“Seasoned”
July 24th, 2016
Ahh, the smell of football and the fruity scent of Bucs cheerleaders. The Tampa Bay season gets in full swing this week!!
You know it’s close when general manager Jason Licht is talking.
Specifically, Licht was chatting with the Tampa Bay Times and the inevitable topic of assessing the Bucs’ chances arose. Licht thinks his Bucs have quality experience and are better than 6-10.
“I definitely think we’re closer,” Licht said. “I don’t think anybody is going to say we’re going to unseat the champs and take their spot as the top seed (in the South) going into it. We’ve got a very competitive spirit, and we’ve got a lot of young guys who played big roles last year. Their confidence level is pretty high, and they have gotten a lot better. We’re seasoned. There’s a lot of reason for optimism. I do truly believe we will be a better team than we were last year.”
Who can’t be optimistic in July? Hell, Licht was calling the Bucs a 2016 playoff contender back in January. But the Bucs do have a whole lot to prove. The first five games are as follows: at Atlanta, at Arizona, home for the Rams and Broncos, and then it’s off to Carolina for Monday Night Football.
The seasoning Licht speaks of is real, but it has to show up early. A 1-4 start against that bunch would be devastating for everyone who cares about the team.
July 24th, 2016 at 11:49 am
Wow!!! How refreshing to hear the NFL GM’s Licht assessment is in lock and step with mine!!!( just like the coach my scheme assessment!!) The core is very young, and in fact, all the “free-agents” are really to bring along the very young core!! The schedule is very tough this year, and we could see a scenario were we only see 6-7 wins and this team still be considered much improved!!!! Hang in there Buc fans, we are almost there!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!
July 24th, 2016 at 12:02 pm
Arizona and Carolina will be a good measuring stick. Falcons, Rams, and Broncos we should be able to beat if good football is played. If we beat the cardinals and or.the Panthers then you know what time it is baby!!!
All players must want it. Jameis is fixing that. Koetter will be a very aggressive coach I think. Hayes will make our pass rush better and hopefully Mike Smith will let our corners play plenty of press coverage on early downs. Very excited!!!
July 24th, 2016 at 12:08 pm
I agree that’s possible with the tough defenses we will face. Improvement is the only fair measurement.Hope we see 8-10 Wins.But the supporters of Lovie calling for 10 wins or else is also not realistic,since it would take a minimum of three seasons for Lovie to reach 10 wins..
July 24th, 2016 at 2:01 pm
The Bucs 1st 5 games will probably tell us a lot about how this season will go.
4-1 would be amazing and would truly signal the Bucs arrival THIS YEAR.
3-2 would be a better than expected start to the season and put us in great position to make a playoff run.
2-3 is most realistic and still leaves us with an opportunity to get 8-9 wins and maybe even make a playoff push in Nov/Dec.
I don’t even want to think about where 1-4 leads.
IMO – winning that 1st game on the road vs the Falcons will be the key that unlocks the door to a winning season.
Sure hope we are something better than “Atlanta ready”.
July 24th, 2016 at 2:13 pm
I haven’t been this excited about Bucs’ football since the SB
July 24th, 2016 at 2:32 pm
You’d better hope you are closer Mr..Benedict Arnold. I’m referring to none other than you posters savior..Licht! Because if you don’t win at least 8 games this season, your coup was a failure!
July 24th, 2016 at 3:05 pm
7 and 9 would probably be the worst record I would feel good about this season. Obviously if they win 4 or 5 games its a failure yes, but if we go 7 and 9, and those 9 losses are against good teams and the game seems to be an even fight for 4 quarters, I wont be that bummed about it. To me its not just the losses, its the way those games are lost. The eye test. Lovie lost games we should have and/or could have been in position to win. Game management, clock management. Playing to conservative. If a game is lost by 7 points or less ita arguably a close, well played game. With lovie we lost plenty of games by 7 points or less by poor management. I just want to see a hard fought game with effort and team work. Less penalties, less drops. I really see anywhere from 7 to 10 wins as a real possibility
July 24th, 2016 at 3:18 pm
I don’t know what to expect except better and that can’t get here quick enough. I’m thinking 2-3 a good start as the season heats up with a promising finish.
