Buccaneers: Division Champs
September 8th, 2013
Beat writer eye-RAH! Kaufman has high expectations
Tampa Bay’s “Custodian of Canton,” the outspoken veteran scribe eye-RAH! Kaufman of The Tampa Tribune, is bullish on the Bucs.
Kaufman has studied and studied and studied the NFC and Bucs relentlessly, and he joins Jon Gruden in predicting the Bucs will win the NFC South.
NFC SOUTH: Bucs
No team has repeated as division champion and this year will continue the pattern. The Falcons won a lot of close games last year and have major question marks in the trenches that will undermine all that firepower. The Saints haven’t done much to improve the league’s most porous defense and Carolina needs more weapons around QB Cam Newton. The Bucs have the talent to post double-digit wins and reward a fan base looking for a reason to believe.
Joe, based on chats with Kaufman, knows he sees the Bucs’ eight Pro Bowlers 30 and younger, plus emerging studs like Mike Williams and Lavonte David, and first-round talents like Josh Freeman and Adrian Clayborn, and the second year of the New Schiano Order with a huge, experienced coaching staff. There’s just too much talent for the Bucs to fizzle, Kaufman believes.
The bar is set high for many Bucs fans. Kaufman is hardly shocking the world here with this prediction. (If you missed it, you can read Joe’s season prediction here.)
Let the games begin.
September 8th, 2013 at 8:42 am
Got to love the optimism on opening day! Wish we had a few more of those on here.
September 8th, 2013 at 9:04 am
IRA, can you spare some of that chronic you’ve been smoking?
September 8th, 2013 at 9:11 am
The Bar should be set high! Anything less than the playoffs and this season will be a failure. GO BUCS!!! WIN THE SOUTH!!
September 8th, 2013 at 9:16 am
The Bucs can win this division, and at the very least will compete with Atlanta for the crown down the stretch. Anything less than that is unacceptable, the defense will be much improved this season, so there’s nothing to hold Freeman back. If he fails this year, then we know for sure he is the problem.
September 8th, 2013 at 9:17 am
I love the positive outlook the road begins today. Must Win Game Josh Don’t let us down. And the no fly zone better not allow flying, especially to jets with No Fuel
September 8th, 2013 at 9:22 am
Kaufman, Gruden, and Buc1987 have predicted and NFC South crown. Just keep in mind I said it in July.
September 8th, 2013 at 9:29 am
I said 11 – 5 and division….and I don’t smoke or drink. Ira is Right !
September 8th, 2013 at 9:36 am
Just watched a spot on BSPN That just decimated the Jets and pretty much said they are going to get destroyed today and pretty much all season long. LOL Cant wait. C’mon BUCS!!
September 8th, 2013 at 9:44 am
I’m with Ira on this prediction and felt that way pretty much the day after the Draft. Too many good pieces in place. Now it’s time to execute or get executed. No more BS for the Bucs.
Does anyone (Joe) have a link to Jon Gruden’s predictions. I’d like to hear that one.
September 8th, 2013 at 9:45 am
3 more hours!!!!!!!
September 8th, 2013 at 9:48 am
“And the no fly zone better not allow flying, especially to jets with No Fuel.”
AWESOME!!!!
September 8th, 2013 at 9:52 am
Don’t know about Bucs winning the division but I agree with the him that the Falcons won’t. Their offensive line sucks. And their December schedule is BRUTAL – @ Buffalo, @ Green Bay, Washington, @ San Fran, Carolina. Yes, Buffalo isn’t a good team. But its December. In Buffalo. Could be rough.
September 8th, 2013 at 9:58 am
Winning the division will happen if Freeman plays at or above the 2010 levels. And if the Bucs lose today a 2-14 season is in play because losing to this Jets team is akin to losing to an FCS school.
September 8th, 2013 at 9:59 am
Time for Free to show he is the QB Buc fans want. Hope they beat the pets so bad that ryan gets fired after the game . Go Bucs !!!
September 8th, 2013 at 10:03 am
Everyone talks about how difficult our schedule is….well, the other teams in the South face the same stiff competition. Not only will the Bucs improve, but I look for the others to decline slightly…just enough for us to edge them out.
September 8th, 2013 at 10:03 am
Big Mac,
Here is a link to Ira’s story about it. He said it was a conference call, so there might not be any audio/video with him saying that.
http://tbo.com/sports/bucs/gruden-high-on-freeman-picks-bucs-to-win-nfc-south-20130829/
September 8th, 2013 at 10:04 am
Looking at ATLs preason and how the ‘Aints played last year, it is very possible the Bucs will be contenders for the NFC South crown. The way LVD plays and the addition of our off season signings make it a forgone conclusion the D will be much improved.
Off to take care of some chores before the Jets beat down begins.
Keep it positive everyone! 🙂 Our team needs us.
GO BUCS!
September 8th, 2013 at 10:15 am
How can I make this clear, I atleast a wild card meets expectations. Winning the NFC South would be like an extra gift at christmas time.
September 8th, 2013 at 10:25 am
Said this many times, the playoffs go through NOLA. Next week will reveal if this team has the appetite for postseason play.
Glad Goldson and Revis brought the swagitude to Tampa.
September 8th, 2013 at 10:26 am
Stop being Homers. Schiano made a poor decision not letting freeman and other starters play much in the preseason. It’s gonna take a few weeks to get these guys going. Jets win today but still think Bucs can potentially win 6 or 7 with a strong close to the season
September 8th, 2013 at 10:34 am
wow if you dont think we can beat the jets, despite anything that happened in the pre-season, something is wrong with you. LOl, this may be the only game of the season we are favored in… sheesh
September 8th, 2013 at 10:35 am
LMAO Michael Irvin just predicted Revis to have 4 Ints and 2 pick 6’s… come on these last few hours are just draggging along…
September 8th, 2013 at 10:42 am
I sure hope so. My all is running on the Bucs now. My Gamecocks had the easiest schedule ever and they lost to the dogs last night…no sec championship this year (like always) even Clowney cant break that curse.
September 8th, 2013 at 10:44 am
I know the feeling MadMax. My Gators lost to. Oh well, At least we have The Bucs and hopefully a big win today.
September 8th, 2013 at 10:46 am
and btw 1 loss doesn’t mean no National championship. Actually if you are going to lose a game, it’s much better to lose early in the season so you have time to move back up in the rankings.
September 8th, 2013 at 10:56 am
Man, what I wouldn’t give for Ira to be right!!
Hope springs eternal. This team should be able to beat Smith in his first start. If we can’t . . I’m not even gonna go there!
I am predicting a big Buc win- and Adding the best defensive player in Football changes our defense in a great way!!
Go Bucs!!! Go Revis! Go Josh!
Man- I just want a winning season- to show we are heading the right way!!
September 8th, 2013 at 11:40 am
Thx Chef Paul
Bon Appetit.
September 8th, 2013 at 2:44 pm
Regardless of the final score, Freeman has demonstrated once more he can singlehanded lay lose the game. Inexcusable pick before the half when Bucs had all the momentum which got the Jets back in the game. After 5 years, I’ve seen enough of Freeman to realize no matter who is the OC or who are his teammates, he will choke in crunch time. PATHETIC!