Did The Bucs Get Hosed?
April 21st, 2017
Punishment?
It’s almost like a little boy was told to go to his room without dinner for complaining that mom served pork chops again.
Last year the Bucs were curb-stomped by the Dixie Chicks at home on a Thursday night, embarrassed before a national television audience.
It was the turning point of the season.
Four days before under the brutal Florida sun, the Bucs played damned near five quarters in an overtime loss to the Raiders.
While fatigue was certainly a factor against the Dixie Chicks, Joe wonders if the Bucs complained about not getting a bye week before that Thursday night game and, as a result, were punished this year?
When the 2017 schedule was released yesterday, it showed a nasty week to open the month of October. The Bucs will host the Giants Oct. 1 at 4:05 p.m., and four days later, they host the Belicheats on a Thursday night broadcast on CBS.
Thursday night against the Super Bowl champs four days after playing a 2016 playoff team in the evening? That’s ugly, folks.
April 21st, 2017 at 7:34 am
Every team gets hosed one way or another, at least they play both games at home, if you want to be a playoff contender you don’t complain about the schedule. Belicheats certainly don’t.
April 21st, 2017 at 7:35 am
This is actually a damn good schedule for the Bucs overall, and I believe it’s good enough to help propel this team into a playoff spot. Trying to find one negative out of so many positive things is an example of losing focus. The NFL handed the Bucs a prime opportunity to make a playoff run with this schedule.
April 21st, 2017 at 7:36 am
I think you may be right. Is that a Goodell I smell?
April 21st, 2017 at 7:38 am
It is a tough 2 game stretch for sure. However, a tough test like this is needed for this team to see how close we actually are to the top
April 21st, 2017 at 7:43 am
Sunday to Thursday turn around games are tough at least we are at home and the Thursday game is against a non-conference team. Just hope the Bucs are fully focused on that Sunday game and not looking ahead to the Pats.
I wish the NFL would get rid of Thursday Night football, but I know that’s not happening.
Love the Spring NFL teas! Go Bucs!
April 21st, 2017 at 8:03 am
I love the schedule. The way I see it, is the Patriots game was probably a loss either way…as we NEVER beat them.
The Giants might be a little challenging, but they are not that good of a team anymore, so its very winnable.
Sept. 10, at Miami, 1 p.m. – WINNABLE
Sept. 17, BEARS, 1 p.m. – WINNABLE
Sept. 24, at Minnesota, 1 p.m. – WINNABLE
Oct. 1, GIANTS, 4 p.m. – WINNABLE
Oct. 5, PATRIOTS, 8:25 p.m. (Thursday) – PROBABLE LOSS
Oct. 15, at Cardinals, 4:05 p.m. – WINNABLE
Oct. 22, at Bills, 1 p.m. – WINNABLE
Oct. 29, PANTHERS, 1 p.m. – WINNABLE
Nov. 5, at Saints, 1 p.m. – WINNABLE
Nov. 12, JETS, 1 p.m. – WINNABLE
BYE Week 11
Nov. 26, at Atlanta, 1 p.m. – PROBABLE LOSS
Dec. 3, at Green Bay, 1 p.m. – WINNABLE
Dec. 10, LIONS, 1 p.m. – WINNABLE
Dec. 18, ATLANTA, 8:30 p.m. (Monday) – WINNABLE
Dec. 24, at Panthers, 1 p.m. – PROBABLE LOSS
Dec. 31, SAINTS, 1 p.m. – WINNABLE
Aside from the Patriots and Atlanta, the majority of our opponents either have losing records or are around the same records for last year.
A late bye week will give our players time to rest before a big playoff push.
I’m not saying every winnable game will be a win, but that each is a possible win. Really, its any given Sunday, but the Patriots are Juggernauts. At present, we’re not ready to beat them…but that could change as the season progresses and players come together.
April 21st, 2017 at 8:05 am
It’s going to be a blow out,
April 21st, 2017 at 8:08 am
FLBoyInDallas Says
“This is actually a damn good schedule for the Bucs overall, and I believe it’s good enough to help propel this team into a playoff spot. Trying to find one negative out of so many positive things is an example of losing focus. The NFL handed the Bucs a prime opportunity to make a playoff run with this schedule.”
