Does The NFL Know?
April 22nd, 2019
Jammed by NFL.
Man, the national and not-so-national sports types sure have the Bucs’ backs on the schedule.
First, it was CBS Sports Radio’s Damon Amendolara who blasted the NFL for hosing the Bucs on the schedule, which has the Bucs away from the Den of Depression for nearly two months, from Sept. 23 to Nov. 10.
Then it was the “Boomer and Gio” show with co-hosts Boomer Esiason and Gregg Giannotti, heard on WFAN-AM in New York City and simulcast on CBS Sports Network. Giannotti blasted the NFL for what they did to the Bucs, wondering aloud with all the computer programs and months it takes to come up with the NFL schedule how the NFL can hose the Bucs so badly — unless it wanted to.
Esiason made it clear the NFL pretty much has an idea how it thinks each team will fare this fall and the teams that it doesn’t think will play well get the short end of the stick.
Esiason all but said the NFL expects the Bucs to finish below whatever Vegas has the Bucs pegged for a season-win total, adding the team of coaches Bucco Bruce Arians hired will have its work cut out for them.
You can see (and hear) the discussion below in the CBS Sports video.
April 22nd, 2019 at 12:14 am
The NFL knows the Glazers could care less about American football and their entire franchise is a sham. They know Malcolms kids are using the NFL as a cash cow without even an attempt to field a real team
April 22nd, 2019 at 12:16 am
Well played, NFL
April 22nd, 2019 at 12:21 am
The NFL wants Winston with another team, they know if he fails this year, he’s out of Tampa
April 22nd, 2019 at 12:51 am
I love boomers takes here, Arians and Licht are a Joke and this whole franchise is a dumpster fire.
Clean House
April 22nd, 2019 at 12:54 am
Sage advice from Boomer and Gio, BET THE UNDER on 6.5 wins for the Bucs.
Does anyone think Jared Goff, Drew Brees, Russell Wilson, Matt Ryan, Andrew Luck, Cam Newton, Matthew Stafford and Deshaun Watson are going to be shaking in their cleats as they imagine throwing against the likes of Vernon Hargreaves, Carlton Davis and Ryan Smith for 4 quarters? Or might they see it as a wonderful way to boost their stats for the Pro Bowl? Something tells me it’s the latter.
Good luck Bucco Bruce Arians! Time to prove that you can turn Jason Licht’s chicken spit into chicken salad while playing a particularly tough schedule. Changing the coaching staff every other year has worked wonders for the Glazers since Gruden was fired coming off a 9-7 record in 2008, so I’m sure it’s going to work again just like it did in 2009 when the franchise went 3-13.
April 22nd, 2019 at 2:54 am
The smart people out there aren’t buying the Arians/Bowles hype. This hire was simply a hail mary by Licht to save his job.
In looking closely at Arians’ and Bowles’ histories I don’t see this team winning more than 6-7 games this year and maybe, maybe, 8 games next year (and that’s if the QB situation is favorable). Then Arians will suddenly retire as he realizes he just won’t be able to get this franchise over the hump. Then Bowles will take over and drive this franchise into further mediocrity, at best, or consistent below average performance at worst.
Unless the Glazers accidentally hire a competent GM to run this franchise I don’t see it ever rising from the cellar of the NFC South. It starts with the owners and their inability to hire a competent football man to run the show. Until that changes you can expect the run of misery to continue indefinitely.
April 22nd, 2019 at 3:05 am
Listening to these guys makes me have SO much less confidence in Bruce! Dang I hope I am wrong! I don’t think so.
April 22nd, 2019 at 3:45 am
I think it’s more likely they want Winston out of the league than with another team.
I love that the dude that makes the schedule gets to give weak apology and we’re all expected to move on.
The NFL wouldn’t do this to many other teams, but they know the Glazers don’t care. These are the same owners that approved the worst uniforms ever and refuse to change them.
This team will be in the ditch as long as the Glazers run things
April 22nd, 2019 at 5:07 am
I have noted the same points about the Bucs getting murderous schedules and anticipated poor play anyway. Right out of the gate are two examples. First is the Bucs having to open at home against SF on SF’s time zone! Until last year, the Bucs had lobbied to move their opening day/September games from 1pm to 4pm due to the heat (which was a dumb move because it’s actually hotter at 4pm than at 1pm). And then realizing there was much greater chance of rain delay by starting late (T-Storms rolling in about 5pm), last year, they went back to 1pm. Who can forget that awful Rams game where the delay was hours and the fans just left. So that 4pm season opener is bogus. Worse, with the late game on Sunday, they still have to roll into Thursday night again the Panthers on the road. Man I hate Thursday night games as is, but …
April 22nd, 2019 at 5:12 am
@FLBOYINDALLS
NAILED IT. 100% correct.
