2017 NFC South Champs!
May 9th, 2017
Playoffs?
You know the pressure is on when national scribes are already tagging a team to win a division.
Man, the playoffs have been an ugly drought. NFL seasons have gone up in smoke in these parts like a Pasco County wildfire. The Bucs haven’t been to the playoffs in a decade and haven’t won a playoff game in 15 years. That’s shameful.
Well, that shame will end this fall, said heavy metal head-banging Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. He did the research and believes the Bucs will win the NFC South.
This team’s growth reminds me some of the Raiders, and I could see them playing in January. Jameis Winston is going to be a superstar quarterback and getting tight end O.J. Howard where they did only helps that development. The defense got much better as the season went on, and frankly, the biggest move of their entire offseason may have been finding a way to retain defensive coordinator Mike Smith amid head coaching interviews. If Doug Martin does give them a boost, post-suspension, so be it, but that won’t make or break this team and I get the sense that anything less than a defensive MVP-type season won’t be enough for Gerald McCoy.
La Canfora is not the first person to compare the Bucs and Raiders. Pat Kirwan of SiriusXM NFL Radio said the same thing prior to last season.
Joe thinks this is a whole lot of pressure to put on a young team when folks in May expect a division title in January. Hope it comes true, but perhaps folks should lay off the gas pedal a little?
May 9th, 2017 at 5:29 am
Joe(s)-
Does Jameis ever laugh or jab with you all about the funny captions?
May 9th, 2017 at 5:36 am
@Joe … “perhaps folks should lay off the gas pedal a little?” In the big scheme of things Joe, not sure that pressure from the media & fans matters a whole bunch to the coaches & players. They set their goals high every year I’m sure, be they individual goals or team goals. Every coach seems to say the same thing … “Take it 1 game at a time.” Hopefully the Bucs start fast & stay in the hunt to our Bye week in mid-Nov because after that it’s Falcons twice, Panthers & Saints once plus Green Bay in Dec (in their house) & Detroit here. Brutal ending schedule but as Proverbs 27 says “Iron sharpens iron”.
May 9th, 2017 at 5:43 am
Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, boys. The only legit research says that, “on paper,” the Bucs should be better this year. And paper champs are often paper tigers–let’s see what happens, come September.
May 9th, 2017 at 6:00 am
The “price” of winning is high expectations….and that’s a good thing! Teams like Cleveland have been bad for so long that they’ve forgotten how to win. The Bucs are definitely a team on the rise after assembling a great group of young talent. They only thing I worry about is the O-line. Can they give Jameis a clean pocket long enough for him to get the ball into the hands of all his new weapons? If they can, I think a playoff run is in the cards! But don’t forget, the Falcons are still an incredibly dangerous team, and even the Panthers added some new weapons in the Draft. The NFC South is going to be a real battleground this season! Might be the most competitive division in the whole NFL from top to bottom!
May 9th, 2017 at 6:01 am
That last sentence is what I’ve been hoping for. Nothing less than a Defensive MVP type season for GMC… Its in him, but will he be willing to do it. Go for it big guy.
I believe the offense will need some time to embrace its identity. This offseason they went from a team that needed the run to set up the pass to a team that can use the pass to set up the run.
May 9th, 2017 at 6:13 am
Darn right. If you don’t expect the Bucs to be contenders, you’re not paying attention. Don’t pump brakes or ease up. They expect to be great. Of course the other teams are gonna be good. It’s the NFL. No mystery. We’re just gonna be better. What’s the problem with that? You think Winston, Evans, Jackson, Koetter, Smith or anyone else doesn’t expect this? So, if you want to slow your roll, be my guest. Greatness is staring you right in the face. Get with the program.
May 9th, 2017 at 6:26 am
We will when the division we’re going to the nfc championship
May 9th, 2017 at 6:38 am
We will OWN the NFC South.
In Licht We Trust!!!
Go Bucs!!!
May 9th, 2017 at 6:57 am
Greatness doesn’t run away from pressure or expectations bring it on
May 9th, 2017 at 7:26 am
GMC please please please step up big homie DPOY would be the icing on the 🍰
My homie and i argue his worth on a daily basis…
He thinks GMC is the best DT and doesn’t need to prove himself with doing more
I sustain that his stats are fine, it’s just needs to happen at different times ( crucial moments )
We both want him here, though as the last sentence suggest., anything less and he’s gone
GMC… C’mon big homie!!!