I agree.
And the NFL doesn’t usually do that for us. Since 2010 (our 10-6 easy season), we’ve only had one year where the schedule wasn’t a total grinder.
Last year, the Falcons had a very easy schedule. That’s why I think they bomb this year.
In our case this year, I think there is a good mixture of easy vs challenging games…but most are winnable. Depending on draft results, this might be our year to shine.
I just hope that if the NFC trend continues and we are the division team to make it to the Super Bowl, that we win it.
April 21st, 2017 at 8:12 am
Going to be nice stomping Mike Glennon in week 2. We’re going to get 6 sacks in that game probably…as he is a total statue.
April 21st, 2017 at 8:19 am
EA is right. Take on the challenge and rise. Respect has to be earned.
April 21st, 2017 at 8:24 am
And the whining continues…
April 21st, 2017 at 8:28 am
Patriots play the panthers at home sunday before then travel to tampa for the thursday nighter. If anything it should be a tad tougher on the pats since they gota travel to tampa. Dont think the bucs were hosed on this one. Go bucs
April 21st, 2017 at 8:28 am
Rest the starters against the Patriots in protest. We won’t win the game anyway.
April 21st, 2017 at 8:29 am
Look at the list of QB’s the Bucs finish the season against after the bye
Ouch
Hopefully the d plays like they did late in the year
April 21st, 2017 at 8:31 am
The Bellicheats don’t complain about their schedule because they never have to complain. Look at the division they played in the past 15+ years and see what the competition has (not)been.
April 21st, 2017 at 8:31 am
A little slow Joe. I bitched about this exact very thing on your schedule thread yesterday.
April 21st, 2017 at 8:36 am
This is the schedule that will shut down trolls, naysayers and the like. @Minn. That’s prepping us for the SB arena we’ll be playing at this season… The Giants, NFC championship game, Pats, SB. The rest of it will build character.
Be dammed if you don’t believe in them!!!
12-4
Go BUCS
April 21st, 2017 at 8:44 am
Yep! Just like 2003. The year after we BEAT Philadelphia to go to the Super Bowl the schedule makers (Philly fans) had us travel to Philly to play in their brand new stadium.
For you youngsters and don’t know this Bucs historic time, not only did we close their old stadium with a win and went on to win the Super Bowl, but we also inaugurated their new stadium in 2003 in the presence of “Rocky” with a Bucs WIN! By the way, the first Bucs playoffs in win back in 1979 came against you guess it…the Eagles! We will always be a torn in their side.
So here we are in 2017 and I guess they are still employed by the NFL.
I hope we beat the Giants and Patriots in one week.
Winston and Koetter will be the cause for Brady and BillyCheat to retire with their tails between their legs!
Go Bucs!!!
In Licht We Trust!!!
April 21st, 2017 at 8:48 am
Bonzai, I did not go back and check, but I though ATL had the same schedule as Tpa minus two games. Of course if those two games were wins that’s the difference.
April 21st, 2017 at 8:52 am
Another potential interesting thing related to the Giants game … The Joes and a lot of you guys want to run Doug Martin out of town. Who may be interested in Doug if we let him go?
The NY Giants, at least according to this Giants site:
http://www.bigblueunbiased.com/dont-count-doug-martin-option-new-york-giants/
If the Bucs were to let Martin go (and make a lot of you guys happy), Martin’s very first game as a Giant would be against us. This would be a nightmare, in the same proportions as the 2003 Colts Monday night game.
And how have the Bucs fared in the past going against Ex-Bucs in their very first game against us? Remember Talib last year? Testeverde when he was with the Browns (and later the Jets)
April 21st, 2017 at 8:52 am
Ric Flair:
“If you wanna be the man, you gotta BEAT the man….whooooooooo!”
No excuses, play the Pats.
April 21st, 2017 at 8:52 am
@Dallas DAMN your right.
