JoeBucsFan Predicts An 8-8 Finish
August 26th, 2013
Joe types this post with a heavy heart. While Joe will join every Bucs fan on opening day cheering for Tampa Bay to win every darn game, Joe only envisions the Bucs winning half their games in 2013.
The Bucs have eight Pro Bowl players 30 years old and younger — eight! — plus they have emerging stud talents like Lavonte David, Mark Barron and Mike Williams. There’s also plenty of guys with high ceilings, like franchise quarterback Josh Freeman and Adrian Clayborn.
However, the NFC is loaded with excellent football teams, loaded like it was decades ago. For example, Joe believes the Panthers are the slouch of the NFC South, but Carolina had a top-10-ranked defense last year, and they’ve got a dangerous offense. That’s an example of how deep the NFC is.
What about the St. Louis Rams? They beat the snot out of the Bucs in Tampa last season. Have the Bucs shown enough for Joe to believe they’ll beat the Rams in St. Louis in December, a game Joe will cover in person? No. Joe can’t predict the Bucs to win that game.
Joe looks at the Bucs schedule and sees the Bucs winning three games against the AFC East (Bills & Dolphins at home, and the Jets on the road). Joe also predicts the Bucs will split their division games and beat the Eagles and Cardinals in Tampa. That’s eight wins.
At the start of training camp, Joe was leaning toward the Bucs being a 9-7 team that would improve but not make the playoffs. After various preseason disappointments — Da’Quan Bowers and Carl Nicks come to mind — and inconsistency on offense and pass rushing, Joe fell back a half a notch to land at 8-8.
Factoring into Joe’s mind is Greg Schiano needing to prove himself as a game coach and it’s unknown whether the Schiano defense is a successful model in the NFL.
Also there’s the inconsistency of Freeman. It’s likely that what the Bucs got from Freeman last season is the quarterback they’ll get in 2013: inconsistent, up and down, and a guy who’s not at his best during high-pressure, late-season games, a middle-of-the-pack quarterback. Freeman is still good enough to lead a winning team, but again, the NFC is one nasty place.
The New Schiano Order is again counting on rookies in a big way, Johnthan Banks and Akeem Spence, as well as four key players coming off major surgery and injuries. There are just too many variables for Joe to believe the Bucs will become a winner.
Joe sees the New Schiano Order making incremental improvement this season, a step up to 8-8, with Schiano and rockstar general manager Mark Dominik returning in 2014.
August 26th, 2013 at 9:30 am
11 – 5. Book it .
August 26th, 2013 at 9:36 am
If we go 8-8, I think we keep Freeman. The only way you replace a QB like him is if you have somebody better on deck, and draft somewhere around 16th-20th doesn’t get us that guy. 8-8 says give him a modest contract and spend the draft getting D-Line and O-line depth along with a stud TE if we can manage.
August 26th, 2013 at 9:40 am
8 and 8, apparently that poll was taken before the bucs fins game, because they were pathetic. The defense looks dreadfull and I don’t know if Revis is enough to make it serviceable. Tannehill looked liked very good and who is their Nickle back. The offense…. The receivers are supposed the be the best position and they were plagued by drops. I don’t know who was worse Freeman or the offensive line. It’s going to be a long season and 6 wins will be tough.
August 26th, 2013 at 9:42 am
After reading Schiano’s comment in the Times this morning, “So turn up the stakes a little bit, and HOPEFULLY, we’ll perform. That’s what we’re banking on.” Tells me we’re looking a lot closer to 6-10.
His comment doesn’t exactly get me excited for the upcoming season…more like, HERE WE GO AGAIN..SOS!
Note, you could have read that quote on JoeBucsFan.com yesterday afternoon.–Joe
August 26th, 2013 at 9:45 am
8-8 may be optimistic Joe. I don’t have a prediction but I will be at every game this year including the Detroit game. Hoping for the best but I just don’t see it from what they have demonstrated in the pre-season.