July 24th, 2016 at 3:28 pm
@Bob in Valrico
As pretty much the only “Lovie supporter” left, I’m calling you out on that statement.
I’ve said for the record that I would be happy with 8-8, but would accept fewer wins IF they “lost pretty”, meaning if they played well.
These people you refer to are the same ones that ran Lovie, Schiano and Raheem out of town. Even Gruden.
They are what I call “Chaos fans”. They believe in constant change. They, more than anyone, are the reason this team has sucked for so long. The media caters to them.
July 24th, 2016 at 3:33 pm
As to starting 1-4, that would be rough but not disastrous. It’s actually very likely. New defense. Bunch of new players. And then the defense always starts week.
But then we have our bye week. I expect the wins to start coming then.
July 24th, 2016 at 3:50 pm
Like most Bucs fans, I’m really hopeful for 8-10 wins, but tend to think that the upper end of that depends more on how quickly the defense gels than anything else. Convinced that we’ve got the coaching and adequate personnel to improve significantly on the defensive side, but the chemistry on that side of the ball may take awhile to develop.
Bucs schedule this year is not only against tougher teams as Realist mentioned, but it’s also all over the map. Three sets of back-to-back away games … that’ll make it tough to put together back-to-back wins those weeks. Three games against teams out on the West Coast (Cardinals, 49ers and Chargers) … Bucs historically haven’t fared well out there for whatever reasons. Still a number of question marks all around (especially depth), but if Bucs can minimize injuries I think we could win 10 games.
July 24th, 2016 at 4:39 pm
These are the Qb’s that The Bucs beat last year…not exactly murder’s row!!!!
Drew Brees
Blake Bortles
Matt Ryan
Matt Cassel
Mark Sanchez
Matt Ryan
I know some think this team was in contention last year!!! I am asking that you look again!!!!!! NFL GM Jason Licht and Head Coach Koetter still have work for this team to get there!!!!
July 24th, 2016 at 5:03 pm
Speaking for Pablo
“Seasoned” is right…..Hason seasoned the Pablo’s Bucs with a bit of cilantro, chiles, chipotle & jalapeno… with Pablo’s second favorite Buc…..”El Asesino” Roberto Aguayo……Haboo, of course, if Pablo’s favorite Buc”
July 24th, 2016 at 5:37 pm
Were are going to needs to see our ends get off the ball this year…Not pile up to help form a perfect wall in front of the QB.
Our secondary has a very long way to go before we start thinking this can be a winning team. Will they have any abilty to contend passes ghis year? And by all means, when we get our hands on a ball can we make the freaking play?
Whas going to happen when there is a injury? Is our bench going to be lost on the field again?
Thats just the defense…….is our offense going to be able to catch kick or play within the rules this year?
This team has a ton of holes and weaknesses to fill. You guys are worried about the schedule and it doesnt even matter if this team plays as bad as they hae been.
The Bucs hae a lot to proove. If they gonna suck, again, oh well…….Im used to cheering for a sorry azz team. But if they gonna come out and play violent football, start making game changing plays for once, and quit screwing up when the game is on the line……….then Im going to quit making pathetic excuses for this franchise……….they will be expected to win thier home games. They will be expected to beat crappy teams like Chicago, San Fran, and LA. They will be expected to have a winning record in their division(and to beat Carolina for the first time in seven years)……………If the Bucs are any good theres no excuse. I dont care whose on the scedule or who he new coach is……You think your good then win a freaking game. Othewise your just another average garbage team. Good teams dont wait for the schedule to get easier!!!!!! Thats cause their good.
July 24th, 2016 at 5:49 pm
GO BUCS!!!!!
July 24th, 2016 at 6:47 pm
I think its very simple. Everyone here have seen all last years 16 games
When Vjack was healthy, Jameis and the offense looked fantastic and like a playoff team
With a healthy VJack, everyone would agree we would have won atleast 1 more game to contend for the playoffs last year
A healthy 16 games from VJack = playoffs, but…..I dont think he will make it thru the 16 games, so…..