Why the frake are you guys 😭 about? We will ride to the occasion lead by the Messiah #3. Got on our get out!!! No excuses, but we play at this time, we play in the cold, no SNF… STFU
I’m so F-ing ready for the season! Players won’t complain about it. When we beat the breaks off the league no one will be able to say “their schedule was easy.”
be a fan of your, my, OUR beloved pirates! I promise you this, if a player came to a site like this on a day like this and see ALL of us talking sh!T about how the BUCS gonna run through this line up, screw tb12 , F this team and gonna be this team out post. That would have said player extremely hyped to see the fans TRULY believe in them. C’mon y’all
Go BUCS
April 21st, 2017 at 8:57 am
If I’m going to play the Patriots, I think the best opportunity to beat them is at home on a Thursday night. Playing 3 hours later the week before isn’t, and shouldn’t, make a difference (playing 5 quarters will). Tom Brady is 40 years old, so maybe the Panthers can put a little beating on him that Sunday before, and we can steal a HUGE game. If we are able to win that one, the Bucs will be everybody’s team (notice I took away the word “sleeper”).
April 21st, 2017 at 9:07 am
@Tom Edrington
Whoooooooooo!
Thanks for the flashback!
April 21st, 2017 at 9:12 am
Last year I was very hesitant about getting excited for the 2016 season. I figured we would be better (predicted 9-7, as most did) but not good enough for the playoffs. I figured we needed a few more pieces. And we did.
The gloves are off this year though. I’m not ruling anything out. Super Bowl or bust, baby!
I always say, there is no point in making the playoffs if you cannot compete to win in the playoffs. Otherwise all it does is cost you draft position. This year, even before the draft, I think we can compete. I’m excited about the development of our players, a couple of the signings and the upcoming draft.
The only thing predictable about Licht in regard to the draft is that he gets results.
At this point, the way things are going for him, I believe even Aguayo could improve and work out.
April 21st, 2017 at 9:34 am
Need to be 7-3 when we hit our bye week. That’s a tough finish to our schedule. If we finish 11-5 we will be battle tested with games against the 2 best QBs in the league and 3 pretty damn QBs in our own division.
Oh and I think it benefits us to play the Pats on a short week. Less time for them to prepare for us! Beating the Giants is more important either way for possible tie breaking scenarios.
April 21st, 2017 at 9:39 am
The team has some stability at key positions and some confidence from not only getting out of the NFC South basement but logging its first winning season in several years. I see no reason to start worrying about a schedule at this point of the year considering teams that are good one year aren’t automatically good the next. Injuries and what not can change everything. I say bring it on and let the Bucs prove they’re contenders and not just pretenders. I believe they are the former…hope I’m right.
April 21st, 2017 at 9:42 am
The Joes of JoeLichtFan leading the whiny excuses brigade!
April 21st, 2017 at 9:54 am
@DallasBuc,
You sure do complain a lot about this website, yet you keep coming back day in and day out. Is it the website that makes you unhappy, or just your day to day life, and you take it out on poor JBF?
April 21st, 2017 at 10:04 am
We’ll be fine. The Giants aint nothing to be scared of. Eli is slow and mistake prone. He aint leading the Giants anywhere any time soon.
April 21st, 2017 at 10:04 am
I get what you’re saying but I won’t go as far as you did.
Look, only fan bases with bad teams complain or worry about the schedule. You either believe the team has done enough in the off season to be a playoff contender or you don’t. The Bucs should be happy it’s two home games in a row.
You should see how the Giants feel about their schedule. The Broncos, Chiefs, Chargers, and Raiders all have much tougher schedules.
April 21st, 2017 at 10:15 am
We don’t know whose schedule is tough at this point. Every year there are teams like Arizona that everyone thinks will be great, but they end up being garbage. Then you have teams like Detroit that most people think will win 4 games, but end up making the playoffs. Only two things are for sure – Cleveland will be terrible and NE will be really good. Everything else is a guess.
