Enjoy The Journey And Stop Griping
September 19th, 2023
Undefeated.
A columnist for a highly respected national publication admits he may have grossly undervalued the Bucs.
Like most NFL writers trying to kill the final days of summer before training camp, Connor Orr of SI.com picked the winner of every NFL game on the schedule.
He had the Bucs with two wins. Hey, he was right! #Sarcasm
Now at 2-0, history suggests the Bucs will be in the playoffs, or least in the running.
So Orr typed a story after the Bucs defense choked out Justin Fields and the Bears and admitted he was way off on Tampa Bay.
Like so many in the national media, Orr had just looked at surface information like Todd Bowles has had four straight losing seasons since his days with the Jets. The Bucs lost the greatest quarterback of all time Bowles had a losing record with him.
Then, the Bucs signed Baker Mayfield, a guy who had been with three teams in the past two years.
Well, Orr types what he didn’t factor was the Bucs remaning starters who two years prior got Super Bowl rings. And Orr also writes not to blow off the Bucs because they beat two bad teams.
Tampa Bay, on the other hand, was always a team that was easier to bury because of who it let go of. A smarter person than I may have pointed out that the Bucs are still comprised of the remnants of a Super Bowl–winning team. Brady is not there, but the bones of a roster that was good enough to lure him for his post-Patriots revenge tour is still very much alive.
What irks Joe is not so much that Orr was so wrong about the Bucs, but that many Bucs fans (alleged fans?) are using a comeback that should be dismissed. “The Bucs lost to two winless teams!” these fans Twittered at Joe yesterday.
So what are the Bucs supposed to do, have Joel Glazer call Roger Goodell and ask for their record to be switched to 0-2 because the teams they beat weren’t ready to play? Nonsense!
The NFL is not college football. There are no style points. A win is a win. The Bucs are not trying to get a better bowl bid. There is no “quality win,” the term used in college basketball.
Could this season still collapse? Sure. Why not enjoy the 2-0 start? With 64 percent of 2-0 teams since 1990 making the playoffs, enjoy the journey instead of griping how the Bucs aren’t winning big enough?
Enjoy life!
😡ANGRY RUNS😡 right now. @nflnetwork get in here pic.twitter.com/RxK9yEpPm0
— Kyle Brandt (@KyleBrandt) September 19, 2023
September 19th, 2023 at 8:10 am
Rare to hear one of these National guys ( or anyone ) admit when they’re wrong these days. If the Bucs can show out this Monday, alot of people will have to take notice. Go Bucs!
September 19th, 2023 at 8:14 am
The Iggles also beat 2 winless teams. It happens
September 19th, 2023 at 8:16 am
?? “The Bucs lost to two winless teams!” ??
September 19th, 2023 at 8:17 am
Bucs, Saints, and Falcons are all 2-0. What’s the chances of all 3 making the playoffs?
September 19th, 2023 at 8:23 am
Everybody would have been screaming all kinds of negative sht if we lost to the bears. Like Joe said, enjoy the ride.
September 19th, 2023 at 8:24 am
Man we gotta pump the brakes some here.
We can very easily be 2-2 going into the bye and comparatively speaking have been blessed in the first 2 weeks with no serious injuries.
After looking at Barbers consecutive games played record can we make it through ONE game without our starting corners getting hurt?
I know Dean came back in, but dang you get hurt making a routine tackle?
Plus Deans hip turn on DJ Moore was embarrassing.
Listen I’m all for the Bucs winning, but, PLAYOFFS, YOUR TALKING TO ME ABOUT PLAYOFFS, in week 3?
September 19th, 2023 at 8:27 am
There was someone from the NFL network that called for three teams out of the NFC south to make the playoffs. Funny the Bucs weren’t one of them, but he might not be far off.
September 19th, 2023 at 8:28 am
Hey billy, try having a little fun once in a while. It’s ok to dream big. If you are still traumatized by all the awful seasons we had in the past, maybe you should see someone for your PTSD lol. This is a new bucs team. It’s a new year. Our boys are playing like a playoff team. There’s no reason not to talk playoffs.
September 19th, 2023 at 8:33 am
Hold on……our power ranking is 22nd…..behind the Saints & Falcons….I think it’s great we are 2-0 but we were 2-0 last year and had a losing season.
The next 2 games are key……we must come away with 1 win…..
We need to beat the Saints in new Orleans….then I will be thinking playoffs.
September 19th, 2023 at 8:33 am
And if we lose to the eagles it will be back to the negative
September 19th, 2023 at 8:52 am
Where is NE Fan? I miss his insight. lol 😂
September 19th, 2023 at 8:54 am
I take it one game at a time. Sure glad we’re 2-0.
