CBS: Bucs Still A Playoff Team
May 6th, 2024
Still a January team.
Joe is thankful someone gets it.
The Bucs are a three-peat NFC South champion. And the year before that, they won something called the “Super Bowl.”
Yet despite this four-year run you’d think Stewart McClown or Mike Glennon were still the Bucs quarterback, throwing to the likes of Sammie Stroughter and the Calgary Stampeder, Donteea Dye.
National scribe after national scribe after national scribe seems to have already anointed the Dixie Chicks as the new rulers of the NFC South. Why? A 36-year old quarterback with a bum Achilles.
Yes, really.
However, Jeff Kerr of CBS seems to get it. In picking the pecking order of the NFC, Kerr types that the Bucs are a playoff team until they are not. Thus, pencil the Bucs as a playoff team.
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2023 record: 9-8 (reached NFC divisional round)Making sure they stayed a player in the NFC South, the Buccaneers’ biggest moves of the offseason were retaining Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans. If the Buccaneers didn’t re-sign Mayfield, they [would have been] reaching for a quarterback in this year’s draft. Lavonte David is also back, keeping the majority of the Super Bowl championship core together.
Tampa Bay improved the interior of the offensive line with the selection of Graham Barton in the first round, and added depth at the skill positions with Jalen McMillan at wide receiver (third round) and Bucky Irving at running back (fourth round).
The cool thing about this is Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht told Adam Schein of SiriusXM NFL Radio last week that he believes the Bucs drafted guys they think could start for them to keep Tampa Bay in the playoffs.
As Joe wrote about the slurping from coast-to-coast over Cousins: the Dixie Chicks thought so much of him, they drafted a quarterback No. 8 overall.
May 6th, 2024 at 7:57 am
Out schedule is so tough outside the division that we need to sweep our division games and that means playing better at home.
May 6th, 2024 at 8:12 am
12-5 4th straight division title on the way.
Take it to the bank
May 6th, 2024 at 8:24 am
Finally someone makes sense.
May 6th, 2024 at 8:26 am
Bucs need to do 3 things to make the playoffs imo
1) Go at least 4-2 in division games again
2) Must win the winnable games vs the Giants, Commanders, Broncos and Raiders
3) Go at least 2-5 or 3-4 vs the Ravens, Eagles, 49ers, Chiefs, Cowboys, Chargers, and Lions
That would put them at 10-7 or 11-6 which should be enough to win the division or get a wildcard
May 6th, 2024 at 8:30 am
Ya well, like it or not, most prognosticators know that the current Bucs head coach has compiled a losing record for two teams (fact), never scored a TD on his team’s opening drive in 2023 (fact), managed to produce the third worst pass defense in a passing league (fact), gives up an opposing score to the opponent most of the time (fact), manages the game clock like it was a sundial, and generally has his team as flat as a flour tortilla for important games.
So, yeah – as long as Blowes is the head coich, most who are paid to spout their opinions are gonna pick against the loser.
Facts of life.
May 6th, 2024 at 8:32 am
The NFC South isn’t known currently as a strong Division, the Bucs aren’t a juggernaut offense; so we aren’t going to get positive national coverage. The Bucs struggled for a bit mid season, then found its rhythm. I believe the team cut some of the fat that brought little to our success (White and Davis come to mind) and we added solid talent to the team.
The Saints defense is getting older by the day, their offense still hasn’t found themselves.
The chicks are still trying to see if they have a team, new coach, new qb, new OC. They are 2 years out.
Panthers are in year 2 with a 5’ something QB in a passing league.
A lot said here, just to justify the case that the Bucs are the team to beat in the NFC South. As we build our swagger, we will stand strong against the rest of the NFC as well.
May 6th, 2024 at 8:36 am
I agree with you PolianWRONG 12-5 or 11-6, I believe in this team, although I’m not sold on a couple draft picks that we got. I’m still going to hope they have success.
May 6th, 2024 at 8:47 am
Nice post Dom. Agree w Cardiac Kidz too. The sour pear might be happier as a saints fan.
May 6th, 2024 at 9:16 am
Smith, Marpet, Jensen, Cappa, Wirfs, Gronkowsi. Put behind that a Brady and Fournette. coupled with a Great defense and that is your Super Bowl Core and the reason for Division Championship number one.