12-4
May 9th, 2017 at 7:32 am
Its a long season filled with great teams, division rivalries, injuries, and oh yeah …. football games to actually be played. It fun to talk about but at this point the speculation is meaningless.
May 9th, 2017 at 7:33 am
Tampa Tony we finally 100% agree! Good call brother.
May 9th, 2017 at 7:40 am
Division champs contending for a super bowl. Why not? All the ingredients are there.
May 9th, 2017 at 7:43 am
‘Joe thinks this is a whole lot of pressure to put on a young team’
____________________________________________________
And Hard Knocks too. I’m a little concerned.
May 9th, 2017 at 7:45 am
The way I see it, the nfc south is making history. Panthers and Falcons both made it to a superbowl. Let’s keep it alive. It’ll be eith the Saints or us this year…the only teams that actually know how to win the big game in our division.
I don’t discount the Saints because Brees is due another SB before he retires.
You realize that if each team goes to the SB over a 4 year period, we’ll have to be considered the toughest division in football? And make history??
Or we could win the next 5 and forget the other teams. I could live with that.
May 9th, 2017 at 7:45 am
“With great power comes great responsibility”, Spidermans uncle Ben.
May 9th, 2017 at 7:50 am
Winning the division is a goal!!! But with this young team!!! But if they do not win the division, it will not be seen as a failure!!!! The “real” core of the team is very young!!! And the owners are committed to “expand their brand” this year by signing up die NFL’a longest commercial!!!!!!
This same time next year will have a totally different feel!!! Were from the very top of the organization to the coaches, players and even the grounds crew will be talking of having a singular focus on the playoffs!!!!!
Go BUCS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 9th, 2017 at 8:03 am
9-7
May 9th, 2017 at 8:12 am
9-7 agreed, and the falcons did not get worse as a team, not sure what the panthers are doing but the saints loaded up on an already potent offense
May 9th, 2017 at 8:14 am
We have enough talent. The problem is depth. Injuries to starters or the lack of them will largely determine whether the 2017 Bucs go 8-8 or 12-4.
May 9th, 2017 at 8:21 am
I really like how we stack up in our division. We’re better than Saints and Panthers. Of course you got to redpect Brees but I dont think last year was simply a hiccup for Carolina. I think that team lacks talent at key spors and their qb didnt step up when defenses adjusted to him the same way they did against Vick, Kapernick etc. As for Atlanta they may be better on paper but as we’ve seen the last two years we match up well against them. Laat year on TNF they cauvht us after that five quarter marathon in the Tampa heat and now they think they’re definitively better than us. Well we get to seeep their punk arse on MNF so being it!
May 9th, 2017 at 8:29 am
To me this is a no brainer. Duhhh. Baring the injury bug we win and own the South not only next season but for a lengthy run of years. We have Allll the pieces. I compare our roster to that of the Seattle team that won they’re superbowl in Wilson’s third year. If you can’t see how dynamic your team is I suggest a visit to your local eye wear company. We ready and the time is now. Some of y’all need work on getting your expectations up a little.
May 9th, 2017 at 8:32 am
Largo I think we’re just as good if not better than the falcons on paper. Keep in mind losing both they’re OC and DC will effect that team next season. I mean we were neck and neck with them last season for the division for a number of weeks last year with last years roster.
May 9th, 2017 at 8:33 am
Not to mention how handily we walk into they’re house opening day and gave it to them. When we were healthy we dominated the falcons.
May 9th, 2017 at 8:36 am
Why can’t or think we shouldn’t? There is pressure on every team in the NFL to win each season, and the objective is to win a title.
As Jameis Winston uttered:
“I AM TIRED OF LOW EXPECTATIONS. I KNOW WHAT WE ABOUT. I KNOW WHAT WE ABOUT. I KNOW HOW GREAT WE ARE. LET’S KEEP STACKING THEM W’S. ONE TEAM….ONE HEARTBEAT!!!!”
