Tampa Bay’s Path To The Postseason
November 13th, 2023
Exciting times at JoeBucsFan.com world headquarters.
Joe loves victories. And Joe adores when they are part of a very meaningful Sunday.
Meaningful? Yes, the slimy Saints and Falcons lost — and Lavonte David hit a huge milestone.
The Bucs (4-5) head to the other Bay area this week to face a very stout 49ers team. Tampa Bay’s NFC South rivals have the week off — before facing each other in Week 12.
Their remaning schedules are below.
Saints (5-5) schedule:
BYE
at Atlanta
LIONS
PANTHERS
GIANTS
at Rams
at Bucs
FALCONS
Atlanta (4-6) schedule:
BYE
SAINTS
at Jets
BUCS
at Panthers
COLTS
at Bears
at Saints
So what does it all mean? As of now, the Falcons and Saints lost their starting quarterbacks to injuries. Slimy Saints QB Derek Carr has a concussion and a shoulder problem. He played about half the game yesterday in New Orelans’ loss to the Vikings. America’s backup, Jameis Winston, relieved Carr and threw two interceptions.
Falcons starter Taylor Heinicke pulled a hamstring Sunday and opening day starter Desmond Ridder almost beat the Cardinals but the Falcons defense failed on the game’s final drive.
If the Saints lose to the Bucs in Tampa, then the Bucs would own the head-to-head tiebreaker edge after beating New Orleans twice this season. So if New Orleans finishes 9-8, for example, but loses to the Bucs and splits with the Falcons, then the Bucs would have the best division record if they also beat Atlanta on the road in December and beat the Panthers twice.
Unfortunately, the Bucs have the toughest remaning scheudle with games against the Niners and Jaguars.
Still, Joe believes the Bucs (4-5) will win the NFC South if they can win out their four remaining division games and beat either the Colts or Packers on the road.
For those who say the Bucs should be tanking for the draft, Joe gets the attitude, but it’s a loser mentality that gurantees nothing.
November 13th, 2023 at 9:52 am
On the positive;
The Panthers passed on CJ Stroud, therefore we only have to suffer one ass whooping per four years. Sure beats twice a year for the next 10-12 l+ years. Todd Bowles and the defense are going to make mincemeat of Bryce Young.
Joe, are you of the same assessment? I know it’s “too early”, but Young has to overcome his lack of physical size and talent to perform.
The Glazers should be sending the Teppers a fruit basket every draft year to thank them for trading:
Jalen Carter, DJ Moore, two 2nd round picks, and the 1st overall choice this year for the right to draft an undersized QB. Woof. Even Drew Brees was a second round pick.
Kudos to S. Sullivan for calling Stroud early. Dude knows his Fords and Football.
November 13th, 2023 at 9:52 am
We have a good team minus those clowns in the secondary D&D and coaching staff.
November 13th, 2023 at 9:55 am
Coincidence?? I was just emailed my 2024 season ticket renewal. Is this a coincidence or was the main office waiting to sweeten the ouch of the bill and a stinky season with a bit of sugar after a home win?
Stranger things have happened.
November 13th, 2023 at 9:55 am
Dont recall the Patriots or Chiefs ever tanking for draft picks. Quality can be had all through the first few rounds, just have to be smart.
November 13th, 2023 at 9:57 am
Hopefully we keep Delaney in there I didn’t see much of Ryan Neal
November 13th, 2023 at 9:58 am
@ Joe
FYI Record is wrong. Bucs are 4-5
November 13th, 2023 at 10:01 am
Bucs have a chance as long as the coaches keep their heads out of their butts. Yesterday was a great game called on both sides. Finally the players were put in a position to win.
We have the talent to make the playoffs. Just need to get hot at the right time like the Giants did when they won the Super Bowl.
All you have to remember is Dilfer won. Anything is possible.
November 13th, 2023 at 10:10 am
The Bucs are going to the Super Bowl!!!!!
Just kidding.
But it was nice to finally win one after 4 straight bad games.
At least the Bucs can still beat bad teams…
November 13th, 2023 at 10:13 am
Why get excited about being one and done. That’s the ceiling for this team, deja vu of last year.
November 13th, 2023 at 10:14 am
I still have NO confidence in Todd Bowles and this staff. They will get crushed this week against the 9ers like they did last time they went out to SF.
November 13th, 2023 at 10:18 am
Baker finally realized that he is driving the car and managed to find first gear.
The biggest thing is if he can second gear or even drive in the weeks ahead. He is too streaky and still has topped 20 points only once.
If he can get some consistency we have a chance, but most NFL teams will take you up on it if you let them hang around.
Bucs need to get more points on the board and start quicker. They had a good first drive yesterday, but then started to go backwards. That needs fixed.
November 13th, 2023 at 10:28 am
I’m glad one Joe doesn’t believe in tanking an entire season for a hope and a prayer.