Every team in the other 3 NFC Divisions have to fight off 2 certain if not 3 teams to win the Division. Bucs have one for sure and according to Joe that team doesn’t really have a shot. I suppose the Bucs are a Playoff Team when you look at it that way. Then again folks can claim they have the nicest house in the slums because the roof don’t leak.
Nothing about the Bucs Offense looks anything like 2020 and 2021 and until it does there will be things like ‘one time out and one play away’ thrown out there for getting bounced from playoffs it they make it at all.
Build Back Better has been out there for a few years now. Are the Bucs better than 2020? Packers are better than they were 4 years ago. Lions too. Didn’t take Houston very long to get in the Hunt and are at +1600 to win the S.B while the Bucs sit at +5500. Isn’t just the media calling things for what they are.
May 6th, 2024 at 9:27 am
I believe it will be close…..9-8 perhaps……wildcard or Division winner…..the key will be our offensive improvement………interior oline, RB, 3rd WR…….development of Payne Durham & Trey Palmer.
May 6th, 2024 at 9:37 am
Dave Pear Says:
Facts of life.
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Here’s another “fact of life” for you. The Buc’s got to the 2nd round of the playoffs last season and gave the Lions all they could handle.
Another fact of life: Many of last years rookies will take a big step forward going into their second year (as is typical for rookies).
One more fact of life: Even a fifth grader should be able to see that in the recent NFL draft the Bucs significantly strengthened positions on their team they had weaknesses in.
May 6th, 2024 at 9:38 am
The Falcons made a big mistake with their first round pick. Yes they got a high quality player, but unless Cousins gets injured, he won’t see the field this year. Had they drafted a WR instead., I’d be more concerned.
May 6th, 2024 at 9:56 am
Everyone wants to talk about the bucs mud season meltdown but the bucs did win 3 of 4 to start the season and finished the season winning 5 of 6…I think 10-12 wins if we can stay healthy…the draft hopefully helped with key area’s of need
May 6th, 2024 at 10:05 am
@infomeplease, there seems to be a strong consensus about the Falcon’s making a mistake with that pick, but I’m in the minority.
QB is the most important position on the team and more than half of the starting QB’s missed some games due to injury last season. Not only does picking a QB give them insurance for this season and next should anything happen to 36-year-old Cousins, but it sets up a seamless transition for when he does retire (or gets cut after the 2025 season).
A smart GM isn’t going to draft ONLY for the current season unless they’re ready to compete for the Super Bowl. And the Falcons aren’t ready for that yet.
May 6th, 2024 at 10:08 am
Buchen61 Says:
Everyone wants to talk about the bucs mud season meltdown but the bucs did win 3 of 4 to start the season and finished the season winning 5 of 6…I think 10-12 wins if we can stay healthy…the draft hopefully helped with key area’s of need
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I believe the Bucs would need divine intervention to win 12 games this season. They’ll have a better team than they had last season but they’re also playing a 1’st place schedule which is going to be much tougher than what they faced last year.
May 6th, 2024 at 10:43 am
BucsFanSince1996
For the most part I agree with you but not for the capital that Atlanta spent.
Kirk Cousins massive contract + Penix #8 draft capital (plus his age) =fail
May 6th, 2024 at 10:51 am
P.s.
Bucs have played a 1st place schedule for several years now…nothing new
May 6th, 2024 at 11:00 am
No doubt. Barton will start at center for at least the next five years. Klein having played RG all last season will slip in at the same position for the Bucs RG. Mauch will seemlessly move over to LG making for what might be our best line since the S.B. Baker will drive that engine having worked already with Coen he’ll be way ahead of where he was last year at this time. Bucky will be a spark in the backfield, and McMillan adds juice to the receiver room. Four new starters right there. On defense Braswell will start with YaYa. Tykee starts in the slot. Two more starters on defense. Bucs drafted well, and are in good shape to repeat as NFC South champs.