May 9th, 2017 at 8:36 am
The last years, the winner of the NFC (car 15 and Atl 16)
Both Won by a dominating offense and mediocre defense. The offensive side dominated most games amd lead majority of the games the whole season
Kobe believes if koetter releases the hounds ….we can be tampa 2017 in the superbowl
This is a fact…defenses can not matchup with our offensive personnel
They just cant
May 9th, 2017 at 8:38 am
We’re not the only NFC South team that got better in the off-season. As Pickgrin alluded, injuries and depth will play a large part in our success.
I look forward to seeing this team’s improvements.
May 9th, 2017 at 8:44 am
Atlanta had a strong draft too but lost Shanahan so hopefully that will bring them down a few notches.
May 9th, 2017 at 8:46 am
@Dreambig, you need to either “dream big”, or change your handle. C’mon man. We’re good. We’re real good.
May 9th, 2017 at 8:49 am
Ion see nobody in our division. Everyone improved but not as greatly as we did in a single off season. Offensively we are on par with the falcons and saints now. To me what separates the three is defensively I feel we are better than both. What I saw from our D last season for a six week stretch told me all they need is to be supported by a “Bad@$$” offense and this team will be unstoppable.
May 9th, 2017 at 8:51 am
Mission accomplished..
May 9th, 2017 at 8:55 am
And I’d like to know why some of you think our ceiling is 9-7. If you don’t think we’ve improved from last year, tell me why. 9-7 will be the low water mark for this team, and very disappointing. Do you not remember the defensive improvement at the midway point last season? That in itself gives me great expectations. That kind of “D” throughout the year will give us at least 2 more wins. Now add on the actual NFL caliber weapons Jameis has at his disposal. That’ another 2 wins, minimum. This is shaping up to be the team Jameis will lead towards greatness for years to come. Bury the past years. Koetter and #3 couldn’t care less about prior seasons. Nor should you. 13-3, or 14-2 is what we’ll be. And I’m not certain we’ll lose that much. 22 guys on the field thinking like Jameis……scary good.
May 9th, 2017 at 8:56 am
I think saints losing cook is going to be the downfall of the saints. Cook is going to break nfl records this year
Lose cook and run old man peterson? Lol
May 9th, 2017 at 9:08 am
I think JBF losing “kobe liar” would be addition by subtraction!!!!! kobe liar has broken the record of inaccuracy and lies!!!!!
lose kobe liar and run his old azz out!!!!! LOL!!!
GO Bucs!!!!
May 9th, 2017 at 9:38 am
Gmc is on the hot seat??
May 9th, 2017 at 9:42 am
I’m a big Carr fan. Go figure.
Not a Raiders fan though. Oh no no no. Just Carr.
May 9th, 2017 at 9:46 am
Nole on Sat- Welcome back, you took your beating of the Bucs passing on Cook like a true coward.
Falcons lost by one score and Ryan tore up our secondary week 1 they are a formidable opponent. If the offense can look like it did in week 1 we will be in good shape as long as the d consistently gets better as well
May 9th, 2017 at 9:49 am
punk tony go f@$! yourself f@$!boy. Where in the h3ll did get anything about Cook from what I just posted. B@$!#@$$ fool you.
May 9th, 2017 at 9:53 am
Come to the O and look me up. I’ll show yo ass a coward.
May 9th, 2017 at 9:55 am
Dumbass.. Like it would make or break me that the Bucs didn’t draft Dalvin. Stupid.
May 9th, 2017 at 9:58 am
What TampTony said was nothing but the whole truth. The best statement he’s ever made. We know we have a great leader in Fameis. Making the Bucs great is the only thing he will be happy with. Now the rest of the team has to get on that same wave length.
If GMC93 wants to get better then he has to become a little more self centered. He has to want to be great. That means getting mean on that field of play. You can be mean without being nasty or dirty. If you’re gonna help your opponent up off the grass at least make sure you’re the reason he’s there in the first place!
May 9th, 2017 at 9:59 am
Can we not use the wildfire that was 3 miles from my house as an analogy in an effort to sound like a witty and creative author?
May 9th, 2017 at 10:02 am
Expectations don’t necessarily increase the ‘pressure’ in a negative sense, though…
For guys like Jameis and Kwon, the intensity is turned up to the MAX on virtually a daily basis, so they are well-euipped to to perform at their best when the intensity and ‘pressure’ are at the MAX.