April 21st, 2017 at 10:17 am
Our first matchup at Falcons lines up well for us, we will be coming off a bye week and they play Sunday night in Seattle! I like our schedule overall
April 21st, 2017 at 10:22 am
Can we get “unflexed” on that Sunday?
… Seriously though, that’s some garbage. But if we find a way to win both those games… oooo snap!
April 21st, 2017 at 10:31 am
I’m actually starting to like us playing the Patriots on a Thursday. We probably lose to them anyway if we played them on a Sunday, and we’ve been getting stomped on Thursday nights. This takes two probable losses and turns it into just one.
April 21st, 2017 at 10:37 am
EVERYONE WORRIED ABOUT THE PATS, READ THIS!!
They are 1-3 since 2013 vs Miami in Florida heat. They do not play well in Florida. Not to mention they travel to Tampa on a short week to play us.
I’m not too worried.
April 21st, 2017 at 10:50 am
Hawaiian- what’s it to you? JoeLichtFan doesn’t need you to come to their rescue and the stinkhole kissies you love to give them don’t you make their honorary protector. Like any player, coach, front office suit, TB Times sports columnist or internet blog site I am going have my opinions and sometimes that may involve criticism. I know this upsets you when it comes from me and clearly your sentiments on the matter are irrelevant. Somehow insinuating knowledge of my personal life based on comments about a football schedule or anything else related to this Bucs blog is bizarrely absurd but I know it makes you feel better so carry on! Not going anywhere and the Joes insist they welcome criticism so we will see if that continues to be true.
April 21st, 2017 at 11:01 am
Hopefully GMC has les respect for Brady this time, I know Kwon will. Besides we should be getting a fresh Doug Martin back
April 21st, 2017 at 11:02 am
@ Buccaneer Bonzai:
I love your positivity and enthusiasm. This site needs more posters like you. I can’t stand the ones who think that being negative makes them sound smart. News flash: it doesn’t. I was surprised we still have so many 1pm games. Looks like the NFL is saying “prove it.” So we will. But please stop the Thursday night games!
April 21st, 2017 at 11:11 am
I remember looking at a bucs schedule only for determining what we had to do in order to get a first round bye and home field advantage.
Flip side is searching for a good possibility of one win.
Were in the middle now, with more hope than usual.
April 21st, 2017 at 11:26 am
@DallasBuc,
So it’s okay for you to criticize any and everything, yet you get your panties in a wad because I feel the other way? Hypocritical much? I don’t understand why people like you do nothing but complain, but to be honest I think it’s fantastic entertainment, and truly makes me feel so much better about myself. I bet you’re a blast to hang out with at parties.
April 21st, 2017 at 11:27 am
Positivity police are on patrol soooo LOOK OUT! Deputy TampaTown is here and he is not going to stand for negativity gosh darn it! Good thing we have someone to help enforce the entirely arbitrary fanboy rules. Whewee!!!
April 21st, 2017 at 11:35 am
Hawaiian- not a hypocrite because I’m not complaining about criticism directed toward me. I get it all day long and keep coming back so clearly the ad hominem attacks on an anonymous sports blog aren’t cutting very deep.
I do have a blast at parties especially ones where I can talk Bucs!
April 21st, 2017 at 11:39 am
And yes, I’m complaining (but really making fun of) about all the complaining from the Joes and fanboys that are feeling so dejected and wronged by the schedule makers! It’s absurd and you half admitted it yourself
April 21st, 2017 at 11:45 am
@DallasBuc,
If you dislike the Joes so much, why keep coming back? I’m seriously curious. I watch and love football because it makes me happy. I come to this site because I enjoy the articles. I don’t get how you keep coming back, yet I never see you post anything but negativity towards the team or towards the Joes. Are you just one of those people that loves to argue the other side, even if you don’t believe it? And if you talk Bucs the same way you write about the Bucs, I’m sure you are a blast around fans of other teams.
April 21st, 2017 at 11:46 am
Wow Hawaiian Buc is right. DallasBuc sounds like the guy you want to hang out with if you want all your other friends to leave and then go jump off the roof. Your poor wife.