August 26th, 2013 at 9:45 am
I hate to say I agree with Joe on this one. Obviously Ill be rooting hard for us to win all of our games but reality is the NFC is as talented as I have ever seen and I havent seen anything in preseason to suggest we are approaching elite level. Freeman has been underwhelming and he appears to be as advertised. The finger crossing and excuses have got to go. He either shuts up the doubters this year or he is nothing more than what we have seen and thats not good enough. If we do indeed go 8-8 or around that, it’s questionable whether or not we keep Freeman. A lot will depend on Glennon’s outlook and whether or not we tag Freeman. I can’t explain it but I have this sinking feeling about the Jets game. I fear an ugly low scoring game. Similar to Bucs Jets games in recent years. If we happen to lose that game, it could be an ugly year.
August 26th, 2013 at 9:50 am
Only thing I disagree with on Joe’s article, is that if the Bucs fail to make the postseason and are at .500 or below, I don’t see how Dominik will be back. He is good at signing high profile free agents, but horrible at building depth, which is why the Bucs always wilt down the stretch.
August 26th, 2013 at 9:50 am
Appreciate Joe that you had the balls to put this out there now before the other local hacks. The truth needed to be told. The Bucs can beat any team, but they also could lose to anyone. We’ll be riding a rollercoaster again this year.
What “great” team has no pass rush and an inconsistent quarterback?
August 26th, 2013 at 9:50 am
7-9 for me. I say swept by the Saints. That’s the only difference.
August 26th, 2013 at 9:54 am
8-8 is about right it could swing a game one way or the other. I wonder where we sit for strength of schedule? I know we’re not in the middle or bottom third. Top ten maybe? Unless we get blown out in a few games I think each game will be decided in the last waning seconds of the game. The only thing we can ill afford in any single game is starting off slow. We will have to match point for point like most of our games last year. That’s the NFL today. It’s a track meet.
August 26th, 2013 at 9:56 am
I would like to disagree with the 8-8 prediction, but it’s realistic. The offense should come around. The bigger question to me is the defense. Will Revis play like his old self? Will there be a consistent pass rush? Is Bill Sheridan the right coordinator for the job?
August 26th, 2013 at 9:57 am
9-7 is my realistic. 13-3 is my hopeful
August 26th, 2013 at 10:01 am
If Freeman can not play at a high level at the biggest moments of the year or games…. we are a sub .500 team. I dont believe you can win with a QB who lets you down at the most important time. Hopefully that is not the case… if it proves to be, we will be picking high in the draft.
August 26th, 2013 at 10:07 am
7-9 is reality. I don’t see #5 turning on a switch all of a sudden. He still has that rookie look in his eyes.
August 26th, 2013 at 10:12 am
8-8 is dead on.
August 26th, 2013 at 10:14 am
An inconsistent Freeman can get us more than 8 wins if the rest of the team shows up. So, if we’re floating around 8 wins by the end of the year then that means we’re again missing something significant. Could be our pass rush, could be our offensive line. I hope that isn’t the case though.
August 26th, 2013 at 10:15 am
10-6 free does a little better down the stretch this year and we miss out on playoffs Defense will win us at least 3 games this year
August 26th, 2013 at 10:17 am
Wrong (IMO)…10-6. The Eagles game is the key. FWIW, I redicted the last 10-6 we had (& didn’t prog the other years).
August 26th, 2013 at 10:18 am
Meh, who really has a clue? After three preseason games we are making predictions? We could be 11-5 just as easily as 4-12.
More depends on the players and how badly they want to win.
August 26th, 2013 at 10:21 am
Early in training camp VJax said they are more comfortable and smarter with the offense and they can try new things. Maybe they are trying mostly new things here in the preseason. That way they know what and when to use these in the regular season. That would explain a lot of some of the things that go wrong. Same with defense. They could be trying all these stunts to practice in the preseason to decide what works and when it works so we know when to use them properly in the regular season.
Now I don’t know if anything I said is 100% true. But I also don’t know if the coaches and players just flat out forgot how to play. Its just my take on the fact we do have a reason to be concerned but I’m not ready to just believe this team is terrible. My prediction is 11-5 if we win the games we should and lose the games we should lose. But 8-8 is very fair and would not surprise me at all. Many many things could go wrong.
