The Cellar Is In Play
December 20th, 2016
Lots of pessimistic Bucs fans are lurking out there.
You probably know a few. So for those folks, Joe has done the NFL calculus.
The results are in, and the Bucs can still finish in last place. If that unthinkable happened, then the Bucs would be NFC South cellar dwellers for six consecutive years.
If the Bucs finish with losses Saturday in New Orleans and home on New Years Day to Carolina, Tampa Bay would be 8-8. If the Saints and Panthers (both 6-8) close the season with wins, then there would be a three-way tie below division-champ Carolina.
Enter the official tiebreaker math.
First, all three teams would have the same 3-3 division record. So the tiebreaker moves on to records against common opponents. In that scenario, the Saints are victorious. So they take second place.
The next tiebreaker is conference record, and the Panthers would best the Bucs by one game in that scenario and take third place.
Look, Joe’s not dropping a bunch of bad karma on the Bucs. They should beat a very flawed Saints football team on Saturday. Joe’s just spreading Christmas joy to the pessimistic fans who seem to get off on doomsday scenarios.
December 20th, 2016 at 9:43 am
Losing the last three games of the season would be a complete disaster for the psyche of this team and the fans.
They CANNOT let that happen.
Beat the Saints, beat Scam and with any luck you’ll win the division and host a playoff game.
Let’s f**king go!!’
December 20th, 2016 at 9:45 am
Joe stop click baiting damn you! LOL Oh where’s my data russian ads? fix that sheeet!
December 20th, 2016 at 9:49 am
I can’t believe this article was written when the Bucs are on the verge of making the playoffs.
December 20th, 2016 at 9:51 am
Here you go again.. “Very flawed Saints team”? Are the Buccaneers not Serioulsy flawed as well? It would be great to finish 10-6. But this team has overachieved as it is. Defense is average at best. Need upgrades at every level. The Oline isn’t going to magically get better and we still lack consistency at WR and RB.
December 20th, 2016 at 9:55 am
How the Bucs respond to the Dallas loss will show what kind of team they are. No more let downs this is a new team destined for greatness! Go Bucs and never look back! Bucs fans keep the faith!
December 20th, 2016 at 9:59 am
Really Joe?? I’ve been a huge fan of this site for years and seeing this article makes me want to never revisit this site again. We’re having our best season since 2010 and are in a playoff race. Talk about that, not the possibility of being NFC south dwellers.
As a fan of this site, then you know Joe writes all about the playoff race and all kinds of positive things. Look around. –Joe
December 20th, 2016 at 10:00 am
Hey Joe(s): how much $$$ you making off rubbish like this? Bucs will win at least 1, and maybe both of these games. Good Gawd, guys!! Aints are not in great shape especially on defense. Panthers stumbled badly out of the starting gate; they got bit BIG-TIME w/the post-SB bug. Bucs play them at home BTW. SMH…………?!
If Joe was interested in money from “rubbish,” then Joe would publish a daily rumor column filled all the juicy stuff that lands in Joe’s inbox. It would be the most viewed thing on this site. Don’t be a moron. Fans asked Joe. Many fans are still worried about losing. So Joe delivered the math. Simple as that.–Joe
December 20th, 2016 at 10:10 am
They can also finish 8-8 and still make the playoffs for all you optimists out there.
December 20th, 2016 at 10:11 am
I could care less if we finish 8-8, what the math says we would finish the season as in the NFC South. The Saints and Panthers games are both going to be very tough but we can win them albeit we need to play better to get two victories. I am not sure the Falcons will lose again but I do think if we finish 10-6 we will get into the playoffs.
December 20th, 2016 at 10:14 am
I also think the Redskins loss will give the Bucs an extra boost. The Packers probably will beat the Vikings but the last game against the Lions will be huge especially if the Cowboys beat the Lions which is very possible.
December 20th, 2016 at 10:16 am
Going to the Panthers game…
Going to be LOUD no matter what the record..
December 20th, 2016 at 10:18 am
Did anyone else see Brees destroy the Cards d? Saints may be flawed but they can score and our offense can’t. 8-8 or 9-7 seem very likely
December 20th, 2016 at 10:29 am
Are the Bucs really so much better than Carolina and New Orleans? It is foolish to assume so and assume we will beat these teams to win out. We beat a Carolina team early on without Cam Newton and barely held on at the end of the game against New Orleans. Hardly the portrait of clear dominance.
If Bucs aren’t careful they could still drop both of these games. However, to think that Atlanta loses to both teams down the stretch as well putting us at the bottom of the division to close out the season is very remote.
December 20th, 2016 at 10:30 am
This article is for Bighog, Tampa Tony, and others of their beliefs that their boy Lovie was done wrong.
December 20th, 2016 at 10:32 am
Im not one of thosr pessimistic fans but I approve of Joe writing this article. We have to keep our feet on the ground. Yes we are on the verge of the playoffs but we arent out of the weeds yet.
