NFL Columnist: Bucs Will Win NFC South
September 19th, 2022
Bucs coach Todd Bowles.
Now Joe is happy as the next guy the Bucs are 2-0.
One of the Joes thought the first four games of the season would be brutal and the Bucs would be fortunate to come out with a 2-2 record.
They are 2-0 already and next will face soft Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. Rodgers, historically, melts like a slice of Velveeta on a sizzling cheeseburger in warm weather games. Plus, he’s always whining about the turf at The Licht House.
The high temperature for Sunday’s late afternoon kickoff is expected to be 89. Oh, and Rodgers has a losing record in games played in Tampa.
Joe fully expects the Bucs to be 3-0 a week from now. Great start to the season. Still, there is a ton of football to be played.
Long-time NFL writer/columnist Clark Judge of SI.com thinks the race for the NFC South is done after the Bucs punched the slimy Saints in the mouth near the French Quarter yesterday and stole their lunch money. Why? Defense, the schedule and the rest of the unimpressive NFC South.
Tampa Bay will be the first to clinch its division. Two reasons: Defense and competition. The Bucs have the defense, allowing 13 points in their first two wins, and they don’t have the competition. Tampa Bay is 2-0. The rest of the division is 1-5.
Judge makes a helluva point with the rest of the division. The other three teams already have five losses. Big advantage early.
But Joe cannot sit here on a Sunday morning and proclaim Tampa Bay the NFC South champions right now. You just know the slimy Saints will come to Tampa in December breathing fire and looking for a brawl, both metaphorically and literally.
September 19th, 2022 at 12:26 am
Saints fans…
We KNOW how important it is to you to have beaten us in these regular season games the past few years.
Sadly… it does not really amount to much for you.
For us… it has been an annoying blip on our radar during a Super BOWL WIN and a playoff appearance. (You sat at home both seasons).
We GET that it has been REALLY important to you in these past few years. So yea, it was kinda fun to STEAL YOUR SOUL today. ENJOY.
September 19th, 2022 at 12:37 am
Panthers are struggling to figure out how to win..
Saints look like trash 7 out of these 1st 8 quarters…
Falcons had every chance to win last week.. Score easily on Saints and score well against Rams BUT their defense is mediocre…
Bucs should have a clear path IF no significant injuries!
September 19th, 2022 at 12:55 am
@Tye I agree.
I am liking what I am seeing from the Dirty Birds, I actually have us losing a game against them believe it or not.
The Saints are beginning that slow circle around the drain that JW is known for sailing his teams around.
Regarding the Packers game this week. We will have are hands full with them on D. However, they will give our O all the green grass we can handle. I have a feeling we are gonna come out of that game feeling SKY HIGH about both sides of the Ball.
Just in time to smoke out the Chiefs.
September 19th, 2022 at 1:04 am
Saint lost to the Bucs and will get a chance to get that game back. Saint will still win at least 12 games.
September 19th, 2022 at 1:17 am
DAM SCR8!
September 19th, 2022 at 1:18 am
Way to go out on a limb after the win. Should have picked us from the start.
September 19th, 2022 at 1:52 am
Saints winning 12 games? Maybe if they trade for the best athlete on the Bucs, Jaelen Darden. He could help them get to 12.
LOL
September 19th, 2022 at 1:59 am
I think the Panthers will improve too! They are the team I think will be second in the division by the end of the season … Doesn’t look like it now but, once they start to click they may become dangerous as a up and coming team late in the season … I don’t think the saints, Atlanta or the Panthers will make the playoffs don’t get me wrong … But of all the NFC south teams I see making strides in the right direction this year (aside from Tampa of course) the Panthers show a lot of fight and potential!!
September 19th, 2022 at 5:09 am
Tell the NFL columnist that he’s too late to jump on the crowded bandwagon!
September 19th, 2022 at 7:17 am
Pump the breaks. 15 games left, the season is wide open still.
September 19th, 2022 at 7:52 am
Gotta get healthy on offence if we want to beat the big boys on our schedule. The line appears to be getting better but the currently healthy receivers either can’t get open or have the dropsies! If Evans get suspended the Pack and KC will feast.
September 19th, 2022 at 7:59 am
Some bold prediction.
September 19th, 2022 at 8:53 am
This next game does worry me slightly as we gave up 100+ rushing yards to the Aint’s, GB knows there receivers are young and they are going to want to pound the ball against the Bucs defense. I have not seen the oush from Vea and Hicks I expected yet and will Hicks even play. This is a game Golston and Logan Hall will need to show up
September 19th, 2022 at 9:19 am
When the aints show up in December they’ll be looking to be in a better draft position than bettings the Bucs
September 19th, 2022 at 12:15 pm
We are damn proud of the Bucs in this household. Great game. Super win
brought to us by the defense
Obviously beating a dead horse, but (again), why do we continue to p**s away opportunities on 1st down by continually running up the middle…which normally leaves us with 2nd and long for the 1st down.
I will go to my grave wondering why we continue to defy logic with this predictable play calling.
If anyone can enlighten me…please do.
I have become a big supporter of promoting Leftwich to HC somewhere, OR anywhere.
September 19th, 2022 at 3:52 pm
Never be afraid to be bold!