April 21st, 2017 at 11:50 am
DallasBuc – I don’t think anyone is feeling dejected by the schedule. All of us would prefer if we had a 1pm game the week before the Thursday game, right? That’s not being dejected, but it’s just stating the obvious. In a perfect world, I’d love to play a team like the Jets on Thursday night, then have New England the following game on a very hot 1pm game. That would be ideal, but nothing is ideal. It’s a tough draw, but in my opinion it’s a tough draw no matter when we play them. Nobody is crying about it though. That’s a huge overreaction from you (shocker).
April 21st, 2017 at 11:50 am
So here is the problem, if we are going to look at the schedule and pencil in wins and losses and complain about the schedule I think we can expect to miss the playoffs again. If there is a team in the league we don’t feel we can win against we have no business in the playoffs and should start thinking about next year. Do you think patriot fans think their team shouldn’t win every week. And as for the schedule, if this 4 day game causes us to lose and that one’s loss keeps us out of the playoffs, we didn’t deserve to be there anyway. I expect this team to be able to play with any team in the league, sometimes things won’t go out way, sometimes they will, but there is no reason we can’t beat every team on this schedule
April 21st, 2017 at 11:55 am
You need to get out of that loser mentality. The Pats have to come to our home, after a short week. They got hosed!!
April 21st, 2017 at 12:05 pm
Sweating the schedule, calling games win-able, is a bunch of BS, IMO.
It’s about as genius as sweating the draft.
Every game is tough, win-able or losable.
Let the season begin.
Go Bucs!
April 21st, 2017 at 12:08 pm
Aww Deputy TampaTown what happened to enforcing your positivity rule?
April 21st, 2017 at 12:12 pm
@dooshlarue
100% agree! great post.
April 21st, 2017 at 12:15 pm
Hawaiian-
Saying the Bucs got hosed and this:
“Thursday night against the Super Bowl champs four days after playing a 2016 playoff team in the evening? That’s ugly, folks.”
That sounds like dejection to me. Maybe that sounds positive to you and doesn’t sound like complaining. So be it. I think based on the comments most people agree with what I am saying about the whiny excuses even you though you wouldn’t admit now.
April 21st, 2017 at 12:24 pm
Two threads in, and I don’t see anyone else saying that the 4 p.m. games bookend the Thursday night game, our post-Thursday pseudo-bye week following the Pats is also three hours longer.
Contrast that with the year we had to play on Monday night, then play the next Sunday, then play on Thanksgiving Day, 3 games in 10 days. Now THAT was brutal, this is just inconvenient.
April 21st, 2017 at 12:25 pm
meh… whatever
The whole schedule is much weaker than in previous seasons.
Cant expect every month to be favorable
April 21st, 2017 at 12:47 pm
The Bucs can win any game on their schedule and they can lose any game.
Certainly the game they are viewed as most likely to lose based solely on talent would of course be against NE.
So seeing that we were going to have to eat somewhere in our schedule..there’s almost always a bad spot or two…last year’s start was horrid…this is our best deal.
Why not do this against the team that we’ll least likely beat…against a team that will have among the least implications on our playoffs. I’m just glad this wasn’t a division game on Thursday night!!!!
April 21st, 2017 at 1:01 pm
The Bucs have won against the Patriots at least once that I recall. They beat the Pats when the present Seahawks coach was at the Patriot helm. That game was in Tampa. Like 17-3 was the final score. That was probably before the Pats won any SB.
April 21st, 2017 at 1:32 pm
@Dallas Buc:
Your negativity is enough to make anyone want to kill themselves. And BTW, I was only complimenting Hawaiian Buc. Wasn’t saying I’m the positive one. If you hate everyone on this site and hate the Bucs and hate the Joe’s what are you doing here?
