“Five Of Their Last Eight Against 2-Win Football Teams”
November 7th, 2024
There are soft schedules, and then there are cotton-ball, baby-bunny-soft schedules. The Bucs’ have the latter to close the 2024 season.
Retired Pro Bowl quarterback Alex Smith was on SiriusXM NFL Radio today talking with his co-host about how the Bucs play “five of their last eight [games] against 2-win football teams.”
It’s a stunning reality.
And it’s why Smith thinks the Bucs (4-5) are a likely playoff team, he said, especially if Tampa Bay can find a “W” at home Sunday against the 49ers before the Bucs’ bye week.
Like every former QB with working eyes, Smith sees Baker Mayfield playing very well and a Bucs team with enough offense to knock off the NFL’s basement clubs routinely, especially with Mike Evans slated to return.
Consider that the Bucs’ final three games are against the sinking Cowboys (3-5), with Dak Prescott now facing hamstring surgery, the slimy Saints (2-7) in tanking mode, and the Panthers (2-7).
What a cupcake finish!
Before that, it’s the two-win Giants. They rank last in the NFL in scoring at 15.4 points per game. Also on the schedule is the two-win Raiders, another game against the Panthers, and a trip to visit a tough Chargers team.
To make the scene more fun, the Raiders come to Tampa in December for a 1 p.m. game following a trip to Kansas City. That’s a bad combination for a west coast team. Bucco Bruce Arians himself was on Barstool Gambling last week talking about how players on bad teams routinely check out around Thanksgiving.
If the Bucs stay relatively healthy and can’t find six more wins on their schedule, then the Bucs’ coaching staff will deserve the blinding spotlight that will descend upon it.
Ira Kaufman Talks Fan Disenchantment, The 2-Point Saga, Expectations, Liam Coen, And More
November 7th, 2024 at 8:11 pm
Todd woll find a way to f it up
November 7th, 2024 at 8:52 pm
This is why I said the other day that we could win maybe 4-5 more games.
If not, then:
“Jason did a great job for me. He’s really a great evaluator, a really smart guy,” Belichick said of Licht. “He’s done a great job putting the Bucs together.”
November 7th, 2024 at 8:52 pm
Great. It will be even more humiliating when LovieII loses 8 of 8.
Jason greasing the machinery to keep Liam and hire Belichick.
November 7th, 2024 at 9:13 pm
Doesn’t matter who Bucs play. This defense lacks the talent to get anywhere in the playoffs. For those who think the problem can be fixed by changing the defensive scheme, you are wrong. Hard to remember seeing a more inept NFL defense.
November 7th, 2024 at 10:19 pm
Read something that said, according to adjusted point differential, BUCS have played the 2nd toughest schedule of the last 20 years through 9 games.
2nd half should be SO much easier but I’m still nervous. We have very little margin for error.
Be nice if New Orleans surprised everybody and beat the falcons 😳
November 7th, 2024 at 11:28 pm
Man my posts just constantly disappear into the ether for no reason these days
November 7th, 2024 at 11:29 pm
Bucs basically have to be error free going forward in order to have a chance at 10 wins, which still might not even get them into the playoffs.
November 7th, 2024 at 11:39 pm
Bengals just went for 2 to win the game instead of a tie and lost… 3 articles on that Joe?
November 7th, 2024 at 11:44 pm
Smart play is on the tie, go to over time…
November 7th, 2024 at 11:46 pm
I’m not a Bowles defender… but I agree with not going for 2
November 7th, 2024 at 11:49 pm
Tonight Bowles won and Joes onslaught of the going for 2 lost. Joes has proven time and time again to be very simple in his/there analysis.
November 8th, 2024 at 12:01 am
If a Bucs HC sold out on a principal like Joe did to be proven so wrong Joe would be writing multiple articles on firing them. Will we get the same about firing Joe for such a mistake?
