th, 2011 at 8:18 pm
Hey Matt, is that what they call “selective amnesia”?
April 19th, 2011 at 8:23 pm
Nice! Finally, we’re getting the attention we deserve! So one MNF game, one NFL Network game, and the London game!
Kind of wish we would’ve also gotten one on NBC with Al! But I’m happy with this nonetheless!
We have a lot of improvements to make on this team and a lot of other things to settle. This thing with Aqib Talib is very serious (I pray to God it works out and that he comes back). If he doesn’t, then we have an extra major need to fill. Our defense is not the same without him.
If we give Tanard Jackson one more chance to get his $hit together and stay drug free, having him back would be awesome. Him, Grimm, Jones, and maybe another safety addition would have us set at the position!
Also, we’ve got a lot harder of a schedule than last year. No more 2nd and 3rd string QB’s, no more breaks for us.
Let’s take advantage of this!! Let’s win both of these games! Let’s make the playoffs! If we do that, we’ll have respect and we’ll continue to have luxuries such as primetime games and recognition.
Man out of all teams, they had to pick the Colts lol. Probably the hardest game on our schedule. We need to LOAD UP our defense this offseason for that game.
Anyway, I love the schedule. Go Bucs!
April 19th, 2011 at 8:24 pm
I love the first half of the schedule and having those 4:00 o’clock games is nice but having 6 of last 9 on the road including last two did us no favors,
April 19th, 2011 at 8:48 pm
So which home game would be the best fit for the throwback game?
I would have thought an old NFC Central foe but that seems unlikely now since it won’t be week 1 or the “home” game in London.
Any guesses? (assuming they have a throwback game which I understood was going to be a yearly tradition for a while)
MNF ? Primetime for bucco bruce?
April 19th, 2011 at 9:09 pm
No worries, the Bucs seem to play better on the road! BamBam, comeon man! None of these other teams are working out right now either. Who knows, it may be the great equalizer. Of course the Stylze comment did not add allot of confidence…I have to work out alone all the time, and I am paying to do it. What a cry baby!
April 19th, 2011 at 9:14 pm
I’m thinking 12-4, maybe 13-3. I have a great deal of faith in this team as a whole, and think this the year Josh Freeman takes us to the Promised Land…. and Dominick will give Raheem all the tools to do it. Go Bucs!!!
April 19th, 2011 at 9:17 pm
It’s more than just no OTAs, McBuc. Looking over the schedule, the Bucs will travel over 22,000 miles this season… meanwhile, the other 3 teams in our division will all travel about half of that. Right around 11,000 or less. We’ll have 7 home games, 8 road games and an overseas game, while they all get 8 home games. We finish with a majority of our games on the road. This schedule is not easy, not even close. If the Bucs get off to a hot start, it could be a VERY good year, but any stumble along the way before the London game and we could be in for a long season. Not a great way to showcase a team in primetime, if their confidence is down and they’re struggling to get wins. They must win early.
April 19th, 2011 at 9:32 pm
16-0
April 19th, 2011 at 9:45 pm
There is also a possibility that the Bucs could be 0-11 by the time they play the Panthers.
April 19th, 2011 at 9:50 pm
I’ve seen scarier schedules. Outside of the England home game, there’s not much to dislike.
April 19th, 2011 at 10:18 pm
Hey WeNeedDefense… I thought you said- and I quote- “Adios JBF”. I assumed you would be stalking the comment section of the Times on ine by now…
April 19th, 2011 at 10:20 pm
yeah, you heard it….. CAN’T WAIT!
April 19th, 2011 at 10:28 pm
Not scary, but not easy. There is a five game stretch early in the season that will be absolutely critical to the success of the team this year.
Starting with the Falcons at home in the afternoon (possibly national game). Big game, big emotion, physical…
Then, take the week to prepare for the Colts on Monday Night Football (all the interviews and TV preparation taking away from game prep)…
Then, on a short week, travel cross country to play the 49ers in the afternoon as well. Not a tough team, but on a short week with a long travel….
Now, turn around (late Sunday night), travel back across country to play the Saints at home. Depending on the outcome against San Fran and the past few weeks, is confidence high or low???
And, of course, hop on that plane and travel overseas to play Chicago in London for a “home” game. That 5 game stretch includes half of our home games (one not even at “home”) against tough opponents (except the 49ers on a short week with long travel).
After the bye week, even though most games are on the road, I think the schedule gets easier and if we make it through that 5 game stretch looking good, we have a chance at a great season. That will be very telling.
