“Definitely Think We’re An Eight, Nine-Win Team”
August 28th, 2014
NFL prediction season is about to hit its full swing in a matter of hours, but one former Buccaneer is ready to call Tampa Bay’s 2014 campaign right now.
This homegrown, lifelong Bucs fans has put his cards on the table.
He is former Bucs quarterback Shaun King, who now works for NBC Sports and Yahoo! Sports. One of three QBs to lead the Bucs to the NFC Championship game, King says he feels Tampa Bay is an 11- or 12-win team but explained that’s too lofty a call because the Bucs have so many new free agent signings.
“History says it will be next year,” King said on the Ron and Ian show on WDAE-AM 620 this morning. “I definitely think we’re an eight-, nine-win team” for 2014.
A former teammate of Josh McCown, King said he’s like what he’s seen from McCown when he’s had pass protection in preseason. And King said he’s spent time with McCown since he the Bucs signed him and is impressed by McCown’s maturity.
King didn’t have to talk much about the Bucs defense. Joe can’t imagine there’s a fan out there that can’t see it’s a playoff-caliber unit.
August 28th, 2014 at 10:55 am
Shaun King, one of two Bucs QB that lost the NFC Championship game with defenses that gave up 11 or fewer points…
August 28th, 2014 at 10:59 am
@Danny LOL. Joe forgot to put in his King plug. Yours is alot closer to how I feel about it.
August 28th, 2014 at 11:04 am
Joe you’re so full of it with you’re king leading
the bucs crap…… Its really immature!
August 28th, 2014 at 11:05 am
you only do it to get under people’s skin
August 28th, 2014 at 11:06 am
I agree with Shaun King if everything remains the same with the Bucs and around the league (i.e. no injuries on our team or other teams).
August 28th, 2014 at 11:06 am
I’ll skip drinking the playoff caliber defense Kool Aid after watching Tannehill carve up the soft spot in the middle of the T2.
August 28th, 2014 at 11:09 am
I think Shaun King is right. If Glennon was starting we’d be 11-5.
August 28th, 2014 at 11:09 am
Harry is smarter than me.
TBBF just got ripped off!!!
August 28th, 2014 at 11:10 am
@77Bassman – Quarterbacks lead teams. King led the Bucs to the 1999 NFC Championship game. Sorry you don’t like reality.
In the playoff game before that, the Bucs ran for only two yards per carry with Mike Alstott and Warrick Dunn. King had more passing yards than Redskins QB Brad Johnson. Yes, Joe’s comfortable saying King was one of three QBs who led the Bucs to the NFC Championship game.
August 28th, 2014 at 11:11 am
Barring injuries, I think we will easily be a top 10 defense.
August 28th, 2014 at 11:23 am
@ Danny Arment
Thanks for using my long established counter to Joe. I am flattered.
“Shaun King, one of two Buc Quarterbacks that lost a NFC Championship Game when his defense gave up 11 or fewer points.”
As for his predictions….I, for one of the few times, agree with him!!!
August 28th, 2014 at 11:29 am
If we get nine, lets not run the man out of town.
August 28th, 2014 at 11:30 am
@Mike Glennon Mob
If you really believe Glennon should start over McCown you have not been watching the preseason. Glennon who can’t lead a touchdown drive against third stringers
August 28th, 2014 at 11:47 am
@whocares92…”against third stringers”…with third stringers. In case you forgot, Glennon played last year as a rookie and was able to score touchdowns with first string talent. McCown scored his first touchdown in Game 3 of the preseason and really looked horrible up until that game. Are you sure you’ve been watching? And this is coming from a guy that wants McCown to start to see how it goes, but the Glennon bashing is just dumb. He’s definitely capable and McCown is definitely still unproven so how can anyone say 100% that starting one over the other is the right choice?
August 28th, 2014 at 11:49 am
Bucs can bottom line 9 wins but if they get lucky or fortunate they can take 1 or 2 more!
August 28th, 2014 at 12:01 pm
8 wins with a couple injuries, 9 or 10 with awesome luck in avoiding key injuries. On the down side, this defense is 1 cornerback injury away from becoming a sieve against the pass.
August 28th, 2014 at 12:03 pm
@ biff barker Tampa 2 defense is a bend dont break defense. Give up the underneath stuff, roll up and tackle. Now in the red zone is where they flex there muscle and turn opponents away or hold them to FG’s. For all that “carving up” you say Tannehill did Miami only managed 3pts. Against our 1’s. I will take that all day, because we are scoring TD’s.
Now that I think about it, have our 1’s given up a TD at all this preseason?
August 28th, 2014 at 12:06 pm
@RealityCheck
McCown threw a TD against Miami to VJax in the second preseason game.