September 19th, 2023 at 8:59 am
The word “playoffs” should be banned from use until a half dozen games have been played at minimum.
It’s a meaningless word to be using after 2 games. Sure it’s fun to banter it about but talk about setting yourself up for dissapointment. I prefer to enjoy just the fact that we’re 2-0 right now.
September 19th, 2023 at 9:05 am
I initially thought eagles would beat us like 38-7. Now I’m thinking we can keep it reasonably close
September 19th, 2023 at 9:08 am
Rare to hear anyone admit they are wrong.
It is hard for me to admit when I am wrong, but this writer deserves credit for doing so.
Doubtful you would ever hear a writer for the NY Times or Washington Post admit they were wrong.
September 19th, 2023 at 9:11 am
If the Buc’s beat the Saints and Falcons at least 3 out of 4 and the Panthers twice. This could lead to winning the division. For now, focus on the next game. Big challenge coming on MNF.
September 19th, 2023 at 9:15 am
Amen. Enjoy this moment.
September 19th, 2023 at 9:15 am
Little Boy NE Fan is trying to get his weight up right now lol
September 19th, 2023 at 9:18 am
Eagles are the measuring stick – get blown out and everyone will write us off again as beating 2 bad teams. Win and we will get a big boost of respect. I just hope it’s competitive, I like this Bucs against the world and the Baker revenge tour team and want them to be in the playoff hunt all year.
September 19th, 2023 at 9:20 am
Bucs
Eagles
Dolphins
Ravens
Commanders
all have beat winless teams
Who cares? Enjoys the wins
September 19th, 2023 at 9:22 am
1 of the next 2 going into the bye and we should be good…
lose both games and there goes the mojo, and a different expression on coach’s face when he’s giving podium…
win both, move to 4-0, and talks bump from playoffs to superbowl, and baker and the bucs could be the new league darlings…
and if all this pans out, tommy b will be scratching his head like wtf
September 19th, 2023 at 9:34 am
The Vikings will win quite a few games. Who have the Saints beaten?
September 19th, 2023 at 9:39 am
How does anybody know if the Vikings are a bad team? They won 13 games last season. They lost to the Bucs, and then turned around on a short week and faced the NFC champs, while down a couple of Olinemen. The Vikings are likely not a bad team, they just happened to get beat up by the 2-0 Bucs and then had to limp into a tough matchup against the eagles.
People need to worry more about making their brains smarter, and worry less about the level of Bucs competiton.
September 19th, 2023 at 9:44 am
“blessed in the first 2 weeks with no serious injuries.”
Really? In fairness I left the word “comparitively” so I guess it depends on how many injuries we expected.
We played Sunday without the top paid #1 DB in Davis!
But IMHO the biggest loss to date may be Calijah! In just 11 snaps he looked to possess absolutely lethal quickness and speed. Pair him with Vita and those two are going to be on every DC’s guys to respect list. The Buc’s D is still a work in progress. We may have some rookies and 2nd year guys that can back up our frequently injured high priced pair of corners.
The offense was and is a work in progress as expected! The D was told they’d have to play their arses off early to protect the O and give the OL some time to find chemistry and for Canalas and Baker and RB’s..WR’s..TE’s all get on the same page.
I agree that 2-2 might seem disappointing after the 2-0 start but getting to the bye at 2-2 leaves the Bucs well positioned.
My greatest fear at this point is not about the Bucs it’s about the fact that just like the Bucs were disrespected I believe Atlanta and N.O. are better than advertised. Yep the Bucs are 2-0 but so are the Falcons and Saints!!
As a UC grad I’ll show a little prejudice in pointing out that Ridder has played well! Splitting hairs…both Falcon games were at home while both the Bucs and Saints have traveled for a game.
If you look at points scored and points given up, all three teams are even except for the fact that the Saints have produced 14 points less than the Falcons and Bucs on offense but then the Saints have given up 2 fewer points.
Nobody knows the future but I think we can all accept now that the Bucs have a real shot at the post season. Again IMHO to reach the post season where anything might happen the team has to at least hold serve in the NFC South. That may not be a cake walk.
September 19th, 2023 at 9:45 am
The Vikings were undefeated when we played them
September 19th, 2023 at 9:53 am
The Saints and Falcons are paper tigers. Beating Carolina should only count as 1/2 a win
September 19th, 2023 at 10:06 am
I agree that 2-0 is way too early to start booking a room in Vegas.
I’m not sold yet but it is two wins in the NFL and I will leave that at that.
While watching the game I noticed a couple things. One that could hurt the Bucs and one that might help them.
One. If throws are going to be based on timing and a spot then picks are going to start popping up. First throw was made with at least 3 defenders in the area. Either the QB didn’t look or couldn’t see. Hate to see that Plus 5 Turnover Differential Disappear as fast as they got it.
