Maybe Not A Fluke
November 29th, 2016
Bucs rising may be the norm. (Photo courtesy of Buccaneers.com)
Yes, the win by the Bucs at Kansas City was a nice surprise.
Yes, the win by the Bucs at home (Den of Depression) against the powerhouse Seahawks was more than a surprise, a shock given how the Bucs put Seattle into the sleeper hold.
Greg Bedard of SI.com is not a big believer in coincidences. He is on board that the Bucs beating both the Chiefs and the Seahawks is no fluke. The two wins are a pattern.
Buccaneers are right in the thick of things: Take each of them separately, and you could explain Tampa Bay winning at Kansas City (19–17) and at home against the Seahawks (14–5) as nice surprises. That they happened in back-to-back weeks means that the young Bucs (6–5) are growing up before our eyes, especially with Mike Smith’s defense, and will be a factor in the NFC South race until the end with Atlanta (7–4). Both teams split their previous meetings, and have one loss in the division. The Falcons have the Panthers and Saints left, while the Bucs will take on the Saints (twice) and finish with the Panthers. You have to give a lot of credit to the defense, which held the previously rolling Seahawks to just 245 yards and 1 of 11 on third downs (9%). Rookie DE Noah Spence and veteran DT Gerald McCoy (each had 1.5 sacks) have become quite the inside-outside duo, and the secondary has improved greatly each week.
Now this is the first Joe thought of this, but could it possibly be that we are seeing the development of the modern day version of Warren Sapp and Simeon Rice up front on defense? Yeah, Joe knows GMC has way too many haters who wig out at the thought of anyone giving GMC credit, but numbers don’t lie. Besides, he was part of critical late-game plays that helped the Bucs win: a tipped pass Chris Conte picked off at Kansas City and a key sack of Russell Wilson late in the fourth quarter.
The way Noah Spence has come on of late, if he ain’t careful, he may just get 10 sacks this season. Dude is over halfway there with five games to go (5.5 sacks).
November 29th, 2016 at 5:15 am
At the airport at 5am and I can still count on the Joe’s for good Bucs content
November 29th, 2016 at 6:24 am
All I want for Christmas is for Joe to finally come clean with why he keeps defending McCoy. Did Joe have a few beers at an establishment out of town and McCoy catch him in an embarrassing situation? So he had a tackle and a sack in one game. Ewww are we all supposed to forget about his disappearing act in other games now? Or his pouting like a little school girl when James became a leader leaving GMC in the dust? It will take more than that.
November 29th, 2016 at 6:31 am
Now I’m getting worried. Much prefer to see us be the underdogs & sleepers than have everyone singing our praises (like they did after our first win in Atlanta?). Bucs have grown tremendously this year and are finally getting healthy, but we’ve got 5 really tough games left against some excellent offensive teams (Chargers, Saints, Cowboys and yes, Panthers when they’re healthy).
San Diego has a losing record (5-6) and they’re pretty well banged up right now (15 guys on IR & 2 others out). They’ve played everyone tough though & seem to have a very good offense (averaging over 28 PPG). Their OLine is big like Oakland’s (6’6″ and 320 lbs average) and the Bucs seem to have trouble with OLines like that. Solid QB in Rivers, excellent RB in Melvin Gordon & 3 solid WRs. Turnovers (12 INT & 17 fumbles) look to be a big weakness. Their defense looks to be decent against the run, but their pass defense looks to be below average. Hopefully Jameis & company can capitalize there and keep the Chargers offense off the field. Bucs offense will most likely need to put up more points than they have these last 2 games to beat the Chargers, and our defense will need to keep pressure on Rivers. Although Bucs historically don’t do well on the West Coast, I think we’ll control the clock, win the turnover battle and come away with another victory. Bucs 34-28.
November 29th, 2016 at 6:51 am
With the Bucs being bad for so long, its hard to let yourself get too excited. I am enjoying the way things are shaping out right now.
November 29th, 2016 at 7:02 am
Joe defends GMCbecause he wants to keep interviewing him
Joe bashed Conte even with a pick 6 WHYcause he doesn’t care if he gets an interview
GMC becoming Warren Sapp. Hahaha Hahaha aha
Joe wash his car…Clean his uniform but please don’t try that line
November 29th, 2016 at 7:05 am
@seanyMac in SC
do not let the past dictate your future!!! Why are you worried about what old gm’s and coaches did with teams????
Its a new day with new coaches and this is evidently a different team!!!!! I have been telling the sheep and all others that it is been safe to wear Bucs Gear out in public again!!! It is time to start telling other fans that ” they do not want some!!!”
