“Tampa Bay Returns To The Playoffs”
September 6th, 2014
It’s been a while, six long seasons of meaningless Januarys.
A couple more big media names have hopped on the Buccaneers bandwagon.
It’s playoffs for Tampa Bay, they say.
First, Mike Florio, creator, curator and guru of the great ProFootballTalk.com, ranked the Bucs as the last Wild Card team in the NFC, with the Saints winning the NFC South.
Florio’s picks didn’t come with reasons, so Joe reached out to Florio for an exclusive explanation of his call on the Bucs’ return to glory. “That’s where the dart landed,” Florio told Joe.
Second, former Bucs beat writer Don Banks, a longtime NFL senior writer for Sports Illustrated, believes Lovie Smith is a massive difference maker and the Bucs are a Wild Card team. They’re a talented club, Banks says, that simply was devoid of coaching in a big way.
You can catch Banks’ breakdown on all things Bucs in the video below:
September 6th, 2014 at 12:14 pm
If McCown can be our new Jeff Garcia, it should be enough to let this defense win us games.
September 6th, 2014 at 12:44 pm
@Bigpoppabuc
Exactly right. That’s the guy he reminds me of and exactly how good I expect him to be. Not flashy really, but consistent and mistake free.
September 6th, 2014 at 1:05 pm
Bill Simmons from Grantland too
September 6th, 2014 at 1:15 pm
But Joe is smarter and has us going 7-9. What a fan..
September 6th, 2014 at 1:18 pm
Joe sincerely hopes to be wrong. But Joe’s prediction isn’t based on emotion.
September 6th, 2014 at 1:32 pm
*And apparently Joe’s prediction isn’t based on logic or foresight either. Mainly just pessimism. SMH #Wearetop10intalentyetnoplayoffs?
September 6th, 2014 at 1:33 pm
I predict us beating the panthers tomorrow!
September 6th, 2014 at 1:37 pm
Explain this to me…. Guys who have much more overall football knowledge than Joe (Gil Brandt, Herm Edwards, Mike Florio, & Greg Cosell) are picking the Bucs to make the playoffs, but Joe is predicting a losing season? Kinda hurts your credibility, guys.
September 6th, 2014 at 1:40 pm
So Joe has to get approval from others first before he can make a prediction?
Do you ask your wife when you are allowed to go to the bathroom?
September 6th, 2014 at 1:49 pm
Also was watching ESPN and Mike Greenberg and skip bayless both pegged the Bucs for a wildcard berth. I believe they both said 10-6.
September 6th, 2014 at 2:07 pm
Joes, just a heads up that u might have to ban me at some point during the season bcuz I’m going to be talking a lot of smack when we start winning a majority of our games and go to the playoffs. I read and understand your reasons for your prediction, but all of the reasons are based on the negative potential of each of those scenarios. I just feel that it’s highly unlikely that everything works out negatively and that nothing works out favorably and in time for us to start winning quickly. I’ll bet u that we finish closer to 12-4 than 7-9 (i.e. at least 10-6).
September 6th, 2014 at 2:11 pm
Everybody is drinking the Kool Aid Joe!! Start drinking man!! We have a big glass ready for you. lol Playoffs baby!!!!
September 6th, 2014 at 2:16 pm
If we spiked the kool aid with alcohol, Joe would guzzle that ish down…. Elite-level talent and leadership isn’t enough to wet Joe’s whistle.
September 6th, 2014 at 2:40 pm
Every year I predict the Bucs will have a wining season and make the playoffs. Then they are plagued with injuries, coaching sucks and Im wrong. This year I said they will go 5-11 in hopes I will be wrong again and things will go the other way. But we will see soon enough and have a good idea of what they have tomorrow. Carolina is a strong team and a good measuring stick. I think Joe’s 7-9 prediction is well thought out and very possible. It may take done time to right the ship, hopefully not, but quite possible. My concern with Lovie is he may be too laid back. Whatever the case, Go Bucs!