April 19th, 2011 at 11:20 pm
The 2 away games against division opponents at the end of the season ain’t good. Especially against the Falcons.
April 19th, 2011 at 11:41 pm
The Bucs should IMPROVE too, just like the Lions and Packers. I think we forget how Green they were last year. Everything about the Bucs should be better this year. I think both the Saints and Falcons will regress. I think the Panthers are at least a year away from doing anything. I think the Bucs could sweep their division. Sure I’m optimistic, but now is the time for that. It’s hard to get pumped up when your full of negative energy. I think we have a few shining examples of that here. Negativity breeds more negativity and things just continue on a downward spiral from there.
April 19th, 2011 at 11:57 pm
No doubt the Bucs should improve over last year, which will help their chances this year. I also thing the Saints and Falcons aren’t going to be able to keep pace with the improvement. I think the Falcons schedule is equally or possibly more difficult than the Bucs. If the Bucs can make it to the bye week in decent shape, they should contend for the division.
April 20th, 2011 at 4:21 am
Argghhhhh only two weeks im in florida at xmas and we’re not at home! road trip to atlanta it is…
schedule is OK – i think they 6-10 teams are deceiving because a lot of them were underperforming last year e.g. vikings and texans
ultimately though, if we are a good enough team to make the playoffs we will be able to get there no matter what the schedule – time for the D to step up this year!
April 20th, 2011 at 5:32 am
Trips to San Fran and Minesota in the first five weeks would be a point of concern. Lotta air time. Funny no one considers Minesota a bad road trip for us. It’s really kinda far away. . .
April 20th, 2011 at 5:52 am
Its a tough schedule. More difficult than many people think. The Bucs struggled last year against teams that had good QBs. They did very well against teams that have issues at that position. So the Vikings and Panthers dont scare me. The Lions I think we will win but that will not be an easy game at all. Losing a home game to London is a disadvantage. The Colts, Packers and Cowboys are scary games. 5 of the last 7 are road games. Texans and Jags wont be easy. And the 49ers wont be as bad as they were last year.
I just dont see playoffs. This schedule screams of a 7-9 year.
April 20th, 2011 at 7:16 am
@Joe @BamBamBuc
I don’t recall that game you mentioned at all. It’s almost like it never happened.
NEVER HAPPENED.
April 20th, 2011 at 8:35 am
Matt:
That game was the beginning of end of the Bucs glory years.
April 20th, 2011 at 8:44 am
@Joe – I remember the Colts game like it was yesterday and your right that was the beginning if the end. We totally dominated the Colrs for over 3 quarters… Then one if the worst collapses ever and we never recovered. It still pains me to think how we ever lost that game.
April 20th, 2011 at 8:57 am
I like it mostly.
2 prime time games. 3 other potential National games (London) and 2 at 4pm.
Plus the possibility of the last game of the year against the Falcons moving to Sunday night.
The main issue I see is 5 of the last 7 are on the road.
ALOT has to play out but in my initial reaction I see a 10+ win season easily (well not easy…).
9-11 LIONS (1 p.m.) WIN
9-18 @Vikings (1 p.m.) WIN
9-25 FALCONS (4:15 p.m.) TOSS UP
10-3 COLTS (Monday Night Football) LOSS
10-9 @49ers (4:05 p.m.) WIN
10-16 SAINTS (4:15 p.m.) LOSS
10-23 BEARS (in London) WIN
BYE
11-6 @Saints (1 p.m.) WIN
11-13 TEXANS (1 p.m.) TOSS UP
11-20 @Packers (1 p.m.) LOSS
11-27 @Titans (1 p.m.) WIN
12-4 PANTHERS (1 p.m.) WIN
12-11 @Jaguars (1 p.m.) WIN
12-17 COWBOYS (8:20 p.m.) TOSS UP
12-24 @Panthers (1 p.m.) WIN
1-1 @Falcons (1 p.m.) TOSS UP
The only definate losses I see are the Colts, Packers and one of the Saints games. I chose the home game because it is after a Monday night game against the Colts. One of the Falcons games is probably a loss, but I also think they could take both this year… the whole revenge factor.
GET OUT TO THE STADIUM PEOPLE!!!
April 20th, 2011 at 10:03 am
@Matt – we see you working.
I like the early part of the schedule, but 7 out of the last ten on the road (if you include the London game) will be brutal on a developing team.