I can’t add anything to it because it’s perfect. Spot on.
April 22nd, 2019 at 5:45 am
Lol we have some of the dumbest fans in the nfl. If the Bucs win 6-7 games BA is already a success compared to that sorry excuse of a coach in Dirk Koetter. The Bucs are a dumpster fire because they hired a better coach? Please explain how they are a dumpster fire at 0-0 under the new coach? You idiots are probably the same ones with the Cleveland Browns in the Super bowl because of Odell never mind the fact they have a new first time head coach and a defensive coordinator from college. There wasn’t this much negativity for dirk and he was pure trash but suddenly after one season BA will retire because the roster sucks? Man you guys are dumb pretending like your not excited for the draft and the season I mean why are you here on this site, you should just give up now and wait for next year for Todd Bowes to take over there’s no need to root for the team this year😒 it’s imposs to have a better defense and offense under BA because I mean he’s done nothing compared to Dirk Koetter…… moronic fans in Tampa and Dallas
April 22nd, 2019 at 5:55 am
Does anyone expect Bruce and his friends to be able to fix the QB the run game the o line the defense and kicking game all in one year? This team has so many problems
Love my Bucs but 2019 is not gonna be pretty
April 22nd, 2019 at 6:11 am
1-2 more wins is a success? Some low standard fans.
Talk about be conditioned to lose lol
April 22nd, 2019 at 6:19 am
Not there yet, you come on here saying bucs fans are dumb & yet you have no clue. The Browns will be in the playoffs because they have a top 5 defense & top 5 running game. The bucs are terrible because they have a bottom 5 GM & the highest paid yet worse OL & run game in football along w a bottom 5 defense. Arians is the reason the cards are in disarray, bowles has not been good for over 7 years as a DC. Finally the browns DC, ya he was the carolina panthers DC, who helped lead them to the playoffs oh ya and cardinals HC, he coached arians dumpster fire of a team & got fired, now he has a loaded browns defense built for january in cleveland. And the bucs will go 5-11 again
April 22nd, 2019 at 6:39 am
So much anger this morning.
Why?
New year . New coaches. New players coming in a few days with the draft.
Yah. It’s a Bucs life but suck it up people.
Wow.
April 22nd, 2019 at 6:48 am
Schedule don’t matter. IF..you are truly championship caliber you can win anywhere. My poor bucs and their..plethera of excuses. Over the years we have become Masters of why we can’t win. Any and everything is cause for defeat. All I know is Mr. Sh..talker Arians better win. If not, these fans will turn on him quicker than an…Arizona Diamonback!
April 22nd, 2019 at 6:55 am
Actually, the smart gambler looks for value. So as all you doom and gloomer’s drive down the value on the under, I say why not the over?
– 5th year QB coming into his prime with a coach that knows what he’s doing.
I like it.
April 22nd, 2019 at 7:07 am
Boomer Esiason seems more fixated on the size of BA’s staff than he is concerned about the NFL scheduling ‘hassle’ relating to the Bucs. He had an interesting take in the video on the size of BA’s staff … “Unless they’re trying to do something else here”.
My gut feel is that that’s exactly what’s going on … Coach Arians is trying to do ‘something else here”: build a coaching staff for the future. It’s a mix of older, experienced coaches and some younger, up-and-comers (hopefully). For instance, Harold Goodwin, Asst HC & Run Game Coordinator. He was BA’s Offensive Coordinator back with the Cards, and is probably mentoring our current OC, Byron Leftwich, for this season at least.
What’s most intriguing to me is that there are FIVE Strength & Conditioning Coaches on the staff. FIVE! I have a feeling that’s a harbinger of what lies ahead for this team this summer.
April 22nd, 2019 at 7:08 am
JaBoo, the odds are set by the wiseguys in vegas not some fans in tampa, peek your head in the bellagio or aria to see how many times they get prognostications wrong
April 22nd, 2019 at 7:15 am
DR, i hear you on the strength coaches but this isnt college where the coach can get to you every single day w diet & exercise. Unfortunately arent nfl rules set up to give players a break from practice 2-3x day now? Plus nflers work out year round w nutritionist & trainers so there isnt really an “offseason” in terms of getting in shape. That video of jameis & his trainer is crazy. These guys all have their programs broken down in days & weeks. Wouldnt the NFL & Bucs program just be a supplement to their personal ones?