August 26th, 2013 at 10:21 am
[…] How many games will the Bucs win this year? [JoeBucsFan] […]
August 26th, 2013 at 10:24 am
Operation rebuild, will it ever come to a close?
Forget QBs who don’t get their 6th year, what about GMs?
“Rockstar” needs to show progress on this roster.
Someone better finish with more sacks than Bennett did last year. Also, if Freeman is yanked for “god awful” play, Glennon better show he can develop.
Our O-Line is expensive and hurt.
Our D-Line is littered with draft picks and potential, aside from GMC who can’t do it all by himself.
8-8 would be a bad year.
At what point is our GM expected to assemble a roster capable of winning?
Rebuild sh*t is getting old.
August 26th, 2013 at 10:27 am
Rebuild?
What GMs get a 6th year for showing a team that can’t compete?
Freeman shouldn’t get a penny more that 10m if he does 8-8.
August 26th, 2013 at 10:27 am
I hope they surprise you then Joe, cuz 8-8 just wouldn’t cut it. Freeman would be let go, we’d have to pray Glennon has progressed by then, might take a couple years for him to reach his prime, by then Jackson, Goldson, and Revis will be aging, our young nucleus of players will be in their primes though, so that’s a plus. Still, if we fail this year, it’s going to set us back even more, maybe 2-3 more years until Glennon developes into a playoff caliber QB. And that’s not taking into account the possibility he doesn’t ever reach that level. That would send us into rebuild mode again…..
Just my opinion on the subject, could be wrong. For all we know, the Bucs will surprise people this year. We have the pieces in place, but like we all have known since Rah said it in 2009, it’s all about 5. His play will determine whether this team is 8-8, or 11-5.
August 26th, 2013 at 10:34 am
I think many people are gauging pre-season play as the norm. It IS the exception. As much as I would have liked to have seen a LOT more vs the Dolphins, we intentionally showed them nothing – fools gold. Dolphins commentators during the game said the Dolphins game planned a little for the Bucs. Did we do the same? Doubt it. We ran vanilla plays with the exception of some BS toss sweeps and a def stunt that had the LDE looping all the way around the right – really? I would like to think that Schiano is not going to show SH!T against the Pats or Phins since we play them during the regular season. That said, we needed to show more than we did.
Over the course of the pre-season, the two biggest issues I see are OL play is very poor and the WR’s dropping WAY too many passes. Freeman has his small share of negative plays, but when you can pass pro or catch balls, I mean…WTF?
I wanted to see more, we all did.
The Jets game should be very winnable…and will speak volumes for us.
August 26th, 2013 at 10:36 am
Joe- can you play it any safer? One game better than last year… .500.
Why get into this in the first place? Meaningless!
So you want Joe to make stuff up? –Joe
August 26th, 2013 at 10:36 am
** can’t pass pro
August 26th, 2013 at 10:38 am
Freeman projects the image of an Octopus making love to a Bagpipe. Nothing seems to be in sync. There are some bright spots but unless they elevate their game it will be ugly.
August 26th, 2013 at 10:48 am
5-11
Josh Freeman winds up as Vikings QB 2014
Schiano #1 Coach on hot seat 2014 w/His QB Glennon
BUCS return to “Punchline Past”
Vikings Flourish w/Freeman as Triggerman
August 26th, 2013 at 10:48 am
I’m cautiously optimistic about the upcoming season, the preseason will not have an impact on my outlook! Football is a game of emotion. You just never ever know! Lets Go Bucs!
August 26th, 2013 at 10:51 am
11-5 all day and playoff bound!
August 26th, 2013 at 10:52 am
7-9 I will stick to it! Go get a real qb and you can win 12 to 13 games with this roster.
August 26th, 2013 at 10:54 am
@bucfanjeff,
Light game planning is not a bad thing because you prepare the team for the upcoming weeks for installations. I am sure things were minimized but there is value in some preparations for repitition.
