Are The Bucs Ninth Worst In The NFL?
July 13th, 2013
Joe’s not sure the Bucs are a winning football team yet, but Tampa Bay sure shouldn’t be a losing team, and the Bucs definitely should be at least an average NFL team.
But not according to the esteemed braintrust at ProFootballTalk.com.
Hall of Fame voter ProFootballTalk.com writer Darin Gantt penned the site’s in-depth, preseason power ranking of Tampa Bay, and the Bucs check in at No. 24, ninth worst in the NFL.
Gantt doesn’t believe in the Bucs’ roster infrastructure or Josh Freeman. Here’s a snippet:
Prospects.
The degree to which their entire season hinges on Freeman is fascinating, and layered.
Keeping the offensive system in place should help, but the pressure of knowing your own financial future and the direction of a franchise sits on your shoulders has to be a burden.
The Bucs have done a good job of putting parts in place around Freeman to make it easier to succeed, specifically by giving him a second year with offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan. That kind of stability is necessary for him to develop confidence.
At the same time, there are enough questions up front to make you wonder whether the big expenditures in the back will help.
As good as Revis is, if quarterbacks are never pressured, opponents will find cornerback Eric Wright’s guy more easily.
They’ve done an admirable job of addressing needs, but it’s still unclear if they’ve built on a stable foundation.
You can click above to read the entire breakdown.
Joe’s confident that when all the various media predictions of the 2013 Bucs are released, no NFL team will have as wide a range of prognostications. Some will pick the Bucs to win 11 or 12 and take the NFC South, others will put them in last place with six wins.
Joe wonders what Team Glazer would consider a good showing by the Bucs.
July 13th, 2013 at 2:21 pm
If you are surprised by this, then you have not been paying attention the last 4 years. The most revealing line is that ” the Bucs are putting there eggs in the broken baskets of Bowers and Clayborn. I have been saying for months that is this team makes the playoffs, it will be because the whole team will drag JFro-6pak and the D-line to a playoff game. Funny how all the experts are now saying the same thing.
July 13th, 2013 at 2:28 pm
I’m not saying the Bucs are winning Super Bowl, but 9th worst? Jets, Bills, Browns, Chargers, Cardinals, Raiders, Chiefs, Titans, and Jags are worse teams off the top of my head. I would include the Fins, Eagles, and Panthers before I got to Bucs. If Dallas or Washington made the moves the Bucs did this offseason, they would be considered Super Bowl favorites.
July 13th, 2013 at 2:29 pm
Teams the Bucs are better than
Jets, Dolphins, Bills, Browns, Cardinals, Rams, Vikings, Eagles, Raiders, Chiefs, Jaguars, Titans and Panthers.
Def not 9th worst in the NFL.
Can’t wait for the season to start, so the “experts” can shut up.
July 13th, 2013 at 2:31 pm
Bucs will have an opportunity to proove they are better than the Dolphins, Rams, Lions & Eagles. While I don’t strongly disagree with the ranking, I would place my bet on the Bucs being a team that will surprise many (Penn).
I bet Shaun King agrees with the ranking or feels the Bucs are even worse…because….
“Shaun King, one of two Buc Quarterbacks that lost a NFC Championship Game when his defense gave up 11 or fewer points.”
July 13th, 2013 at 2:32 pm
When your QB is a moron what do you expect?
July 13th, 2013 at 2:50 pm
I guess we’ve got a lot to prove for some people to give us any love. Apparently, Gantt is not our biggest fan. I wonder if he’s one of those that was up in arms over Schiano’s decision to rush the kneel down. Seems we had a lot of media pissing on our cornflakes all year last year. Especially when the NFL came out and said it was legal it was like some of them made it personal towards Schiano. Remember, the replacement ref that went on TV. There is this stigma we can’t shake and the only way of breaking out of it, is to win. ..a lot ..
July 13th, 2013 at 2:56 pm
Don’t put too much stock in any ranking right about now! ESPN has a more reasonable ranking!
http://espn.go.com/nfl/powerrankings
July 13th, 2013 at 2:59 pm
We are a 7-9 team until we take the field and prove were better than that. This ranking shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone. Not sure I’ve seen any rankings that have us any higher than 20 yet. That’s ok though I like being the under dog.
July 13th, 2013 at 3:02 pm
This could be one of the worst predictions I’ve seen. Didn’t Mark Sanchez lead the Jets to two straight AFC Championship games with a good running game and sold defense?? Everyone wants to trash Free, but we don’t need him to be Peyton, Brady, Brees, Ryan, etc. with our running game and an admirable defense we can win 8-10 with freeman playing like Dilfer or Johnson.
July 13th, 2013 at 3:09 pm
@Free’s a Boob
You’re getting kinda stale, might want to come up with some new material. Lol
July 13th, 2013 at 3:20 pm
It’s amazing the things experts see in regards to Freeman when not wearing the rose colored glasses that WCBF, Buc Junkie, and the other JFro lovers possess.
July 13th, 2013 at 3:35 pm
^^^^Oh he’s trying to start a fight. How infantile. None of us, including myself, never said that Freeman didn’t have to do a better job. We just feel, that Josh is our best bet to get us there, and we have his back. Instead of being negative and tearing him down daily, some of us choose to rally behind him. No-mater what you bashers might say he’s going to be our starting QB, at least get behind him unless you truly want him to fail.
July 13th, 2013 at 3:36 pm
^^^^correction: no-matter
July 13th, 2013 at 3:38 pm
I couldnt disagre more. How in the hell do they think Tampa will be worse than what they were last year? I’m just going off of the final standings when the season was over. There were 10 other teams that finished with a worse record than Tampa. Last time I checked. Tampa got a WHOLE lot better. That’s just nonsense.