May 6th, 2024 at 11:59 am
@ pear get a life bro you get on here to talk everything about bowels the team the players are you a fan of talking shi+ or fan of bucks be for real every post you get on no positive go be a saints fan
May 6th, 2024 at 12:21 pm
we just might have a more dynamic backfield now..with white and bucky hopefully bouncing and ping ponging off each other…
making baker and evans/godwin’s lives easier…as well as otton too…
i’d like to see some ballsy 2 back sets with both backs in there…what’s a defense to do with 2 dynamic rb receivers out of the backfield…?…and with evans and godwin – or palmer in there…
this offense just might get exciting if the new OC gets creative
May 6th, 2024 at 12:26 pm
yeah rah and atlanta are in for a hairy surprise…!
bucs aren’t gonna get unseated this year…
signing cousins and drafting pen!s was a bad move…kirk hasn’t had a good nights sleep since…
those 2 will be looking at side eyed at each other all year – like wtf…
too many chefs in the kitchen is never a good thing
May 6th, 2024 at 12:28 pm
^^^
coach is rockin’ the “we got this smile” in the pic above
May 6th, 2024 at 12:42 pm
Raheem Morris, Dennis Allen, Dave Canales. A true murders row of head coaches.
The Falcons do worry me, but only because I think they may actually have an OC that can figure out how to use all of their skill positions players. Raheem Morris, on the other hand, is still a buffoon.
Dennis Allen is one of the worst head coaches in the NFL. Pray the Saints continue to think he’s good.
Canales is a wild card, but I can’t see him having many answers this first year as a head coach
May 6th, 2024 at 12:54 pm
WHAT?!!! OMG!!!
You mean there is a writer that actually determines the probability of future success based on past performance?
Whoa! This is new.
May 6th, 2024 at 12:54 pm
^^^
don’t forget…dave cantalones lost brian burns to the giants
May 6th, 2024 at 4:24 pm
Buchen61 Says:
BucsFanSince1996
For the most part I agree with you but not for the capital that Atlanta spent.
Kirk Cousins massive contract + Penix #8 draft capital (plus his age) =fail
P.s.
Bucs have played a 1st place schedule for several years now…nothing new
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@Buchen61, I can’t say I understand why they’d pay all that money to Cousins if they knew they were going to draft Penix. That doesn’t quite make sense. They could have used all that salary cap money to add some weapons for Penix via free agency.
It’s true we played a 1st place schedule for several years but the schedule for this year looks MUCH tougher than last years.
May 6th, 2024 at 4:27 pm
I am hoping Todd defies trends and his past performance and comes through with an 11 win season.
But facts is what they is.
May 6th, 2024 at 5:11 pm
I agree with his overall premise, but the following line is absolute nonsense:
– Tom Brady
– Rob Gronkowski
– Antonio Brown
– Donovan Smith
– Ali Marpet
– Ryan Jensen
– Playoff Lenny
– Alex Cappa
I’m sorry but that is 72% of the starting offensive players who are gone. Then on defense we’ve lost:
– Suh
– JPP
– Shaq
– White
– Davis
– SBM / Mike Edwards (that 5th DB spot was rotational obviously)
So again, that’s almost half the starters on defense too. Obviously still have some critical pieces, but it’s nowhere close to the “majority of our Super Bowl “core”.
May 6th, 2024 at 6:40 pm
I took a few minutes to take a look at predictions for this upcoming season after the draft.
Just like last year almost no one is giving the bucs a snowball chance in hell. Most are predicting the bucs in the mid to late 20s rank… unbelievable
Meanwhile they are slobbering all over the Atlanta falcons knob even after they botched there draft by taking Penix #8 when most boards had him going in the 2nd round and spending kings ransom to sign Cousins…I doubt if head coach and gm where white they would be calling them genius.
May 6th, 2024 at 6:58 pm
Hodad Says:
May 6th, 2024 at 11:00 am
…Tykee starts in the slot.
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As an UDFA rookie, I think that Idzien did a remarkable job in the pass and run game. I don’t see Smith unseating him in the Nickel. If he DOES, we are going to have some great play coming from that position and will really strengthen our defense when we play the dime against 4 wide
May 6th, 2024 at 7:20 pm
Dom absolutely nailed it. I, too, put the Bucs conservatively at 4-2 in the division. The only way the Bucs make the playoffs is to beat a team or two that they aren’t supposed to beat (on paper). Mostly, I say that because Atlanta is playing a much easier third place schedule.
May 6th, 2024 at 9:25 pm
Supposedly, the official 2024 (home and away dates) NFL Schedule will be released this coming Thursday, in less than three days now, on May 9th!!!!
May 9th, 2024 at 10:10 am
Soo…One of the talking heads is not a complete idiot this week …Yay!
Go Bucs!