Jameis and our team are all about ‘manifesting success’ (as in the Law of Attraction) and having high expectations is a natural post of that manifestation.
Don’t fret, boys. We will be winning Superbowls very soon.
May 9th, 2017 at 10:03 am
*part not post
May 9th, 2017 at 10:11 am
KobeFaker how you figure Carolina went to the Bowl on the strength of their offense? Since they drafted Kuechly they’ve had a very good defense. That year their defense was real good just ask Fameis.
Come on Koetter Make The Bucs Great Agajn!
So called realist the quality of this board went up when you went on your little hiatus and you’re calling for someone else to go? Go figure little old woman. Don’t nobody care about Kobe up here other than you. Does it really matter he’s not keeping his word to stop posting?
This is a fan board not court of law. You hold on to things like a jilted girlfriend. Get over youself and let it go.
May 9th, 2017 at 10:12 am
DavidBigBucFan99
GMC can not get better he is on the decline and is already making excuses about sore knees for the upcoming season. Mr Softee is setting himself up for his yearly string of missed game and visit to IR… You have to want it to get better GMC just wants ice cream and Tv time. The bucs must eradicated the soft, mentally weak leader of the losing culture in order to succeed…. cancer93 must go
May 9th, 2017 at 10:16 am
DavidBigBucFan99
and of course you realize that Richard Simmons and Rupe Hall have a better shot at DPOY than Softee does
May 9th, 2017 at 10:24 am
Nole, regardless those Falcon punks will be sent home crying after thwy see how wrong they were. Firdt we get to mark their new stadium as Bucs territory, as we did the Georgia dome the last two years. Then we get to deliver the finishing blow to them on MNF in our house in fromt of all our fans who have patiently been waiting while being ridiculed and spat on! Falcons superiority complex is on par with those jerk fans from the northeast. So it will be that much more satisfying when we take back what nelongs to us!
May 9th, 2017 at 10:37 am
We have to realize that we’re not the only NFC South team that got better in the off-season.
That said, I still think a division championship is possible.
Atlanta will miss Shanahan that’s for sure, and the Saints have Petersen, who just might run all over the entire NFL South.
Carolina got Christian McCaffery, though Cam Newton does not seem very good at touch passes.
IF our defense can hold teams, our Offense will score plenty of points.
May 9th, 2017 at 10:45 am
This is OUR time.
May 9th, 2017 at 10:48 am
I keep harping on luck and how many of our guys have “career years” this season. Put enough “career years” together and you get wins and titles.
We have enough talent that if they mesh as a team and all achieve we’re going to be scary.
And the player who has the most motivation to produce a “career year”?
GMC!!!!!
If he gets double digit sacks and the team makes it to Minny his entire career is changed in just one season. At least the perception of his career.
Double digit sacks and lead a defense to the SB and all will be forgiven and forgotten with GMC. He may be the guy with the most riding on this season.
May 9th, 2017 at 10:51 am
@NOS –
Ion obegone epsilon. @$$on obi wan Kenobi. (This was a secret, coded message).
@Cancermax –
Was Lee Roy Selmon also leader of the losing culture? GMC has more wins as a player than he did. And perhaps I missed it, but last year was a winning season, no? Just checking.
To all others, agreed, expectations should be high. 22 parts (53 actually) make the whole. We have the right mix.
May 9th, 2017 at 10:55 am
Steven007
lee roy selmon was division champion and cancer93 has never led anything but blow outs and embarrassments. very poor comparison consider one era was a true expansion and the other included free agency etc…
it really would be nice sometime if the gmc fanboys and nuthuggers would start rattling off all these great third down plays and second have game changing / winning play that he has made instead they have to reach for BS comparisons and my favorite he is good in the community garbage. he surely must make dozens of game changing plays a year given his lofty accolades.
May 9th, 2017 at 10:56 am
Nole on Sat.-Bucc on Sun. Says:
“Come to the O and look me up.”
lol Is this you? 407BucLovinHomie
May 9th, 2017 at 10:57 am
Steven007 …That’s funny right there.