August 26th, 2013 at 10:55 am
I sure hope we are laying down a huge smokescreen. If not then 4-12 might be more like it. I personally think we can get to 10-6 IF we play as we should with the personnel we have. I don’t think we have had all the pieces on the field at one time yet this preseason and let’s hope when we do it will click.
My problem is we still look SLOW…no fire….no excitement…nothing. That is the same as we have looked for the last two years and I think it may be our down fall. We just look FLAT and somewhat uninterested.
I am making a trip down to Tampa for the Arizona game and sure hope I don’t go away like the last trip down to RAYJAY against the Saints a couple years ago. That was a sad performance and I don’t want a repeat.
I usually make a couple games in the mid-west close to where I live when I can. This year St. Louis is close and Atlanta is one of my want to games. The ATL BUCS club is just great to visit with.
GO BUCS Lets get things figured out and start looking like a team that wants to win.
August 26th, 2013 at 11:03 am
Just start Glennon. Freeman has shown over and over he just doesn’t have it.
August 26th, 2013 at 11:11 am
@Mean D
Glennon needs time to develop, throwing him to the wolves right now would probably ruin him a la David Carr, especially if our O-Line allows as many sacks as they have been allowing this preseason.
August 26th, 2013 at 11:13 am
I think 10-6 is still within reach. If Trent Dilfer can win a Super Bowl, all Freeman needs to do is eliminate critical mistakes. The key to reaching that goal, is the defense not giving up 4th quarter leads like they did last year.
As far as Dominic goes…. He really needs to work on adding depth. I truly believe he has assembled enough talent to get the job done, but if there are injuries, the “next man up” has been the weak link.
The coaching staff is where I have the least amount of confidence. Sometimes I really think they outsmart themselves, trying to too hard.
12-4 talent with an 8-8 coaching staff, evens out to a 10-6 record…. But once again, the NFC is so competitive that it might not be enough to accomplish anything except an extension for Freeman!
August 26th, 2013 at 11:16 am
I don’t usually make predictions, but after looking at the schedule, I would say the Jadeveon Clowney Project (JCP) is on. 2-14 would be optimistic.
I think the NFL is progressing and we will see a lot of new developments both offensive and defensive, this year. The Bucs will take a major step backward this year.
The Little General is not a great leader, on the field or off. In preparation for the Jets, he’ll have them run sprints and do push ups, while the Jets will actually practice football. The Dolphins exposed a lot of severe weaknesses and the Jets will analyze and game plan accordingly.
Schiano will spend lots of valuable time practicing diving at the legs of the opposing offenses as they take a knee in mercy. That will help lose the locker room again. NFL players talk among them selves and even among opposing teams. There might be a coup d’tat during the bye week.
I loved Freeman’s 2 minute drill against the Dolphins, we laughed so hard, I thought I was going to pee my pants. Usually you have to go to PeeWee football to see that type of incompetence, but they don’t have instant replay and eight different camera angles.
JCP is on!
August 26th, 2013 at 11:19 am
Let’s remember our starters looked much better against the Ravens starters now coincendently our last two preseason games we didn’t hmmm I wonder why? Maybe because we play these last two teams in actual regular season games and Schiano being the paranoid ex college coach that he is isn’t going to give away anything that can be used against him. Y’all overreact too much this is the NFL where 3-13 teams like the 2011 Vikings go to the Playoffs the very next year or the 4-0 preseason champs Detroit Lions go on to lose every regular season game. I don’t care how dominant this division every games except for some Saints games are always close. Even with a Highschool team secondary last year the Falcons only beat us by 1 so we know rivalry alone will give us a chance in division games. Plus if we have a losing season Freeman is gone if we make it to the playoffs everyone will love him again that’s just how life goes for a NFL fan.
August 26th, 2013 at 11:26 am
@Miguel
Lol so which two teams are we beating?
August 26th, 2013 at 11:27 am
I say 4-12 so I can feel like we exceeded expectations when we actually go 6-10.
August 26th, 2013 at 11:36 am
I think it’s funny that the focus of the Bucs is on Freeman, but in reality, the Bucs will live and die with Doug Martin. If they can run Martin, Freeman won’t matter.
