Keeping The Playoff Math Simple
December 14th, 2020
On Sunday, if the Bucs (8-5) beat the bumbling Falcons in Atlanta and the Vikings (6-7) beat or tie the Bears (6-7) in Minnesota, then Tampa Bay will end its heinous 12-year playoff drought, qualify for the postseason as a wild card team and make Joe a very, very happy man.
That would make Sunday’s free beer extra sweet.
December 14th, 2020 at 5:22 am
Vikes beat the Bears? I doubt it but keep hope alive!
December 14th, 2020 at 5:39 am
Very likely the Vikings beat the Bears in MIN. Both teams are still alive mathemiatically–barely. Good for the Bucs is that ATL got formally eliminated yesterday–the ONLY team in the NFC so far. However, inter-division games are often bizarrely close at times for not apparent reason. For example, DET hung in with GB yesterday. These last three games are not going to be a walk in the park.
Looks like if the season ended yesterday, the Bucs would go to LAR…better than going to NO or GB, but not as good as going to WAS. We’ll see. Lots of football left and we need to see if the Bucs have the moxy to go after whoever they play. Their 1st quarter yesterday was abysmal, and they have only played a complete game once in the last 5 or so games. I’m not talking playoffs with a high probability just yet.
December 14th, 2020 at 5:52 am
“Simple as that”, as Illinois FORMER Coach Lovie Smith would say.
December 14th, 2020 at 6:23 am
In the first quarter Brady needs to find the compromise between getting the
ball out quick and having the patience to not rush his passes. To his credit he
didn’t let that trend continue for too long. His accuracy came into play, when
he threaded some nice passes into double coverage. Although we increased
the amount of runs, we still seem pretty predictable with a lot of them on first
and second down which have the best chance of success for pass completions.
Avoiding third and long will be critical against teams with a good pass rush.
December 14th, 2020 at 6:32 am
I also noticed yesterday…I did not see a single 2nd or 3rd and short the Bucs line up with no one in the backfield. So as Bob above says, they were still pretty predictable, I don’t think it was a bad as it normally is.
Not to rain on the parade too much, but the bomb to Scotty Miller was so low probability, and dangerous. I’m glad they got the TD but that play was awful to call given they really needed to get first downs, and Brady’s long ball had already been off that day. Sure, “no risk it, no biscuit,” but Miller was covered well enough at the very last second and it was shear football God’s smiling down for that play.
December 14th, 2020 at 7:09 am
But we ain’t got no defense joe?????
Carlton Davis looks to be like a shell of himself now
December 14th, 2020 at 7:38 am
Love the picture…love the way that Brady has embraced the team, town & state….a true leader.
December 14th, 2020 at 8:09 am
Just enjoy the win. Stop trying to find fault. Everyone did their jobs yesterday, including the coaches. They had a slant, men in motion, ran the ball and completed a long pass. Would have been 2 but for the PI on Gronkowski.
Minnesota played hard. They have very good WRs and an excellent RB. This was not a bad team.
December 14th, 2020 at 9:06 am
Simplist math is to keep winning the next game…
December 14th, 2020 at 9:26 am
No cake walks in the NFL. Got to play every game from here on out as if it was a playoff game. If we can go into the playoffs on a 4-0 4th quarter roll, I think our chances of advancing from the wild card to the divisional game will increase dramatically.
December 14th, 2020 at 9:29 am
@TampaBayBucFan
a true leader would shake hands of opponents after a loss. not pout and run off to the locker room.
December 14th, 2020 at 9:36 am
Whaddaya mean, no defense???? Bucs got 6 sacks. MN’s 2 wideouts especially the rookie have been making all kinds of noize. They both were quiet yesterday. Defense rose to the occasion tho Vikes shot themselves with the kicking woes. How come Methuselah doesn’t target ME13 and CG14 more? is it cos the opposing secondaries are draping them?
December 14th, 2020 at 10:01 am
Not sure why Brady throws into double coverage to his receivers sometimes
and not others. Yesterday I recall a perfectly timed throw and route to Godwin.He also dropped one in to Evans down the sideline., The one to Gronk was a risk worth taking. The only throw into doube coverage I have a question about is the four yard toss to Scotty Miller short of a first down. He appeared to be stationary stuck between two bigger defenders. Godwin ,Gronk, or Evans would have been my choice for that route.
December 14th, 2020 at 1:04 pm
LOL, Vikes beat the Bears ? I doubt it because the Bears just beat the Sh!te out of the Houston Texans, and put up 36 points on them too.
December 14th, 2020 at 1:56 pm
9-7 gets us in this year. Bears are not winning out
December 14th, 2020 at 5:34 pm
9-7? That’s crap. A team with all of this talent needs to win these next few games and I’m positive they will. No excuses.