BSPN: Bucs Are Contenders
September 17th, 2024
Bucs coach Todd Bowles.
Joe knows Bucs fans will sleep well this evening knowing the four-letter is in their corner.
Ben Solak of ESPN this morning decided to type out teams that heelieves are in the running for the playoffs if not an outright division title after two weeks of the season
Included in his list? The Bucs. He said they should be contenders (there are those who lurk in public that won’t believe that).
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Contenders
Why wouldn’t they be? They just knocked off the team that expunged them from the playoffs last season. Mayfield isn’t an elite quarterback, but he knows where his bread is buttered, and the success of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin (who has had an excellent start to the season) allows him to attack one-on-ones with confidence. And the Todd Bowles defense, which was supposed to take a step back following a big talent drain, is humming along without a hiccup.
Joe’s only quibble with this is Solak’s last sentence. What “talent drain?” Antoine Winfield came back. Lavonte David came back. Who left that was talented?
Please don’t tell Joe that Solak is referring to that lazy narrative of the Bucs declining because they lost a backup linebacker and a wonderful man who lost his skills after blowing an Achilles.
Joe happens to think Solak is a bright guy. But bright guys don’t push lazy, inaccurate, ill-informed, downright dumb narratives.
September 17th, 2024 at 3:15 pm
If Solak is “bright” it’s due to him being in a dark room with a bunch of dead bulbs. His luminosity seems to be the equivalent of a flashlight on its last 5 minutes of battery.
September 17th, 2024 at 3:18 pm
#WeAreContenders ……………….no doubt
8 wins in last 10 games………..playing well !!
September 17th, 2024 at 3:21 pm
Don’t know the guy don’t care what he says. Another lazy talking head.
I was Mr positivity before the season got started.
My major concerns were on defense in the beginning. Not anymore.
I need to see some serious adjustments/improvements from Coen and the offense before I have any confidence in us making a serious run.
Hopefully we learn some lessons from the Detroit game and make some adjustments. We can’t let 1 starter on our line being out be an excuse for being shut down offensively. Hero ball won that game…. Not the way we want to win.
September 17th, 2024 at 3:26 pm
They are the defending NFC South champs. That’s automatic makes them contenders! People are talking like they are bottom feeders ( which they were) years ago, before Tom Brady resurrected them!!
September 17th, 2024 at 3:29 pm
Mayfield isn’t elite?
What a stupid #&$*&$
What other QB in the NFL could be 2-0, with no running game (AGAIN!!), and no TE production.
None. Zero. Ziltch.
Now name in QB in the history of Football that has won underîthose circumstances.
It really is mind blowing.
A team facing the Bucs only has to prepare for Mayfield, yololļGodwin, and a couple other young WRs.
Yet we are still winning
It really is unbelievable
September 17th, 2024 at 3:32 pm
Sorry for the errors in that last post.
September 17th, 2024 at 3:36 pm
I wonder what Baker’s stats look like for the last 8-10 games?
I’m not huge on stats alone but I think I’ve seen some pretty impressive numbers mentioned.
September 17th, 2024 at 3:42 pm
pundits are really really jumping the saints bandwagon after going 1-0 with the cowboys blowout in dallas…
obviously that was a good win for new orleans…
but week one vs. carolina really shouldn’t even count…yeah they pulled young for dalton, but if they stuck with inept young, they were def headed to 2-15 or worse…maybe even 0-17…
so i don’t see how you tout the saints so highly with one good win vs dallas so early in a season
September 17th, 2024 at 3:46 pm
He might be referring to Carlton Davis.
September 17th, 2024 at 3:47 pm
Speaking of talent drain, Devin White was a healthy scratch yesterday.
September 17th, 2024 at 3:48 pm
Let’s stop trying to wise up the national media on there being no talent drain. Builds a base case for Coach Bowles to be Coach of the Year. Besides, as W.C Fields said, “never smarten up a chump.”
September 17th, 2024 at 3:50 pm
adam from ny Says:
September 17th, 2024 at 3:42 pm
pundits are really really jumping the saints bandwagon after going 1-0 with the cowboys blowout in dallas…
The saints scorched a defense that was supposed to be very good. Dallas is/was expected to be a contender. Kubiak might be the real deal. I consider them a real threat in division if they continue to play at the level they are now or even close to it.
Crap, even Atlanta showed signs of life last night although I like our defenses chances against what the birds offense has shown so far.
September 17th, 2024 at 4:11 pm
Nobody left brother Joe. I think he is referencing the injury drains.
September 17th, 2024 at 4:13 pm
Why must they always disrespect Baker.
Baker IS an elite QB now, and he going to show everybody that fact this year.
September 17th, 2024 at 4:34 pm
Id call Brady, Gronk, Jensen, Marpet, Shaq and Suh a talent drain.
September 17th, 2024 at 4:35 pm
@GoneGator:
yes i agree, very impressive to go into dallas and whoop azz..my point is it’s only 1 win…
the carolina victory the week before might count in the standings – but then again it almost doesn’t count…
yeah saints look good, atlanta looked tough last night…the division on a whole no longer looks bottom barrel
September 17th, 2024 at 4:37 pm
Not all defense but we are doing well despite their loss.