Refocus, Bucs fans. Let world focus on Freeman. We should worry about where Martin is going to run & how he’s going to run.
August 26th, 2013 at 11:43 am
ONE SHIP >> AND ONE PLAY >>>> WE GO TO PLAY OF >>>>>
August 26th, 2013 at 11:43 am
I think what makes this season so exciting is that we do have the potential to be an 11-5 team or a 5-11 team. Expectations for this team are so low, but there were so many games we could have won last year that we shouldn’t have even been in. I believe that, like last year, it will come down to 3 or 4 games that are close (last year we were close vs. Giants, Cowboys, Redskins, Falcons, Eagles and lost). I hear a lot of belly-aching about the offense this year, but it’s the same offense and I don’t see any reason to panic over a few preseason games. They’ll be fine. It was our defense that was horrible and it looks better to me this year than last year. My only concern is depth. We are screwed if more than one or two of our stars go down.
August 26th, 2013 at 11:45 am
We certainly have the talent to win our division. It just depends on how things gel. If the defense plays up to their potential then it could be like the super bowl year when the offense doesn’t have to put up huge numbers for us to win. Certainly I don’t see us doing any worse than 8-8 but I’m looking for much better.
August 26th, 2013 at 12:06 pm
Great point Adam.
When Martin slowed down during the last 5 games, the Bucs had a tough time.
August 26th, 2013 at 12:27 pm
Our schedule is murder. I love the Bucs as much as anyone, , but I see 5-11
August 26th, 2013 at 12:32 pm
When you find yourself afraid of the schedule then you know your team just isn’t good enough.
When the Bucs had a super bowl defense every Buc fan couldn’t wait for the showdown.
August 26th, 2013 at 12:34 pm
I know this is a little late to be tinkering with mechanics but Freeman’s footwork is absolutely terrible. He is never going to be consistently accurate with piss poor footwork.
August 26th, 2013 at 12:54 pm
19-0 victory road
August 26th, 2013 at 1:54 pm
Coach,has intimated the quarterback to the point that he is afraid to do anything, let the man play football, everyone knows you are in charge. The player’s got very upset when the coach undress his defense end in the press. The players that left did not want to play for coach anymore and no second team players wanted to come after the words started to spread about the head coach and G. M. Treating football players like college freshmen. Get real pro managers and a pro coach to run this team. The team will name coach Cox the head coach after this season.
August 26th, 2013 at 2:02 pm
@Doc….LOL! Wow. We should nickname you ‘KING OF CONJECTURE’. You must think Schiano is the only coach in the NFL who runs a tight ship.
August 26th, 2013 at 2:12 pm
11-5 NFC South Division Champs
August 26th, 2013 at 2:15 pm
Bobby, he will not win, it is one thing to run a tight ship if you are winning or came to the team with a winning record.
August 26th, 2013 at 2:18 pm
A young N.F.L coach and a young G.M. is a 3-13 season. The special team and the linebacker units will be the high points of this team because they are coached by Pro coaches.
August 26th, 2013 at 2:23 pm
Prediction:
-10-6 record
-Josh Freeman top 10 rated passer in the league
-Doug Martin top 5 in rushing yards
-Defense top 10 overall ranking (best in the division)
-Bucs playoffs contender, will come down to tie breaker(s)
August 26th, 2013 at 2:28 pm
“A young N.F.L coach and a young G.M. is a 3-13 season. ”
Going by that analogy. The record should been 3-13 last season as well.
August 26th, 2013 at 2:46 pm
“A young N.F.L coach and a young G.M. is a 3-13 season. The special team and the linebacker units will be the high points of this team because they are coached by Pro coaches.”
I’m sorry but this entire theory is pretty dumb Doc. So what your saying is it goes the same way with every other team in the NFL that has pro coaches at different positions. The Chiefs will be winners, because they have pro coach. Same goes for the Lions too. or Say the Chargers LB coach is a pro coach so the LB core will be a highlight of their team too. Just absolute silliness.
August 26th, 2013 at 2:47 pm
Or better yet the Eagles will surely suck this year under their college coach. SMH!
