How Good Could Bucs Be In 2021?
May 31st, 2021
Always the answer.
There is a split decision at JoeBucsFan.com world headquarters, even on Memorial Day!
(Hey, there is no such thing as a day off from Bucs football at JoeBucsFan.com, no matter what the calendar may read.)
No, this is not an argument over the best Big Storm Brewing beer or the best sauce for Hooters wings — those are impossible dilemmas to determine.
One of the Joes thinks the notion that the Bucs will be hunted more as reigning Super Bowl champs is just nonsense. The other Joe believes it is very, very real and one only needs to look at NFL history this century for confirmation.
So if the entire league is gunning for you, what’s a team to do? John Breech over at CBS Sports thinks he has the answer.
And the answer lies with park-violating, home-invading, NFLPA-ignoring, down-forgetting, handshake-stiffing, jet-ski-losing, biscuit-baking, tequila-shooting, smartphone-phobic, waffle-grilling, trophy-throwing, roller coaster-scared, numbers-rules-peeved Bucs Super Bowl-winning quarterback Tom Brady.
The scary part here for other teams around that NFL is that despite the fact that Brady was hurt and despite the fact that he didn’t know the playbook, the Buccaneers still won the Super Bowl. Now that he’s healthy and has been in Arians’ system for a year, it’s actually kind of scary to think about how good the Buccaneers might be in 2021.
Joe continues to point out that Bucs quarterback coach Clyde Christensen said on a national sports show that the Bucs’ offense was eight weeks from peaking when it won the Super Bowl.
Yes, Brady now knows Bucco Bruce Arians’ playbook. And guess who else likely knows it fully as well? Furniture-tossing, bicycle-throwing receiver Antonio Brown.
Look out, NFL.
May 31st, 2021 at 12:10 am
LFG Bucs!!!
May 31st, 2021 at 12:18 am
The Bucs can only get better, and that should be very scary for the rest of the NFL!
May 31st, 2021 at 12:37 am
I don’t know how hurt Brady was….and the playbook thing is a matter of expectations. Brady probably had the playbook down as well as Winston did, but not nearly good enough for Brady’s standard.
Still, yes to the premise.
May 31st, 2021 at 12:56 am
F-ugly for the our Bucs opponents – GEEZ – Brady will actually know and MASTER the playbook and his team in 2021. Dayam – book the SB ticket for Bucs!
May 31st, 2021 at 1:12 am
Sincere “Thank You” to all the veterans who visit JBF board for your amazing service and sacrifices, as we all recognize Memorial Day holiday.
THANK YOU!!!
May 31st, 2021 at 1:29 am
Swampbuc Says:
May 31st, 2021 at 12:37 am
I don’t know how hurt Brady was….and the playbook thing is a matter of expectations. Brady probably had the playbook down as well as Winston did, but not nearly good enough for Brady’s standard.
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Absolutely idiotic comment. Also, why is there even a need to mention Winston…
May 31st, 2021 at 3:34 am
I hope this is true. But every other team is also theoretically a year better.
May 31st, 2021 at 4:26 am
They’re bound to be better with AB, Lenny, & Gronk playing the entire season at full capacity….but everything depends upon injuries, everything. This is a 17 game season, we do lack some quality depth on the O-line, and it’s absolutely necessary that the linebackers (JPP, White, David and Shaq stay on the field)
Also, Swampbuck makes a very good point. Tom is a total perfectionist and anything less than an absolutely perfect mastery of the playbook would lead him to say there’s room for improvement even if his grasp in absolute terms is better than everyone else’s.
May 31st, 2021 at 4:50 am
Joe, please impose a rule, that all posters stating we ‘lack quality depth’ on a certain position group have to name three back-up players from other teams, which they like better than our guys! PLEASE!!!
May 31st, 2021 at 4:54 am
28 straight….Bucs better than great
May 31st, 2021 at 5:33 am
Right on Bruce……..28-0 run, Back to back World Champions BABY!!!
Welcome to the WOODSHED NFL.
Dallas Cowpokes come on down behind the Woodshed and get the beating that you got coming to you. GO BUCS!!!!
May 31st, 2021 at 5:47 am
Right now Bucs’ fans have high expectations based on our team’s performance last season & the fact that we brought back close to 100% of that team for 2021. We deserve to have high expectations for once, after all those years of having exactly the opposite.
But still, every year has to stand on its own merit. Personally don’t care if we’re ‘hunted’ or not; every game will be a dogfight & we need to have the biggest, baddest dog. Bring it on.
May 31st, 2021 at 6:05 am
We still have to earn it ….. every win …. 1 game at a time….