April 22nd, 2019 at 7:22 am
Dusty, the public sets the value one the line has been set. My point was that if the public talks up and bets down the under then the likely smart bet would be to do the opposite.
April 22nd, 2019 at 7:29 am
The NFL knows…..everybody knows…..and nobody knows…..you have to play the games…..anything can happen.
We need coaching to make the difference…..3 starting draft picks…..1 more starting FA…..
We need development from Carlton Davis, Alex Cappa, Rojo……
And….as Jameis goes….so do the Bucs
April 22nd, 2019 at 8:00 am
At this point all BA can do is try to spin this as best as he can…
Remember the old-school wrestling duo the Road Warriors (the best tagteam all-time imo)…That needs to be the mentality of the football team moving forward…everyone can see we go screwed with this schedule, but it is what it is…it just shows how much respect they have for this franchise…
I’m we should use it as motivation to kick people’s a**…
April 22nd, 2019 at 8:07 am
Duthsty … No doubt that all of the players have their own regimens, but if you look at our injury history over the years, something’s wrong. IMO, we’re a team that historically has had some pretty decent starters … and mediocre depth. (Thus the high payroll?). We also have a VERY poor track record in terms of injuries to starters. Just look at last year as an example, then compare it to our last winning season (2016). Same coaching staff but very much different injury statuses (270 games lost to injury in 2018 versus 183 in 2016. And WHO the injuries happened to (and games lost to injury) was also significantly different (very few games lost to injuries to starters in 2016 vs 2018).
MAYBE the thinking on BA’s part is that the Bucs can cut down on the number of injuries (and speed recoveries when they do occur) with more ‘personalized’ oversight on the part of the Bucs trainers. Don’t know, but it’s worth a try. Our injury history sucks.
TBBF … Great take. And yes we do have a lot of NEEDS to be sure. But you’re spot on … “Anything can happen” in any given year.
April 22nd, 2019 at 8:47 am
@Jean Lafitte
Is it a comprehension problem or did you just or did you just AG William Barr me by picking out a fragment of a sentence to create your own story about what I said. In case you really are stupid it was a comparison of BA and the last coach who couldn’t get over 5 wins except for that mirage of a season that we can thank Keith Tandy and the defense for.. I don’t really care what the wise guys in Vegas say or the nfl so called analysts picking the Cleveland for the Super Bowl is a bandwagon pick. They may have been top five defense under the last regime but since does that mean with a new coach that style automatically carries over, your not a top 5 defense because you were last year I mean that same top 5 run game and defense lost to the raiders.
I can understand being down on the Bucs for all the years of losing but not in April BEFORE the draft or any OTA’s. I guess it doesn’t really matter to some people that he was 2 time coach of the year and has been to playoffs and has a Super Bowl, what coach came to this team with those accolades. I chose to wait and judge the guy based on results not what happened last year or what someone tells me I should think. Because you cover the nfl doesn’t make their crystal balls any clearer than mine
April 22nd, 2019 at 9:06 am
Boomer sounds like he played in the leather helmet days. Compared to Lombardi’s staff, I’m sure 13 coaches would have seemed like a lot.
April 22nd, 2019 at 9:15 am
@Jean Lafitte … “1-2 more wins is a success? Some low standard fans.” Bucs fans want EXACTLY the same thing all other NFL fans want Jean … WINS. Which leads to playoffs and Super Bowls and RELEVANCE (hopefully). But when you start way down on the totem pole, it’s a looong way to the top.
I tend to think that most of us would be satisfied with PROGRESS. But different fans measure PROGRESS differently I’m sure. Personally I want to see improvement this year. More wins would certainly be an indication of that, but I’d be content with seeing more CONSISTENCY in our offense, and a STOUTER defense. You can’t be woeful in BOTH pass defense AND run defense then expect that folks will say anything but … “Wow, the Bucs defense really stunk it up”. Yes they did, and that’s on COACHES AND PLAYERS. As you can surely tell by my handle, I LOVE great defense. Haven’t seen it for quite awhile out of our Bucs team unfortunately. Really hoping that this is the year that turns around. In my mind, it all depends now on the draft, since Jason screwed up free agency yet again IMO.