August 26th, 2013 at 3:04 pm
Hope you’re right Joe. 8-8 looks pretty good for the mediocre play and effort we’ve seen so far in the preseason. Injured pro-bowlers, not so much depth and big-playitis on both sides of the ball leaves little margin for error. Despite the big name acquisitions the rebuilding process looks incomplete at best.
August 26th, 2013 at 3:06 pm
1987,
I think Doc is just trying to get a rise out of you. There’s no way this guy is serious. The best thing to do is blow it off. Don’t let it raise your blood pressure. I think it might be high enough already. lol
August 26th, 2013 at 3:10 pm
Amazing how expectations have changed around here. Last two coaches were run out of town after a playoff appearance for one, and a winning season for another.
Now 8-8 is trumpeted as an achievement requiring the return of the coach and GM. Because the league is too tough?
The existence of “pro bowlers” from other seasons is ludicrous. Chiefs had five actually selected last year.
I highly doubt they will make 8-8, but if they do it is a far cry from the promised “lasting contenders”.
August 26th, 2013 at 3:12 pm
Alota factors…. I love the bucs every fan is on the edge this yr… I said 10-6 last yr Alota games lost by the D at least 3… I say we go 10-6 bucs are a team that could have a really good year or a bad one that’s the thin line this yr… LEGGO bucs
August 26th, 2013 at 4:24 pm
I just think it’s ludicrious how much people are gauging the preseason games as if it’s going to carry over into regular season games. It’s a good thing internet explorer has this favorites thingy. Cause I’m saving this sucker. I sure hope Joe is going to keep it online so when I click it at the end of the season. I can go back and read everyone’s silly thoughts and predictions. Including mine if I’m right or wrong.
August 26th, 2013 at 4:50 pm
Exactly ^^^ 1987 …..what I like are the pussies afraid to put a number up and then bash the team and freeman ….lol. At least grow a pair and put what you think the record is gonna be…. Typical bandwagoners…..when the Bucs are rolling , the bashes will have some kind of excuse …..
I can’t wait ! ######JF 5. ########NSO
August 26th, 2013 at 4:53 pm
Lol. @ the pussies afraid to pit a number up then want to bash Freeman and the rest of the Team , hilarious …..grow a pair and say what the record will be .
August 26th, 2013 at 4:54 pm
Why aren’t the post showing up ?
August 26th, 2013 at 4:56 pm
Lol. So ok the pussycats are afraid to put up what the record will be….hilarious …
August 26th, 2013 at 4:57 pm
Lol ok ….so the whoosies are afraid to put up what the record will be ….
August 26th, 2013 at 5:05 pm
8-8 is surely a safe guess. 8-8 would be disappointing for me but I get it. The thing that has me most excited is that our ceiling is about as high as our floor is low. If everything clicks we could have ten to twelve wins and playoff berth. If not, well, you know. Not sure the same could be said about the past four seasons.
(Oh, and LMAO at the guy that says 2-14 is being optimistic. 2-14 wouldn’t be “optimistic” for an expansion team in their first year. It is fine if you think we only win two games but don’t try to call that “optimistic”.)
August 26th, 2013 at 5:27 pm
I’m on the 8-8 bandwagon and that is pushing it, since we do not look like a team that is clicking this close to game 1. The division doesn’t help as you stated. 6-10 if injuries start to mount up in key positions again.
August 26th, 2013 at 5:52 pm
Grow some pigskins, people.
My prediction
DIVISION CHAMPS
NFC Championship Game
If I’m wrong? Who cares? At least I’m showing faith in my team. What is faith? The substance of things hoped for with evidence not seen.