November 8th, 2024 at 12:27 am
Belicheat is 72 yrs old WTF. Why do people want him. Not to mention he sucked his last 5 yrs. Wait we will just get Dave Pear to push him around in his wheel chair.
November 8th, 2024 at 2:10 am
Doesn’t matter, we lost twice to Falcons. We are not worthy.
November 8th, 2024 at 5:07 am
To my fellow Bucs fans,
You dont judge a decision ONLY from the result. You judge if you made the tight or wrong decision.
By this logic the Bucs made the wrong decision cause they lost the game and the Bengals made the wrong decision cause they lost they game. So what is the right decision then ???
By that logic if the Bengals won yesterday those who defend Bowles decision would be silent today.
If you judge only by the result then the I told you so crowd is always right.
We should have gone for 2.
At this moment our Offense is better than our Defense.
Defense was a lot of time on the field and tired, you could see that in the 2nd half.
At that time we should have gone for 2. If you go to OT you may not have a chance to be at the 2yd line again. And we didnt.
Go Bucs
November 8th, 2024 at 7:26 am
It sickens me to think that he would be retained as the coach for beating inferior teams but funny that anyone thinks he’s running the table the rest of the season.
November 8th, 2024 at 7:39 am
All long time Bucs fans know the Bucs can, and will play down to their competition.
November 8th, 2024 at 7:59 am
Woodenman Says:
November 8th, 2024 at 12:27 am
Belicheat is 72 yrs old WTF. Why do people want him. Not to mention he sucked his last 5 yrs. Wait we will just get Dave Pear to push him around in his wheel chair.
===============================
He can get Biden to be his spokesman. Joe is looking for a job.
November 8th, 2024 at 9:11 am
We can look at the schedule after the bye and think, wow the Bucs will put together a winning streak and I think they will. Why, because this team is playing hard, they want to win, and when they get another taste of winning, the Bucs will be hard to beat.
The best way to start this winning streak would be to beat the 49ers. Bucs are not favored (not sure I understand why the Bucs aren’t favored) but I believe they can win it !
Go Bucs
November 8th, 2024 at 9:42 am
Hodad Says:
We lost twice to Falcons. We are not worthy.
^^^^^^^^^
Keep in mind, we lost 2x to the Saints in 2020. We then beat them in the playoffs and won the Super Bowl.
November 8th, 2024 at 9:49 am
We will get six more wins!
Hodad, we lost twice but both games were close. And never forget the refs didn’t do us any favors either.
November 8th, 2024 at 10:06 am
Soft Schedule with an awful defense means Todd will win just enough 7 or 8 games to keep his job but the Bucs miss the playoffs as they will not be able to finish strong like they would have to
November 8th, 2024 at 10:49 am
Here’s the logic folks. Kick point after, near 100% success. Go for two – under 50%, mid 40% at best. That’s with your A-team out there. Bucs do not have a crushing fullback type, and their top scorers, Evens and Godwin out.
Chances of winning the coin toss – 50/50. Winner of the coin toss usually wins the game. The person at fault here has the initials Roger Godofall, er, Godell.
November 8th, 2024 at 10:51 am
Soft Closing Schedule? You Can’t Count on Any game, with Todd and His Shakey Defense and His Un-Attacking Play Calls. If Buccaneers make the Playoffs, the Next Team(s) won’t be Marshmallows. Give Coach Todd some Caffeine or Hot 🔥 Peppers 🌶️ PLEASE.
November 8th, 2024 at 12:29 pm
A shaky defense would be a huge step up from this rrhea.
November 8th, 2024 at 5:59 pm
So Todd had the two point decided early. He must have been adding up the future wins against the cupcakes. Brilliant strategist that Todd. Outsmarted himself again. We could win 6 more and that still won’t be enough for him to keep his job. Certainly the FO knows what the schedule is too. Beating bottom feeders isn’t the feather in your cap you might think. Get to the playoffs, get blown out, get fired. Did you add that up Todd?