November 13th, 2023 at 10:28 am
Tanking has never worked in the nfl. Sure one could say the colts ranked for Manning but he only won the SB once in 14 seasons with the colts
November 13th, 2023 at 10:37 am
Fans who are still hoping for the Bucs to tank are idiots. The only time you should tank is if you have a chance for a top 3 picks and there are a pletry of teams that are laughably bad this year
The Bucs are not out tanking teams like the Giants, Pats, Panthers, Titans, Bears, Cardinals and so on.
November 13th, 2023 at 10:54 am
Saints and Falcon have a much easier schedule. Bucs may not be the same team
after the 49ers donkey stomping. Physically, there might not be much left. I can easily see the Bucs sustaining multiple injuries against such a physically imposing team. Saints win the Division with 9 wins. Mark the tape.
November 13th, 2023 at 11:22 am
That’s a really weird take Jeff. You predict injures because the 49ers are so tough? They aren’t leading their own division. All the teams have physical talent.
Playoffs are a good goal in a bad year, but I still seeing nothing from Baker that shows he’s the long term answer.
November 13th, 2023 at 11:24 am
,Craig. Not his fault they did not top 20. ME Drops that 7 put perfectly to him.
November 13th, 2023 at 11:42 am
Not seeing it.
We really blew it against ATL and BUF. Need to play almost perfectly the rest of the way through to have any shot. Niners and Jags are probably losses. Can the Bucs win 6 more times this year? Doubtful.
Most likely we end up 8-9 or maybe 9-8, tied with Falcons who will own the tie breaker. #ItsABucsLife
November 13th, 2023 at 11:53 am
Jeff gtfo saying saints are gonna win the division, you are a clown
November 13th, 2023 at 12:34 pm
Jeff not with Jameis.
November 13th, 2023 at 12:35 pm
Atlanta’s next game is a must win. If they go to 4-7, they would need to they would to go 5-1 in their last six. Really doubtful. Arthur Smith’s seat is really hot after that loss in Arizona. New Orleans has played a really easy schedule, but if they lose to the Falcons and the lions, they will have 7 losses and still have to play the Rams and the Buccaneers on the road. If the Buccaneers beat the Saints, that will finish the Saints. Of course, the fallacy in all this is its the NFL. Things change by the week.
November 13th, 2023 at 12:48 pm
The Bucs can win next week if the defense shows up like they did this week. It will be a low scoring game and it’s not an unbeatable 49’rs team. I look for us to play like we have nothing to lose and it won’t be a conservative called game on either side of the ball.
November 13th, 2023 at 12:48 pm
DVOA which used to be available as part of Football Outsiders now gives the Saints a 60 per cent chance of winning the Division and the Buccaneers are in second for the first time at 24%. Atlanta is at 15%.
November 13th, 2023 at 12:53 pm
It is interesting to note that the Buccaneers schedule to date is ranked as the 11th toughest, the Saints 25th, and the Falcons 28th. That is a huge disadvantage that came as a result of wining the division last season.
November 13th, 2023 at 1:11 pm
I only fear a scenario where we win 7 or 8 games and miss the playoffs which is the most boring experience as a fan because the team is irrelevant due to missing the post season and having a draft position not conducive to securing a potential solid starter or better in the early part of the draft.
November 13th, 2023 at 2:09 pm
I look at that Saints schedule and see them probably going 5-2 – although those last 3 could go either way.
at Atlanta W
LIONS L
PANTHERS W
GIANTS W
at Rams L ?
at Bucs W ?
FALCONS W ?
If posting that was meant to make me feel better about the Bucs, it backfired.
Even if the Bucs greatly outperform what I expect, it’s going to take a heck of an effort to win the NFC South.
Here’s what I expect…
at San Francisco L
at Indianapolis W
Carolina W
at Atlanta L
at Green Bay L
Jacksonville L
New Orleans L
at Carolina L
So lets look at the games…
@49ers – that’s a L, if you think otherwise, you’re nuts (and I hope you’re right)
@Indy – I’m still iffy on this W, but lets give it to them
Carolina – and this I see as their last win of the year
@ATL – yeah, we should win, like we should have won vs Houston
@GB – The Bucs are 2-15 in GB since 1990.
Jacksonville – Bucs normally play the Jags close, but it’s an L
NO – Bucs aren’t sweeping the Saints this year
@Car – Bucs would be 6-10 now, fully collapsed, and finally Trask will get a start on an icy cold field, Bucs lose 3-2 in what will widely be regarded as one of the most boring games in NFL history.
November 13th, 2023 at 3:31 pm
More like kizzock muncher
November 13th, 2023 at 3:42 pm
Wow. Rod just proved his stupidity. I said before the season started that this was a 10+ win team. Truthfully, I had us at 6-3 at this point. The Falcons and Texans losses were not expected. But as far as games left in the season, the only losses I see are to the 49ers and Jaguars. That’s still 10-7. I Guarantee we’ll be better than Rod’s finish. No chance we play that poorly. If he really thinks we’re that bad he neither knows football nor is a Bucs fan. Go away.