December 20th, 2016 at 10:40 am
I really don’t give a sh1t.
December 20th, 2016 at 10:42 am
I’m sticking with 9-7. They split the next 2 games
December 20th, 2016 at 10:46 am
If they finish 8-8… that 5-game win streak might as well not even happened because it will be ancient history in the psyche. They will enter week 1 next year on a losing streak.
December 20th, 2016 at 10:48 am
realistically the bucs should have lost to NO, dudes dropped 2 wide open tds, so bucs need A++ game on bourbon st and not have mccoy or lvd dreaming of the elf on the shelf making their christmas wishes come true, mccoy needs to lose his tinman persona for next few weeks
December 20th, 2016 at 10:50 am
@Ndog- I was one of the posters here leading the fire Lovie charge after 2-14 get your facts right. Awful hire from the start
December 20th, 2016 at 10:56 am
Parity rules the day. A few good teams, a few bad teams and what’s left over, the leftovers.
December 20th, 2016 at 10:57 am
It could get ugly in NO if the Bucs don’t mentally bounce back from a tough loss. We got lucky last time we played them. Plain and simple. Brees has been shredding defenses.
December 20th, 2016 at 11:21 am
I think that Dalas loss brought us al down to earth. Although much improved, The Bucs are not quite ready for the big time. QB and Coaching need to get a lot better and they will, just not overnight. I really hope they beat Saints so the Panthers game at home will be rocking.
December 20th, 2016 at 11:49 am
I was hoping both the saints and panthers had packed it in by the time we played them but both looked damn good this week. Its going to be tough. The saints are never easy at home.
December 20th, 2016 at 12:56 pm
Let’s just hope the Saints and Panthers don’t play their backup QB. The Cowboys game was just another time we let a rookie or backup look like an all pro.
December 20th, 2016 at 1:10 pm
The team that wins in the trenches usually wins the game. Dallas was and is a much better team in the trenches. I think we have a descent chance of beating the Saints again. Not that the Saints are not pretty good, but I think we match up well against them. I am actually more concerned about that Panther game. They are hitting on all cylinders. The defense did not get scorched by Dallas. Two of the scores they had were courtesy of turnovers. Our OL is our Achilles heel for sure. We have sub par talent for sure at both Tackles and the Guards are so so. Marpet is still learning but I think he will pan out but that is about it. Winston gets harassed too much and we have no running game which allows opponents to key on our passing attack.
Nobody can convince me that Dak Prescott is just that amazing as a rookie QB. What he has that Winston does not have is a solid OL in front of him and a great running game. Now do I think Doug Martin is the answer? No I do not but a lot of the blame is on the OL regardless of what Joe may think.
December 20th, 2016 at 1:26 pm
What kind of defense allows an opponent that completion percentage? An invisible one.
December 20th, 2016 at 2:38 pm
We are finishing 10-6 so whatever the math is if we finish 9-7 or 8-8, take it and shove it in a dumpster fire. We are making the playoffs and I will be losing my voice at Ray Jay as we clinch a playoff berth against the stinking Panthers. You may not have heard it here first, but as long as you heard it, then we are good.
December 20th, 2016 at 2:55 pm
I love @joe blog but he’s always been a hypocrite ALWAYS
December 20th, 2016 at 4:06 pm
https://www.joebucsfan.com/2016/09/buccaneers-2016-season-prediction-bucs-blog/#comment-3709433
I figured on 8-8 at best for this season, so I’m already pleased with our season. If we win either of the next 2 games, I’ll be extra pleased.
I don’t honestly care if we make the playoffs this year. Next year I expect 9-10 wins though…assuming we have the same coaches.
And with our owners, I guess that is a huge IF.
December 20th, 2016 at 4:10 pm
@VaBuc
Your use of the word “he” denotes a lack of understanding.
There are two Joes, and each has his own opinions. Even though they do nothing to separate themselves, veterans of the website can tell which is which in some cases.
So saying Joe is a “hypocrite” is simple minded, since there is no Joe. There are “Joes”. And because they differ in opinions and in the things they say, one might contradict the other.
Hence…you are wrong.
December 20th, 2016 at 5:14 pm
This artical makes sense to me. We have not clinched any position yet in the standings. Is it really that far out of the realm of possiblility that we lose to either NO or Carolina? Its not like we are that far superior to either one. The team that played on Sunday night will lose to either one of them. You have to score points to win in this league. We have no running game and our QB seems to have his head up his backside. I have been there since the beginning as a huge Winston fan but I am so disappointed in his mental fortitude. He showed up in Dallas paralyzed and in a state of emotional hyperventilation. It happened earlier in the year and it took several games for him to recover. This artical is fair game and we wont know the outcome until the games are played.