I think most of you are in panic mode and are under estimating the team. Quote me on that
August 26th, 2013 at 6:14 pm
I think Greg Schiano is mirroring Belichek in Cleveland–he’ll be a loser here in Tampa as he learns the NFL ropes, then will go to another team after he’s fired here and accomplish big things. Considering the high hopes that Joe spoke of prior to and at the beginning of camp, for them to say the Bucs will go 8-8 is an absolute stretch. I think we are seeing a regression and the young punks are going to rebel against Schiano and quit just like they did with Raheem. 5-11 at BEST, Dom fired, bust-in-waiting Freeman is let go, Schiano gets one more year with Glennon before he too is fired, and us fans are stuck for two or three more years with a sucky QB that can’t lead us anywhere. My opinion…
August 26th, 2013 at 6:17 pm
You know things are not that optimistic when Joe can only predict an 8-8 season. Actually, it seems like we’re always predicting mediocrity every year it seems like.
August 26th, 2013 at 6:42 pm
From the sounds of the “experts”, every team with an elite QB should be 16-0… so the Patriots, Saints, Broncos and Packers go undefeated. Every team that has been good should continue to be good, so we’ll figure them at around 12-4 each… that would be the Falcons, Ravens, 49ers, maybe the Steelers or Giants and possibly the Bengals. Every team that exceeded expectations will be as good or better than last year, so the Redskins, Colts, Seahawks should get 10+ wins. Every team that is always considered “in the hunt” but rarely is is again “in the hunt”… so Vikings, Bears, Chargers, Texans, maybe the over-hyped Panthers (still based on Newton’s rookie records… but not the team’s win/loss record), Cowboys and Eagles. The rest of the teams are screwed (including the Bucs), because we all know these experts are right every year and the good teams always get better and the bad teams never compete. We’re looking at anywhere from 0-16 to 4-12 based on the “experts” opinions. Me personally, I don’t really care what the “experts” say, I see teams step up every year and surprise and teams that fall from grace as well. Joe’s 8-8 is a fine prediction, as well as Miguel’s 2-14, and 1987’s 11-5 and playoff bound. I am hopeful we’ll be somewhere between Joe and 1987 and make the playoffs, I think we will see some teams fall from grace this year (I really think a couple of the young QBs that have shocked the world will fall flat very soon). I’m thinking 9-7 or 10-6 and a wild-card. Yes, a wild-card at 9-7 or 10-6. Regardless of how many people say it’s gonna take 11-5 or better to make it in the incredibly talented NFC, it is rare that at least one 10-6 team (or worse) doesn’t make it in. Usually it’s because all these “super-talented” teams are beating each other up, only one can win each week, so we get some pretty good 9-7 or 10-6 teams.
August 26th, 2013 at 7:24 pm
I like the “let Doug Martin carry the offense” idea. The only time Free looks comfortable is in play action, they have to run it successfully to be able to throw it down the field. That’s the deal, Nicks and Joseph are gonna have to play hurt and bank their millions. They are at the age where they need to play because there may not be many future years in their career. They are both overpaid so suck it up and play for the now and play to win, this team needs push from its line that’s their strength so let it roll!
August 26th, 2013 at 7:36 pm
@BamBamBuc
Well said.
August 26th, 2013 at 8:10 pm
I’m thinking 12-4. This is very aggressive almost unrealistic, but that’s what I do. I think the pass rush will improve along with the secondary and the defense will win very close low scoring games. I don’t think Freeman will be great but I think he understands that he has to do his job. He is the best QB we’ve had and I think the defense will average about 16 pts given up per game. The Saints will run it up a little but I don’t think any team will out score them. I also think the Saints will have the worst defense in the NFC. I don’t think the Falcons will play much D either. I think the Bucs will lose to Seattle, New England, Saints & 49’rs. Everyone else they can and will beat. And if I’m wrong, well I don’t care. Anyone can predict 8-8 or 7-9, but I’m more optimistic than that. I think Schiano has been sand bagging in the preseason and when it starts they will light it up.
August 26th, 2013 at 9:39 pm
BigMacAttack says:
“I think Schiano has been sand bagging in the preseason and when it starts they will light it up”
LOL you stole my thoughts. Are you a mind reader or something? I was going to put something like that down when I made my 11-5 prediction, but I thought I’d just leave it at 11-5 NFC South Division Champs.
August 26th, 2013 at 11:03 pm
Let’s go everyone put your predictions down. Look at the schedule like I have and put them down.