April 21st, 2017 at 1:54 pm
The Pats aren’t getting a week off before the game either – I’m not really sure what the complaint is here. Tampa plays a 4p home game – not sure why playing a 1p game is big difference – and it could be a lot worse, the Bucs could have played a late afternoon away game. This is a non-issue, the Bucs just have to setup and play a good game and not have their yearly TNF meltdown. Also hearing from people outside of Tampa I was wondering if they’d care about this game or not – and everyone said this is a early season highlight of TNF since it’s an odd match of teams that has a ton of interesting storylines. Was pleased that it was this and let’s say not the Panthers game that gets national TV, because even as a lifelong Bucs fan I hate the Panthers games, you can count on it being the most boring game of the year.
April 21st, 2017 at 1:58 pm
Here’s the reality – Thursday night games are ugly to everyone. They shouldn’t even happen, unless they are following a bye week. The games are horrible, they players aren’t ready to play, and there isn’t enough time to properly game plan. It’s a money grab from the NFL (shocker), and suckers like us still end up watching it. The games are rarely close, and are almost never entertaining.
April 21st, 2017 at 2:01 pm
@DallasBuc,
Apparently in your eyes there is no gray area between dejection and positivity. This is by far the most positive outlook this fan base has had since the days of Gruden, and it’s not even close. Just because we know that’s a tough situation doesn’t mean we are all doom and gloom about it. It’s just going to be a tough one. Nobody is saying we can’t win it, or we got screwed by the NFL. Get over yourself.
April 21st, 2017 at 2:06 pm
Why are people think the Bucs will lose at Atlanta? Winston owns Matt Ryan, he’s 3-1 against him and 2-0 against him in ATL. Sure the Falcons get their new stadium with a fully functioning sphincter on top (I guess so God can take a dump on them) but that won’t change the fact Winston owns the Falcons and if the defense bothers to show up then we should be set.
April 21st, 2017 at 2:23 pm
Screw the Patriots!
This is a huge opportunity for the Bucs to show the world that they belong.
Any coach, player or fan that isn’t looking forward to kicking the sh*t out of the defending champs needs to GTFO.
Go Bucs, let’s f**k the Pats up.
April 21st, 2017 at 2:36 pm
What a wussy joe.are you scared? Lol I’m not one to believe the bucs or any team small into the playoffs after a decade without announcing it to the world and making a bold statement by beating teams you know will be there and showing you belong. The bucs have to show they belong but all can hope is that they win at least the Giants game
April 21st, 2017 at 2:45 pm
Guys stop giving Dallas a hard time – he’s just a positive type of guy. HIV positive test is.
April 21st, 2017 at 3:03 pm
@DaveBuc I see where your coming from.
https://www.joebucsfan.com/2017/03/contehate-is-real/
We are just glad Licht is on our side.
Have a nice day Dave…..Go Bucs!!!
April 21st, 2017 at 3:58 pm
It’s actually much harder for the road Thursday night team than the home Thursday night team. The win-loss stats bear that fact out. It’s actually a blessing we get the Patriots on a short-week at home. A) Less time for them to prepare for us B) travel time for them c) jacked-up crowd.
April 21st, 2017 at 5:32 pm
Yes, that game will be tough. Playing the patriots any day of the week or even after a bye will be a tough game.
I think the patriots are one of the best coached teams. I also think a quick turn around for them, hurts them. They can’t do nearly as much preparing and game planning for us for that game. I think this gives us an edge. Or at least takes away their edge.
As for this article, stop whining Joe. You make all bucs fan look bad when you complain and start making up conspiracy theories.
April 21st, 2017 at 6:03 pm
Like the schedule overall. Very nice.
Sharpen those pencils
April 22nd, 2017 at 12:04 pm
Wow Hawaiian, you sure have dallASSbuc wound up this morning.
Hey dallASS, it doesn’t take any intellect, or insight, to post every day how bad everything sucks
It just takes an ahole, upset about his failed and miserable life
Go crawl in a gutter . . Oops, you are already in dallas!
Then crawlinging under a rock will suffice. And drag iq55 with you.
The difficulty of the schedule cant be assessed, until the injuries are factored in.
The Patriots, without Brady- arent nearly as dangerous.
A healthy team- when we are beat up- is alot more dangerous.
We can beat anyone- or lose to them- depending on whos able to play!
Just dying for it to get started