Hats off to Baker. Was 14 of 17 under pressure and it has not been done since 2018. Was that Baker then too? Seems to rely those quick passes a lot. successful bet getting predictable. we’ll see soon enough.
Second thing is that it appeared that Fields was instructed to stay in the pocket and work on getting the ball down field. He would normally break out before giving the play a decent chance. That makes sense because in practice you just cannot get a true sense of success like in live action. Teams can go six for six in Red Zone Drills all week then come out and under perform on Sunday’s. Same principal.
That is going to help Chicago and Fields become a better offense. This will lead to wins later in the season.
Bears play the Saints, Panthers. and Falcons starting in November and they might just deal one of those teams the loss that puts the Bucs ahead in the Division.
Evans, White, and Mayfield to Name a few are all on Contract Years and usually will over perform. So they have a shot. Just keep it out of the foot.
September 19th, 2023 at 10:33 am
Enjoy it.
“Don’t get too excited” has no meaning in fandom.
Go Bucs!!!
September 19th, 2023 at 11:04 am
I think the Vikings are better than their record would indicate.
September 19th, 2023 at 11:20 am
The Falcons beat a bad Panthers team and a questionable Packers team. The Saints beat that same bad Panthers team and a pretty bad Titans team. Their schedule was no tougher than who the Bucs have played.
September 19th, 2023 at 11:40 am
“The Bucs beat two winless teams!”
And who exactly have the media darling Dallas Cowboys beaten?
September 19th, 2023 at 11:49 am
It’s not until week five or six that the defensive coordinators around the league figure out all the tendencies of an offense, my Momma says. If the Bucs get past this, then maybe we do have a team that can make it to the playoffs. My Momma remains cautiously optimistic.
September 19th, 2023 at 12:45 pm
We just beat the Eagles, than crush the Saints going into the bye 4-0!
September 19th, 2023 at 1:17 pm
Dwayne Cone Says: I agree that 2-0 is way too early to start booking a room in Vegas. I’m not sold yet but it is two wins in the NFL and I will leave that at that.
You’ve made it clear that you don’t like Bake personally and you think he’s a bad QB. So why take the time to write a comment and act like there’s some particular amount of wins or beating some particular team that would cause you to be “sold” on him? Just curious, because you know you dislike like him immensely.
September 19th, 2023 at 1:36 pm
I see plenty warning that the 2 win start is almost No correlation or indication of future wins. NOT TRUE…. ALSO pointing out that HEY, WE STARTED 2-0 last year and look where we ended up. TRUE…
However there is No Guarantee of a future Anything for anybody.
HERE’S WHAT THEY ARE NEGLECTING TO SEE and MUST EMBRACE THIS “BRAND NEW” TEAM AND WHO THEY ARE. THIS TEAM “IS NOT” LAST YEARS TEAM!
The BIG difference between last year and this year is the Amount of HEART ♥ that THIS TEAM IS. playing with versus the last year’s NO HEART/BROKEN HEART team…
THAT’S THE DIFFERENCE! We are playing with heart this year. The Whole Heart of this “BRAND NEW” Scrappy Under Dog Team.
Also, we haven’t even truly unveiled our newest WEAPON…. He when he does finally show up….. SAY HELLO TO A REAL SHOT AT THE PLAYOFFS FELLAS! This is just a taste of what’s coming as we Gell All Over this team. The Finished product WILL BE FORMIDABLE!
September 19th, 2023 at 3:02 pm
Pointing out that the Bucs are 2-0 against two teams that are 0-4 is not, nor should it be a swipe at the Bucs. If the Chiefs had beaten those two teams nobody would use that to diss the Chiefs. What it means is, “cool your jets a little”. Beating one mediocre team and one very bad team are games you’re supposed to win if you have a competitive team, but that does not mean counting on these guys to be a top tier team, let alone a Super Bowl winner. At least, not yet.
Look, every Buc fan should be pleased with what they’ve done to date – but now they have to prove it again for another 15 weeks before anyone can truly measure their abilities and drive to win.
September 19th, 2023 at 5:38 pm
Those fans should realize the Vikings and Bears would not be 0-2 if they had not lost to the Buc’s. Which they did…
September 19th, 2023 at 7:00 pm
The Vikings play 0-2 Chargers next who ever loses stick a fork in them?
September 19th, 2023 at 7:13 pm
Thinking in the past 30 years only one team has made the playoffs after starting 0-2. That was the Bengals two years ago.
September 20th, 2023 at 1:27 am
Who? Of what?…
SI used to be highly respected Joe. Back before they forced the Chubbies and Elderly onto the cover.
Geez!
Go Bucs!