September 6th, 2014 at 2:51 pm
I like the enthusiasm by fans for a big winning Buc season. I’ve had those every season back from the beginning. Then reality bites. It’s been a frequent pattern and as I’ve aged I have tempered the expectations. I remain cautiously optimistic, but love the possibilities of the new season and our Bucs chances. The tension builds approaching gametime. Go Bucs!!!
September 6th, 2014 at 2:58 pm
Where does it state that a “fan” has to blindly believe there team is going to be great no matter what history or opinion tells them? Lol. Pessimism is annoying but so is blind faith.
September 6th, 2014 at 3:26 pm
@ Couch, totally agreed.
I don’t think Joe is being totally pessimistic, just more realistic and probably taking into account the fact that we’ve had things go wrong every year for the last 6 years.
It’s funny how many people bitch and moan about everything around here, but then jump down Joe’s throat for his season prediction. I am a crazy die-hard fan, but I don’t expect much more than 8-8 this season, unless *everything* goes our way.
Joe, we all know that you hope your own prediction is wrong and we win more games! Go Bucs!
September 6th, 2014 at 3:28 pm
6-10 this season, 11-5 next season. Does this make me a pessimist, a realist, or a dreamer? Tough to get too stoked about year one under Lovie until we see how Tedford does as an NFL OC, how quickly the OL can improve, and which Josh McCown is showing up (2013 or decade prior)? Would be great to be proven wrong about this season, but there’s a lot of question marks
September 6th, 2014 at 3:39 pm
@ BigMacAttack ive been doing the samething for god knows how long. Lets hope this year is THE year.
September 6th, 2014 at 3:40 pm
seems like its bn a life time since the bucs were in the playoffs 🙁
September 6th, 2014 at 3:41 pm
Pleeease don’t add Everclear to the koolaid!!!
September 6th, 2014 at 4:47 pm
@Joe
Not so sure those guys have “much more overall football knowledge”. You’re selling yourself short. None of those guys started a website on their own with so much traffic. We the people have spoken with our clicks and voted you the best source of Buc info.
I come here for two reasons:
1. Joe’s knowledge
2. The hilarious posts of Joe’s users
September 6th, 2014 at 5:12 pm
Dan:
Thank you so much. Hey, if Joe knew it all, he’d be working for the NFL.
Joe calls them as he sees them, after talking to people and watching practices. Joe sure hopes the Bucs make the playoffs. Just don’t see it this year.
September 6th, 2014 at 5:30 pm
I just don’t see us beating the Saints for the top of the division this season. I do see us finishing second with a wild card playoff spot. That means we would have to go to New Orleans and play a road game, which will be really difficult to win in their house. As far as regular season, I see us splitting the division, and beating the Saints at home.
September 6th, 2014 at 5:34 pm
@Buc The Haters
I think 12-4 is a bit too high. We have a good team but that is a great record. I think more along the lines of 10-16, maybe 9-7. Our o-line is the only thing that worries me.
September 6th, 2014 at 5:39 pm
Playoffs or no, I think we will be very much improved over the previous years. There is a reason we have so many new players on this team. However, Lovie isn’t going ‘youngry’.
September 6th, 2014 at 6:59 pm
Why wait?
Joe doesn’t cotton to threats. Just ask Thomas 2.2.
September 6th, 2014 at 8:57 pm
HAHAHAHA!!!! “Thomas 2.2” I forgot ALL about that guy!
How does the whole “ban” thing work, anyway? Do guys just change their screen handle and carry on with their nonsense? Or can a site like this actually block a user from posting from their IP address?
Anyways, I love the realism we get on this site. Sure, I “want” the Bucs to succeed this season! And they “could” win 10+ games and take the division! And if they do, I’ll be one happy fan! But those turnarounds are hard to come by… I’ll hope for the best and enjoy it if it happens. Until then, any sign of stability and improvement is welcomed.
September 6th, 2014 at 10:37 pm
Stranger things have happened, theres always hope.