Ion care who you are.
May 9th, 2017 at 11:03 am
Vegas opened us at 8-8, last in the NFC South, which they rated as best in the NFL. It’s been bet up to 8.5, but even that’s a slap in the face to kool-ade drinkers.
Pass rush, offensive line, depth at cornerback, still question marks imho. Still, a win-total line is a median not a mean and I feel like the win distribution is positive skewed. We’re way more likely to go 11-5 than 5-11 or 12-4 than 4-12. And pre-Winston we were perennially below the Mendoza line of 6. Bears, Rams, Niners and Browns all repeat BTMLs this year with the Jaguars back on the list after escaping it for the first time in quite awhile last year.
May 9th, 2017 at 11:06 am
@Cancermaxi –
RE: 3rd down plays, as you well know someone (Blake? Perhaps someone else; this silly request of yours has been answered several times in threads past and you are usually silent after those posts) has provided this for you in the past. More pertinently I would actually argue that GMC was never a true leader (not all 22 guys can lead; and money has zero to do with it). That’s simply not his role as evidenced by the fact that JW supplanted him immediately as a 21 y/o rookie. As I explained before, all NFL players are alpha males in the real world, but within the world of football there are obviously a hierarchy of alpha’s. JW is right at the top. Kwon is up there. GMC has never been a fierce alpha. Ditto LVD. Both great players but lacking the fire of the alpha leader. But now we’ve added Baker who seems to be that guy. And Desean on the other side of the ball has some of that. Marpet seems to be that kind of guy. There has to be a mix and we were lacking that mix for a while. But it certainly isn’t the fault of the player if he’s not that guy. Selmon certainly wasn’t and he was pretty good don’t you think? Also last year was a winning season, no? Just checking.
May 9th, 2017 at 11:08 am
GMC = red meat.
May 9th, 2017 at 11:10 am
Steven007….got a spare 9 hours? Tmax can talk GMC all day long.
May 9th, 2017 at 11:13 am
again all excuses the bottom line when you are the third over all pick you need to be a difference maker. I could careless about anything but wins. Every year this supposed difference maker is making excuses or hurt simple as that. Impact players make those around them better gmc and his fan boys make excuses and suggest he needs to be surrounded by 2 All Pro DE and an All Pro DT in order to reach his potential. Every year it’s just all talk. All he does is lose and when he pouted and acted like a little girl when jameis was leading cheers that showed his true bad character self and me first attitude. He’s a cancer with a smile. i would not feel too bad though if I were you, he’s fooled a lot of folks.
May 9th, 2017 at 11:16 am
1987, I’ve said it in the past. He wished he knew how to quit him. But he can’t. Some bonds are stronger than glue.
May 9th, 2017 at 11:17 am
Bottom line is that if we make it to Minny and GMC gets 10 or more sacks
Tmax turns into the invisible poster. It’s as simple as that.
Right now all Tmax has is IF we still have to play the 2017 schedule.
May 9th, 2017 at 11:24 am
CancerMaxi –
You got me there. He apparently fooled the entire Bucs brain trust, you know, the guys who forget more football overnight than you or I know? And he fooled his peers who vote him as a top 100 player out of a field of nearly 1,700. But he didn’t fool you. No, you can take that to your grave. But I would ask you this. How can you say “all he does is lose” when he’s not even steering the ship? Wasn’t Freeman the leader of the losing culture? Why pin it on the DT for Christ’s sake? That’s just silly. And again, for the 3rd time I’ll ask, did we not win 9 games last year? AKA: a winning season? You can’t lead a losing culture when you win more than you lose.
May 9th, 2017 at 11:27 am
StPete
Joe has more of a chance with the legendary ms watson than gmc has at 10 sacks.
May 9th, 2017 at 11:28 am
Steven007
would that be the same brain trust that has NOT won a meaningful game in over a decade that brain trust
May 9th, 2017 at 11:35 am
CancerMaxi –
Yes, apparently. Damn you’re good. Using your “logic” I guess we won’t start winning (although we won last year) until every person involved with the Bucs organization during the time we lost more than we won (this of course includes the GM and head coach, all the assistant coaches, all the players, etc) is fired and replaced with “winners”. Good luck with that.