November 13th, 2023 at 3:54 pm
“@Car – Bucs would be 6-10 now, fully collapsed, and finally Trask will get a start on an icy cold field, Bucs lose 3-2 in what will widely be regarded as one of the most boring games in NFL history.” – Rod Munch
In that situation, I’d bet my bison farm that Bowles does not put the starters on the field with Trask for two reasons. One, many starters won’t want to risk injury in a meaningless game. Two, Bowles won’t want Trask to make Bowles look like an idiot for starting Mayfield. So, season three will end still not knowing. It’s a Bucs Life.
November 13th, 2023 at 3:55 pm
Alright, if no one else will say it, I will:
TWELVE-DASH-FIVE! (12-5) Yep!
*and I haven’t even started drinking…yet!
November 13th, 2023 at 4:10 pm
It’s the usual the-FB-sky-is-falling-on-here. How about rooting for and texting about a Cardiac Bucs win? What should the D, O, ST do to pull it off being as Bucs are 11 point underdogs? How about it, joes? Bet you get a bunch of clicks.
November 13th, 2023 at 4:40 pm
Bucsfanman Says:
November 13th, 2023 at 3:55 pm
Alright, if no one else will say it, I will:
TWELVE-DASH-FIVE! (12-5) Yep!
*and I haven’t even started drinking…yet!
————
YES! ANOTHER CONVERT TO #TEAMPOSITIVE!
WELCOME TO THE CLUB, BROTHER!
November 13th, 2023 at 4:43 pm
Brandon Says:
November 13th, 2023 at 3:42 pm
Wow. Rod just proved his stupidity. I said before the season started that this was a 10+ win team. Truthfully, I had us at 6-3 at this point. The Falcons and Texans losses were not expected.
———-
That makes no sense. I literally predicted them to be 4-5 right now, before finishing 5-12. The only game I’m flip flopping on is the same one I did in the preseason, and that’s the Indy game, because when I made the prediction AR15 was setting the league on fire in the preseason (and they looked really go with him before he got hurt).
How is that ‘stupidity’ to literally have the record correct – to have pointed out when the team was 3-1, that a collapse was coming?
Maybe you’re dyslexic and you’re mixing up all the numbers or something.
November 13th, 2023 at 5:41 pm
I think the analysis that someone had that we can’t beat the Saints twice this season is really flawed.
The Saints coach, Todd Allen, is bad. Since he has been coach, the Bucs have outscored the Saints 63 to 35.
The Saints just lost Lattimore one of their best players and Cam Jordan is finally starting to slow down a little. Kamara still has it but who else on the Saints team does anyone worry about.
November 13th, 2023 at 6:05 pm
Just stop. Win some games and then talk playoffs.
Right now, someone needs to put vinegar in their Gatorade and make jokes about their mommas. They need to be mad when they land in stanka$$ San Francisco, the armpit of California.
November 13th, 2023 at 7:35 pm
ModHairKen Says: “”San Francisco, the armpit of California”
I see you haven’t been to LA. 😉
November 13th, 2023 at 8:22 pm
geno711 – The Bucs can beat the Saints, and they can beat the Falcons, the Bucs can win every game left except for San Fran (including vs Jax), the issue is will they? If Bruce Arians was coach, I’d have no doubt they’d win the NFC South and get all those toss up wins. But with Bowles… well, they’ll drop one of two to the Panthers.
Coaching is a big deal – and to hand Arians team to Bowles, and to see what he’s done to it, just means the Glazers need to pony up some big time cash for the next head coach.
November 13th, 2023 at 8:56 pm
If everyone joined #TEAMPOSITIVE! the Bucs would easily win the division, and probably a playoff game or two!
November 13th, 2023 at 10:22 pm
Curse of Gruden Says:
November 13th, 2023 at 8:56 pm
If everyone joined #TEAMPOSITIVE! the Bucs would easily win the division, and probably a playoff game or two!
————-
IF EVERYONE GOT ONBOARD, THE BUCS WILL WIN THE SUPER BOWL!!!! THE POWER OF POSITIVTY WILL GUIDE US ALL!!!
JOIN THE CUL—- I MEAN MOVEMENT!
#TEAMPOSITIVE!
November 13th, 2023 at 11:16 pm
Throbbing Rod Munch:
#TEAMGAY
November 14th, 2023 at 8:36 am
Everyone forgets that we shut down the best runner in the NFL, Henry. Our D is great against the run. We have CMCs number from facing him many years with the Panthers.
Looking for the next W from the other coast!!
November 14th, 2023 at 9:19 am
So know it all rod u say bucs go 5&11 if the bucs go 6&10 u leave this site for good this wud b a fair scenario since everyone on this site is sick of u r b as I wud bet even u r own family wud not have u for the holidays so take this bet Mr know it all!