April 22nd, 2019 at 9:40 am
DR, right on good points regarding up keep, etc. You are probably right as BA seems to be cutting edge w new ideas & the glazers do spend $$ on things in that area, hopefully the bucs gain an edge in the Florida heat with a new way of maintaining & working out through the season. Good points!!
April 22nd, 2019 at 9:43 am
The Bucs were 9-7 in Licht’s 3rd year but thanks to the collosal failure of the 2016 and 2018 Draft and Licht’s poor FA choices the Bucs petered out to 5-11 for two straight years. Now the team is absent of cap room to sign any notable help and is about to use it’s 5th overall pick to replace one of the few quality draft picks in Kwon Alexander while dumping another quality draft pick from years past in Gerald McCoy in order to obtain the cap room to sign the draft picks. This team had a legitimate chance at ascension however the one competent guy in Jon Robinson that had Licht’s ear left and Licht’s been pummeling this team into the ground ever since while trying to pin it on the coaches.
The team has missed the playoffs and been “in a rebuild” for 11 straight years! Y’all act like this is something new. Also someone look at the defensive roster and tell me that you see any chance that it is even league average next year.
April 22nd, 2019 at 9:45 am
Not there yet nailed it
Dumbest fans in sports. Man you guys go in on people for being optimistic because you’ve been conditioned by decades of losing. I cannot believe how many people spend massive amounts of time in here just to talk negative. You guys are jokes.
Bruce is a lot better than you’re giving credit for. However most of you are not going to deserve this massive improvement.
You guys can put all your eggs into previous trends, but you’re gonna look even dumber in January.
9-7. Go bucs!!!
April 22nd, 2019 at 9:48 am
notthereyet
i agree…
#REALISTKNOWSNOTHING!!!!…GO BUCS!!!!!
April 22nd, 2019 at 10:41 am
Clean House Says:
“The NFL wants Winston with another team”
((((((((
Hilarious post.
That literally has nothing to do with anything.
April 22nd, 2019 at 11:52 am
If any team was ever put in a position to better off tank a season:
tough schedule
GM one of the worse
cap issues
basically same losing team from last season (not much change)
lack of talent on defense
reckless and untrustworthy qb
some of the poorest running backs
guys in the trenches need upgrade
April 22nd, 2019 at 12:51 pm
Here’s another example^^^
How dumb is this s***^. Tank a season cuz your opinion of licht is a bad one. A tough schedule in which is not determined until the end of the season. SOS is the biggest joke in sports. Cap issues!? 😂 The same losing team as last year!? Okay so let’s tank! You know since our team sucked last year and not much changed. R u joking? Jpp, vea, Davis, lavonte, McCoy (today), j Evans, all have talent. You are underestimating the influence the poor coaching staff had. Tank the season cuz jameis has been inconsistent? Hahaha Yes the running backs are below average but tweaking the ol will change that.
Tank a season because of pessimism? Why did u have to bring me into this fan base, God?
Dumbest in sports. I can’t believe how dumb this guy’s post was.^^
April 22nd, 2019 at 12:55 pm
They screwed us. But until we can become a respectable franchise (top to bottom), they’re going to treat us like the butt of the NFL. Go Bucs.
April 22nd, 2019 at 4:17 pm
Buccernutter – no one is forcing you to be a Bucs fan. You have zero right to tell anyone how to be a fan. Shut your piehole already.
April 22nd, 2019 at 8:57 pm
Fire Jason Licht! Fireeee Licht! Dadgummit! Fireee Licht!
April 22nd, 2019 at 9:00 pm
My life is healthier staying away from the comments section… good lord the hot takes on here. Jameis Winston is the best QB in franchise history and Jason Licht is one the all time worst GMs. What Jameis has been able to do is extremely impressive considering the Bucs can make field goals or extra points, are always in passing situations because they don’t have top talent RB or are too far behind because of a bad defense. In Jameis I Trust! Fire 🔥 Licht!
April 23rd, 2019 at 8:54 am
T rex
You’re right I have 0 right to tell anyone how to be a bucs fan. Good thing I never told anyone how to do s***.
I’m simply calling out the ignorance the negative fans. Don’t pigeonhole yourself with them dude.
Trust me, there are awesome fans that I get along great with that actually know football. I will always be a bucs fan no matter if people like you are there to whine about others calling out ignorance like yourself.
Oh and you better get used to me unless I get banned. Btw who says piehole? Mrs doubtfire?