May 9th, 2017 at 11:40 am
I want my team to contend for championships not just imporve. This is pro sports not little league or hugs and trophy’s for all it’s you win or you lose. fans like yourself support players with similar values and like yourself gmc clearly does not value winning. you have much lower expectations that I do which is ok
May 9th, 2017 at 11:47 am
Cancermaxi –
Fans like me support the team and the players on it, yes. If you read my post earlier on the thread I clearly stated that the team should have high expectations. But you know that. Acknowledging that or anything else that makes sense takes away from your trolldom. Apparently you don’t know how to quit me either. Which is ok.
May 9th, 2017 at 11:55 am
007 I got it😉. Ima keep it between me and you tho aight..
May 9th, 2017 at 12:00 pm
Cool deal, NOS! Good to have you back.
May 9th, 2017 at 12:22 pm
Yeah it’s May and we have already been crowned NFC Champs lol
May 9th, 2017 at 12:59 pm
LakeLandBuc…I was on your page too, then I thought yes, but when was the last time anyone national even made that prediction in all seriousness?
Don’t say Herm Edwards. He doesn’t count.
May 9th, 2017 at 1:09 pm
Buc1987, last season Jason La Canfora picked Carolina to win the division. And he picked the Falcons to finish last. He wasn’t aware of the impact that the Falcons rookies and free agents would have. This season is no different, we don’t know how teams new additions will perform. His prediction is nothing more than an elementary guess.
May 9th, 2017 at 2:24 pm
And yet Vegas has us at the lowest over/under in the the division at 8.
May 9th, 2017 at 2:34 pm
These guesses are just like the mock drafts. No one really knows a GD thing about what’s really gonna happen or even likely to happen. If I told you the Panthers were gonna go 2-14 at the beginning of last season, you would call me crazy. If I told you O.J. Howard was gonna drop to us at 19 you would laugh in my face. I believe the Bucs can do well because they have a very good coaching staff. I love Dirk and Smitty and Todd Monken amongst a lot of the others that get good reviews. Also been a huge fan of Licht for a long time when others weren’t. These guys know how to run a football team. That among the very dangerous weapons we’ve added on is why I think this is going to be a winning team.
May 9th, 2017 at 2:46 pm
Who the hell cares what Vegas says about the Bucs? TB area sports pretty much have been sh!t on since the beginning of time. Vegas probably has the Raiders winning the next ten SB.
May 9th, 2017 at 3:39 pm
Tmax
At least we have you on the record. And so what say ye IF GMC gets 10 sacks this year?
May 9th, 2017 at 3:39 pm
LakeLandBuc…it is early I certainly get that point. It’s just been a long time since anyone even knew we were in the league.
May 9th, 2017 at 4:35 pm
The Bucs should win the division. Could win SB.
It just depends on staying Healthy. Real serious injuries
And it will be wait till next year.
GO BUCS
May 9th, 2017 at 4:44 pm
NO EXCUSES THIS YEAR….PLAYOFFS OR BUST….GO BUCS!!!!
May 9th, 2017 at 4:50 pm
@nole- I’m in section 116 all season row b
You won’t show though just like you didn’t show up when the Bucs passed Cook.
May 9th, 2017 at 8:03 pm
When the Bucs go to a triple tower offense, anything can happen, including winning our Division. What triple tower you ask? Two TE Offense with Howard and Leclaire (also 6’6″, 254 lbs, and a true Y Tight End) along with Evans. You heard it first here. Watch Leclaire’s video from last year in Canada blocking, catching the ball with ease, and YAC, and then follow him through our Preseason. He is better than a young VJax.
May 9th, 2017 at 11:45 pm
Boom cannon fire kill shot 1 #13 ME/AKA/Godzilla Boom cannon shot 2 #11 DJAX/AKA/Flash Boom kill shot 3 OJ/The Freak Howard or Boom kill shot 4 Cam the man Brate or Hump or or and you see👁 Where I’m going with this can you say high octane I’m talking 93 premium phuck it’s more like NOS 1 time for them 2017 SUPERBOWL CHAMPIONS TAMPABAY BUCCANEERS yeah I said it whom ever want’s it please come and get it 813HeadBusta out man