September 17th, 2024 at 4:41 pm
if we can somehow come out of the heavy duty part of our schedule, starting in a couple weeks, up until the bye…at hopefully 6-4…we have a chance to hit a nice stride down the stretch and maybe win the division…
we are def one game ahead of schedule at this point with the detroit win…
initially i had us to come out of the bye week with a 5-5 start thru the first 10 games
September 17th, 2024 at 4:53 pm
For pundits who don’t actually follow the BUCS I can see them thinking Shaq and White were huge losses. Those two did have names.
September 17th, 2024 at 5:24 pm
😂😂😂 talk with me after this stretch we are going to have.
We are 2-0 not contenders. Dropping like flies after two games.
Oline is not where it needs to be.
September 17th, 2024 at 6:04 pm
Daryl Green – Bookmark your post so we can look back week 18 and laugh at you for being a bandwagon fan ! If Bucs can knock off Detroit , in Detroit , they will knock off another team that was good last year too ! Suddenly the 49ers are looking to be in rough shape. As are the Cowgirls, and Green Bay. Bucs have a good chance at a 12-5 record. That might be enough for a first round bye and home field throughout ! Everyone has this thing about ( First place schedule) and all they are is teams that won last year. Bucs have been playing a first place schedule for 3 years in a row. Go Bucs
September 17th, 2024 at 6:25 pm
Man I have been a fan since Tony was hired.
Ok Dj we will watch. I want to be laughed @ for my post.
I know the Bucs.
September 17th, 2024 at 6:34 pm
👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 so we are contenders after two games, because we beat Detroit.
We have the talent to beat Detroit, should have beat them last year, show up.
It’s the stretch we have, that will show who are Rookie.
September 17th, 2024 at 6:36 pm
I’m getting really tired of reading that the Bucs have a cupcake schedule. Since when? 1976? So the Aints popped the Cownerds. Whoop. Bucs beat Detroit who is a much better team. Nola beat the woebegone Panthers. Bucs had to open against Washington. Aints getting bit by the injury bug yet? How about Atlanta? Sure, the NFCSo. is getting tough again. Well, so are the Bucs. Arrrrgghh!
September 17th, 2024 at 6:40 pm
Well I cashed in on the Bucs Super Bowl a few years back at 60-1 and I plan on cashing in on this years SB at 90-1 ,,, quite amazing odds I would say for a team that brought most everyone back and picked up a nice safety from that 60-1 team!
September 17th, 2024 at 6:52 pm
Talent drain I guess refers to DWhite and CD3. Somehow the National media writers haven’t realized White isn’t doing anything.
How did CD3s stats compare to McCollum Sunday? My guess is that McCollum outplayed CD3 and Bowles made a good decision.
September 17th, 2024 at 8:07 pm
Is he referring to Devin “Healthy Scratch ” White?
September 17th, 2024 at 8:26 pm
We are only 2 games in. Anything can and will happen. ONE GAME AT A TIME PEOPLE.
September 17th, 2024 at 11:22 pm
This is an interesting stat, which also means what they did was unstainable:
“The Buccaneers’ 14.3 percent defensive red zone efficiency rate was the second best in a game with seven or more red zone possessions since 2000.”
Need to get that trash RT off the team already – because you can’t count on other teams to go 1/7 in the red zone ever again, and need your offense to not be sabotaged.
September 18th, 2024 at 3:49 am
Rod Munch: Yes, Skule isn’t very good…Him being on the team gives you something to whine about, though.
September 18th, 2024 at 8:05 am
“”Don’t know the guy don’t care what he says. Another lazy talking head.””
EXACTLY.
September 18th, 2024 at 9:19 am
It’s bin 2 weeks and the Bucs look good but I would caution fans. It’s only bin 2 games. I really HOPE I’m wrong but same thing happened last year and then went on to a 6 game losing streak or something like that. I’m not trying to be a Debbie downer just trying to be realistic. What I want to see is consistency. Some games last year when we lost we lost bad like the old Bucs from the lost decade. If we lose but it was a close game to a good team then that’s not as bad as getting blown out. Love what I’m seeing the Bucs do especially against a physical team in the lions. Wasn’t pretty but we got the dub. If the Bucs can fight like that thru every game this season then we will be really good
September 18th, 2024 at 2:24 pm
One thing for sure, Liam Coen was embarrassed by the blocking scheme on Hutchinson and probably heard something from Mayfield about not being able to run the offense because before he could even plant his back foot Hutchinson was on top of him. That is inexcusable, you do not put your main offensive weapon in that type of danger.
Secondly, this week there will be a much more effort to involve Mike Evans in the passing game. There is no doubt that the Bucs have to pass more on 1st down and run more on second down. The problem they had was 2nd down for most of the game was a predictable passing down because they were only getting 1-2 yards or losses on their first down runs.
The offense needs to carry this team. Depending on McCollum, Dennis, Whitehead and Smith to be your leading tacklers and win games when you have Mike Evans on the offensive side of the ball is the way to get leads.