May 31st, 2021 at 6:18 am
So brady has been in the league some 20 years (plus)
Had one year where he got rolled in first game of year and they changed rules about going low on qbs as a result
After that there was 1 year of 9-7
Every single other year was double digit wins
Think about that
Oh and he has been to 10 super bowls winning 7
Pretty sure he is used to being “the hunted”
Pretty sure his decision making will not change for some odd reason this year…take what these best , hard playing defenses and teams are giving him
May 31st, 2021 at 7:27 am
Prob the best team in NFL history. Just saying
May 31st, 2021 at 7:28 am
We certainly should be better:
Full season with AB, Lenny & Brady’s familiarity with the playbook & players.
A healthy OJ Howard
Adding Gio Bernard
Tryon & Darden in the draft
All players & coaches returning
Another year’s experience for young defenders.
But…..we do have to earn it.
How many years did we wonder if we would even have a winning season?
May 31st, 2021 at 8:28 am
^^^ and how many years were we talking about the draft by Halloween? THAT was a Bucs life, unfortunately.
@German, you are right, no team has a lot of “quality depth”. But that is not the point. The point is that if JPP or Shaq or Davis are injured for any length of time, the Bucs would likely struggle. Injuries can dramatically impact a team if they happen in a particular position group. The Bucs were very blessed last year in not being especially impacted. Injuries, IMO, is the thing that can take down the best of teams.
Personally, I think the Bucs have good depth at most position groups; IMO, for example, our Oline is pretty stout depth-wise. IDline, not as much. The secondary depth scares me a little – if no injuries, the Gravediggers could be stars; with too many injuries, they could bury the team.
Being the hunted is NOT a concern to me, not with TB. He has been there and will be screaming at people who get the big head. Brady is the leader of friggin leaders.
May 31st, 2021 at 8:33 am
I don’t think the Bucs were hunted by all teams last year because of Brady, maybe a few, but I don’t think the slimy Saints felt that way, why would they, they still owned the crown of the South (kinda still do, they got a banner but no ring). Probably the only one wanted it as the hunted was JW, well we all know how that turned out.
May 31st, 2021 at 8:51 am
Nobody “hunted” the Bucs last year, especially in the NFC. “Same old Bucs” has a lasting stench.
They all expected Brady to collapse with age.
Not sure that will be the case for 2021.
And I do not believe Brady, Gronk, Evans, David, JPP, and White will allow complacency to set in…
My fear is peaking too soon…
Enjoy the ride, fellow long-suffering fans. This opportunity may never come around again. Ever.
May 31st, 2021 at 8:59 am
The Saints didn’t want Brady bad ? Wow, they wanted him the worst. Some of you guys got lost in the lost decade. Brady has had a target on him league wide for many years. He’s been in the Super Bowl 5 of the last 7 years winning 4. Every team in the NFL wants his head. Heavy lays the head that wears the crown. As soon as he signed the Bucs became the biggest target in the NFL.
May 31st, 2021 at 9:06 am
I love reading your article Joe but your description of Tom Brady I’m home invaded handshakes Staffing down forgetting is really getting old move on and create a better article
May 31st, 2021 at 9:49 am
“Another Moniker Mob Sighting” lol GO BUCS!!!!
May 31st, 2021 at 9:56 am
Senor, you are correct injuries to key players are the teams kryptonite. IMO Brady, White and possibly Shaq are 3 that cannot be out for any extended period of time. Bucs are deep enough to hang on with the rest. Every team will have injuries the severity of them is a formula for potential disaster. That being said Brady in the past has played with the loss of many key players and still won. Score a lot and fast then preserve key players.
May 31st, 2021 at 11:20 am
^^^ I did not want to list TB. I am superstitious, lol, unlike the Joe(s)
May 31st, 2021 at 12:06 pm
Recall that Pittsburgh started what 11-0 and then fell apart. Won’t happen with the Bucs. Gronk to have a terrific year.
May 31st, 2021 at 12:14 pm
It hit too close to home, I gues. (sic)
May 31st, 2021 at 5:50 pm
As a fan since they were an Expansion Team I’ve been excited about every upcoming Season . Even the 0-26 years , but this year my expectations are at an all time high like never before ! GO BUCS !!!! “Git Er’ DONE” !!!!
May 31st, 2021 at 6:12 pm
Reality bites! Perfect seasons are extremely rare. Odds are the Bucs will loose some games. Lots of potential variables come into play. Injuries, mistakes, weather, an opposing qb or running back having an incredible day against us, an opponents defense playing a near perfect game are just some posibilities. The bucs should be favored in every game, but a perfect season will require a lot of good luck for us and bad luck for opponents.