Why not bring in Bolden and make the playoffs…Its that simple
Evans and Bolden will give Jameis enough tsrgets to beat defenses for us to be 2016 playoff bound
Its that simple
July 24th, 2016 at 7:20 pm
@Kobe-I agree V-Jax is a difference maker. But i dont think as this team is as simple as Vicent being the sole difference maker between playoffs and golf.
First off, we actually could have anoher reciever step up into that #2 spot if need be. But what abot TE?….I like to think its possible to see a bigger difernce made from that position this year.
I like to think we have a chance to see our passrush be a differnce maker this year. Heck, why cant our return game do more? Maybe they throw 20 more balls at Sims and he can make an impact.
I thinks theres a lot more in play here then to let V-Jax make or break us.
July 24th, 2016 at 7:21 pm
Till the season starts..I only come here for Pablo.
Counting the days on my wall calendar..just like the inmates do in some death row movie..the days where they will see the light after their last meal.. Well the day I get to see the Messiah Winston!
I’ll say it even though I am doped out on Nyquil, Mt Dew and BBQ chips..
I see the light! I see we are going to the playoffs!
July 24th, 2016 at 7:29 pm
I can’t help but think Mike Johnson is a plant. We have never had a troll here that was so stupid. This can’t be an accident.
July 24th, 2016 at 7:42 pm
The defensive scheme killed any chance the Bucs had at the playoffs last year. That’s fixed. That scheme is gone along with Lovie and the coaches that fostered it. When you factor in the upgrades in talent, 9 or 10 wins is a reasonable expectation, even with a tougher schedule. I believe we will have a competitive team for years to come.
July 24th, 2016 at 7:51 pm
LifeOfABucFan Says:
July 24th, 2016 at 7:21 pm
Till the season starts..I only come here for Pablo
Speaking for Pablo
“Pablo says muchas gracias to you…..Pablo loves LifeOfABucFan….and will give you a free table dance….no tip necessary….87 tips enough for many”
July 24th, 2016 at 7:55 pm
Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t we beat Carolina twice in 2012?
July 24th, 2016 at 8:00 pm
Mr..SB..One should take a long look in ones mirror before pronouncing somebody as stupid as their own reflection..there sir! Been a Buc fan probably when YOU were in diapers. I’m just not the kind of fan YOU want me to be with all of the praises prior to…
July 24th, 2016 at 8:09 pm
Yeah NC it has been less then 7 years. I was exaggerating. Still been embarrassingly long though.
July 24th, 2016 at 8:18 pm
It’s the freaking NFL where parity reigns supreme. I’m tired about all of the “good” teams we’ll have to face on this year’s “tough” schedule.
I do concede Defense Rules’ point about the three West Coast games. In a league of parity those kinds of road trips can be a difference maker.
But as for the teams we play? So what! This will be about us and our injuries and our play not them.
Every year there are maybe a half dozen teams that are SB worthy. We can generally figure out 3 or 4 of them before the season and a couple more improve enough to surprise us. There are a half dozen teams that we “should” beat because they are the bottom of the barrel.
That leaves 20 teams including us that you can throw a blanket over. Injuries, behind the scenes stuff, coaching will sort it all out.
We may not be ready to be one of those top six yet but we should surely compete against the other 19 wannabes and the half dozen or so losers.
Ten wins or this season is not really exciting. 8 wins minimal to be acceptable.
Unless of course there are too many major injuries or MRSA….or of course if #3 loses his mind and goes off the deep end…..wait we’ve already seen that movie with JFro.
July 24th, 2016 at 8:44 pm
While driving in Atlanta, on their sports radio, they did seem to think Bucs improved but they believe it’s an easy win against Bucs. As well as us, they want to win that first game badly.
July 24th, 2016 at 9:32 pm
At least if we don’t make the playoffs we’ll be in the Draft Lottery and have a chance at the 1st pick! Wait…wrong sport😢
July 25th, 2016 at 2:09 am
Just funny because the only time it ever happened was with Schiano
July 25th, 2016 at 4:14 pm
6-10