As well towards the end of the second half of the Buffalo game he really started getting hot and really sustaining drives. And even though Glennon is playing with third stringers when he does have time to throw he still looks like the old Glennon. Slow reads, holding the ball for too long, taking unnecessary sacks. His accuracy is still inconsistent even when given time and makes too many checkdowns when other receivers are open downfield . All of that is on Glennon. I have never seen Glennon orchestrate a drive like McCown did right before the first half ended. That pump fake to draw off the safety and then the beautiful throw to Evans. I have never seen Glennon do anything close to that. McCown sees the field better and has a higher command of that offense.
August 28th, 2014 at 12:06 pm
“One of three QBs to lead the Bucs to the NFC Championship game”
Also, he’s the only Bucs QB who is currently DOUBLE his playing weight.
August 28th, 2014 at 12:16 pm
@RealityCheck
McCown seems to have way better ball placement and his deep ball isn’t even in the same league. Glennon can throw down the middle seams nicely but defenses start to take that away from and he can not challenge the outside of the field like he needs to be able to be. He might be able to make every NFL throw but he can’t do it anywhere near consistently enough. He doesn’t lead his receivers well enough which limits YAC.
Now tell me why you think Glennon should start and please don’t ignore this.
TO ALL MGM: Here is your best time to explain why Glennon should start and what he does better
August 28th, 2014 at 12:22 pm
Glennon QB of the future…Yeah back up quarterback of the future. And once McCown is finished here we’ll bring in someone else to compete with Glennon which will most likely be a rookie and that QB will be our franchise guy.
August 28th, 2014 at 12:36 pm
If Glennon would supposedly go 11-5 as a starter, then McCown should go 14-2. He’s clearly been better than Glennon this entire offseason. Just ask anybody who knows what they’re talking about…. Anyway, I definitely think we have a strong chance of making a playoff run this & if we’re hot rewards the end of the season, who knows? Maybe even a SB run. Anyway, my official prediction is 11-5 or 12-4 & a playoff run.
August 28th, 2014 at 12:38 pm
Silly typos
August 28th, 2014 at 12:50 pm
Wow.
11-5 or 12-4?
I hope you’re right however, the O-Line is still in question. And we’re going to need good production from a rookie WR which isn’t the norm for rookie WRs. I’m thinking more like 8-8.
August 28th, 2014 at 12:51 pm
Not a King fan but I completely agree. I will be satisfied at .500 and anything more is just icing on the cake. My expectations will be much higher when the team has had more time together.
August 28th, 2014 at 1:02 pm
King looks like he’s been eating all the squirrels and pigeons Cannon has been killing on the practice field. King loves to grill. Cannon is definitely killing it on the practice field!! Only Future Cannon is when they replace the one in the Pirate Ship!
August 28th, 2014 at 1:15 pm
I remember the great Warren Sapp saying ” If the offence can score 17 points we win every game!”. I feel that way about this D and with the additions made to the O line in the last few weeks AND the great job L/L did in the draft 17 will happen. Cant wait! GO BUCS!
August 28th, 2014 at 2:06 pm
The Bucs have never had a top QB, at least while they were with this team. King was’nt it and neither was Johnson. With that defense behind them they were barely acceptable. Johnson who QB’d the super bowl win and made the pro bowl was nothing to get excited about. The Bucs should have won multiple super bowl trophies, but losing QB’s were the holdback. Tulane has always been a crappy football team even going undefeated.
August 28th, 2014 at 2:14 pm
Why on earth would anyone think ‘dough boy’ has a strong sense and take on what is good or not good in the world of today’s football. Sure he may be more informed than you or I, but if he really had strong takes and knowledge, wouldn’t he be a little bigger (I said bigger not fatter) in the sports media talking heads market?
August 28th, 2014 at 2:23 pm
yeah quarterbacking the super bowl team and making the pro bowl totally sucked.
Should have won multiple super bowls.
Ah the mentality of the average bucs fan never ceases to amaze me.
August 28th, 2014 at 5:04 pm
Brad Johnson is an afterthought. The Bucs D clearly won that super bowl game. Substitute any average QB for Johnson and the result would of been the same. I’m not buying that Johnson was other than average. The Bucs also won because of Gruden’s familiarity of the Raider team. The win deserves an asterisk. The Bucs next super bowl win is the one I’ll be celebrating. The past one… ho hum. By the way, all the Bucs fans are average Buc fans. And all the opinions are just average.
August 28th, 2014 at 7:26 pm
This is one of the hardest teams to predict our record. I really think we are a 9 or 10 win team, but I wouldn’t be all that surprised if we only win 5 or 6. The offensive line still worries me greatly. Even if our starters are good, we have zero depth. The chances of all 5 playing every game isn’t very high, especially with our history. Also, McCown has a lot to prove. I like what I’ve seen so far, but until he maintains a high level throughout a full season, I’m a bit skeptical – even more so with our OL.
I do think our defense is going to carry us to several wins. But we aren’t beating New Orleans, Atlanta, and Green Bay without putting up a lot of points. Not in today’s NFL.