The Battered puppy syndrome needs to stop!!! Its been time to stand up and enjoy some football!!!!!!!!!
November 29th, 2016 at 7:19 am
In all honesty we need to stop comparing the old bucs to the new, its a totally different team. Let them be their own player and not hiding in the shadows of the greats in the past. Hopefully these will be the greats of the future.
November 29th, 2016 at 8:07 am
@evolvingBucfan exactly. Whats the point in that?
November 29th, 2016 at 8:45 am
I think I finally figured out why the GMC haters hate…
They have s crush. They want to get with GMC. They’re like second graders crushing on a girl in school so they pull her pony tail.
Let it go ignoramuses, he’s a top 5 DT and a perennial pro bowler.
Anyway….
The Bucs defense stepping up and the secondary getting better and better is all because of what most of us have been screaming for years- A PASS RUSH!!
Ayers came back, Spence is getting better and better, and this is also freeing up the DTs at times. Smith has also thrown in blitzes and more schemes up front.
Keep it up! If they rush Rivers like they did Wilson, they win easily
November 29th, 2016 at 9:26 am
This team has turned.
2017 season tickets are going to be mine for the next 10 years.
Good luck getting into our house.
November 29th, 2016 at 9:30 am
Conventional wisdom states that one incident can be dismissed as a fluke, two incidents could be a coincidence, but three incidents shows a trend. Let’s hope the Bucs dig in and smash the Chargers to prove the arrow is pointing up!
November 29th, 2016 at 10:14 am
Thanks Jolly! Hope you had a pleasant flight.
November 29th, 2016 at 10:24 am
87 yes! Defend the e turf my friend! We play nfc north and afc east nezt year, time to step up 😀
November 29th, 2016 at 11:16 am
Hater’s hate.
Fans support.
That’s truly the bottom line.
As to J oes question:
“…could it possibly be that we are seeing the development of the modern day version of Warren Sapp and Simeon Rice up front on defense?”
I won’t say we’re not. We might be. But I’m hesitant to assume anything at this point.
November 29th, 2016 at 11:49 am
Bonzai I just crapped myself. I will agree with you
Fan support of the Bucs is a must for us.. I think it would help the Bucs at home if they saw A sea if red
November 29th, 2016 at 11:53 am
Honestly it’s the two games against the Saints that scare me. Our pass rush has been very hot and cold. Our secondary seems to be getting better but they’ve struggled against real speed. I feel we match up well with the Cowboys (similar to Seattle), but Drew Breese still terrifies me.
November 29th, 2016 at 2:12 pm
If the GMC crowd was comparing him to Sapp or any HOF DT I would say….whoa wait a minute guys check yourselves. But they are not saying that.
They are saying GMC is a very good player who has been recognized by his peers as such. That’s just a simple fact not an opinion.
Then there are the haters who claim GMC sucks…that is an opinion not a fact.
The problem arises when the haters go to the extreme as in GMC sucks..that is absurd..he’s clearly very good. And it’s the haters who go to the extremes…I never ready anybody comparing GMC to Sapp or any HOFer. But I read a lot of absurdly insulting stuff from the haters.
November 29th, 2016 at 2:37 pm
We have something incredible upgront in Spence i been saying he needs to be rewarded but i think we should be a lil more afgressive and start sending Wil Gholston on the rush some as well because hes a special player in him as well. Gholston is Strahan like to me and can play real balanced and humbled. pay him please.
November 29th, 2016 at 3:24 pm
I hope we have finally turned the corner…Tampa needs this, the fans need this and i need this this.. meaningful football in December is awesome!! Love this site and comments
November 29th, 2016 at 8:49 pm
The Bucs are pretty dang exciting right now. Go Bucs fans!
November 30th, 2016 at 6:21 am
It’s simple. Combine a relentless pass rush (McCoy, Spence, Ayers and McDonald) with cornerbacks (Grimes, Hargreaves and Verner) who can cover and playmakers at linebacker (David and Alexander) and some very good safeties (McDougald and Conte) you have a dominant defense. Throw in a franchise superstar QB (Winston), All-Pro RB (Martin), BEST WR in the league (Evans), unbelievably talented 2nd, 3rd and 4th WR in Shepard, Humphries and Shorts, throw in a great playmaker at TE (Brate) with the best OL in football (smashmouth in your face Smith, Pamphile, Hawley, Marpet and MT Dotson and this team is the real deal.