July 13th, 2013 at 4:04 pm
The haters just keep on hatin’ Cus’ when its all said and done y’all will look like fools. Then you’ll disappear into the walls like roaches. A bunch whiney little girls. Whaaa we haven’t won, whaaa we suck. Get over yourselves. We want tough fans, fans that can with stand the test of time. Cus, lets face it to be a lifetime fan of the Bucs you have to have patience or a sense of humor. Real tough fans. no whiners allowed.
July 13th, 2013 at 4:10 pm
@lightningbuc
It’s amazing how devoted you are to talking trash about your own teams quarterback. I mean, hating is one thing, but to do it every day? That’s just sad. You probably are missing something in your life. Too much negativity
July 13th, 2013 at 4:13 pm
Of course not
But I’d rather have less attention as a team, don’t want our young team to get big heads.
July 13th, 2013 at 4:22 pm
Okay I’m weighing in on this. I will continue to cite how much the “experts” thought of the Bucs during the early years of the Dungy regime. Not very much. Always giving them no hope at all. Simmer down your negatives. This all comes with being a Buc fan. FFS long time fans know the “experts” NEVER give the Bucs any credit. I’m not saying it as an excuse, it is what is. In the words of tonytwocents, f**k’em all.
July 13th, 2013 at 4:26 pm
…and another thing. I wonder how many experts picked Raheem’s Bucs to go 10-6 in 2010. Chew on the that for awhile, and then…..simma down, simma down.
July 13th, 2013 at 4:39 pm
When does the lasting contenders thing kick in?
July 13th, 2013 at 4:51 pm
Okay let me help you along.
2010 predictions :
Bleacher Report 3-13
Fox Sports 3-13
ESPN 3-13
I can go all over the net, but the results are going to be the same. Go hunt yourselves if you like.
If you like look at last seasons predictions as well. See how many were right about Seattle or the Bucs going 7-9. It’s all a bunch of BS.
July 13th, 2013 at 4:53 pm
“Keeping the offensive system in place should help, but the pressure of knowing your own financial future and the direction of a franchise sits on your shoulders has to be a burden.”
I don’t agree that Freeman is under alot of pressure because of his financial future, etc I think he’s said it’ll all take care of itself & that he just needs to do the best he can. I think that’s a reasonable mentality to have when you know you’re going to make millions in your next contract anyway, no matter which team it’s with. So, I’m not buying into that totally because I think he’ll still be viewed as “young with upside’ by other teams who don’t have as good quarterback or who think he’s progressing & want to capitalize on it…., Heck, He’s gonna make milliions in his next contract, no matter what team it’s with ….. & exactly what quarterback doesn’t have the franchise’s direction sitting on his shoulders ?
July 13th, 2013 at 5:02 pm
One more expert that does not believe in Freeman. Bring on the whining from the JFro apologists.
July 13th, 2013 at 5:16 pm
Mean D’s problem is…he believes the experts. Now he’s no longer an enigma. I get it now.
July 13th, 2013 at 5:42 pm
Mean D <—— get over yourself big wussy. Be a man. Quit whining about Freeman all the time, suck it up little soldier, it time to rally and be a REAL fan.
July 13th, 2013 at 6:31 pm
Tampabaybucfan Says:“Shaun King, one of two Buc Quarterbacks that lost a NFC Championship Game when his defense gave up 11 or fewer points.”
Love the way you keep hammering this point across.
July 13th, 2013 at 8:20 pm
I don’t believe the prognosis is an indictment of the Bucs roster talent but more of a general football public distrust based on Freeman inconsistent performances.
I hear analysts all the time day how much of a sleeper the Bucs are but but but “Freeman” is always the general response.
July 13th, 2013 at 10:47 pm
Let’s see, they can stop the run…
They can run the ball…
They have one of the best offensive lines..
They addesed the secondary with the best CB and a top Safety and a returning CB who is above average and a quality rookie CB…
The D-Line has talent, but much unproven…
The secondary should help the pass rush…
Even if Freeman is average they should be 9-9…
Personally, I think they win 10
July 14th, 2013 at 12:14 am
Dave not to get nit-picky but how does a team go 9-9 in a 16 game season?
July 14th, 2013 at 5:30 am
Since we are preseason 9th worst team in the NFL, it’s going to be really hard for us to make a BCS bowl this year. I hope they all rank us #32. I’m sure PFT has watched every game of ours and has broken down countless hours of film to arrive at this educated conclusion.
July 14th, 2013 at 6:15 am
I learned a long time ago that what the “experts” predict is pretty much pointless and most often based on the recent history. Few are willing to truly analyze each team’s offseason changes and make any bold revelations. Then you have that Dungyesque “perception vs reality” thing. When members of the media hear something (Williams in conflict with Bucs over contract) they just keep echoing it. No one predicted the 1979 team coming off the 5 win season to reach the NFC Title Game. Likewise, no one forecasted a 7 -9 season after the Super Bowl victory and the encore 17-0 defeat of the Eagles to begin the 2003 season. Madden said the Bucs were far superior to every other team in the league. Funny thing happened against the Colts. The swagger left. And there lies the unknown. The NFL is as much mental as physical. Tough to predict a mindset.
July 14th, 2013 at 6:36 am
lol It’s obvious he made a mistake, tell him.. don’t ask him a question about it phrased in a smart ass way hahaha smh.. 😉
July 14th, 2013 at 10:25 am
^^^ People can read what they post after they post it. That’s when the correction should have been made. Has it been corrected yet? I was not picking a fight. The question was made in jest, and not to offend. I read his comment and laughed. So I responded in jest. What can I say, I was bored, oh well.