“Schedule Screams Playoff-Bound”
November 16th, 2024
Bucs coach Todd Bowles.
A lot of Bucs fans are banking a lot of hope on a softer-than-soft schedule the Bucs have in the remaining seven games of the season. Sure, Joe understands it.
The Bucs face just one team with a winning record the rest of the way out: the surging Jim Harbaughs. The former 49ers and Michigan Man leader has the Chargers pointed in the right direction.
The Bucs? As famed Eastern philosopher Moe Howard would say, “We shall see.”
The crowd over at The Athletic, specifically Jacob Robinson and Dianna Russini, seem to think the Bucs have this, Chargers game or no Chargers game.
The Buccaneers (4-6) had a similar start last season before sneaking into the playoffs, and could do so again with games against the Giants, Panthers (x2), Raiders, Cowboys and Saints upcoming. The biggest test will be the Chargers, but otherwise, this schedule screams playoff-bound — though Austin Mock’s projection model gives Tampa Bay just a 16 percent chance.
Well, unless Robinson and Russini think the Dixie Chicks will have a monumental collapse, the only way the Bucs make the playoffs is by a wild card berth. Joe doesn’t think nine wins cuts it given how the NFC North is stacked. And, Joe doesn’t think it is outrageous to say two teams from the NFC West could make it (the 49ers already have a tiebreaker secured over the Bucs).
The biggest thing for Joe is whether Bucs coach Todd Bowles, leader of the Bucs defense, can turn his group around?
The defense has been awful. In half of the Bucs’ six losses, the defense choked away possible wins on the final drive of the game. That is the total opposite of “clutch” or a playoff defense.
The defense this season is giving up a full touchdown more points per game than last year. The NFL is generally a one-score league. And that extra touchdown allowed has been huge.
Flip those one-score losses into wins and the Bucs would have an 8-2 record and would be in contention for the top seed in the NFC playoffs.
So this Bucs defense has to play a lot better for Joe to feel comfortable and secure about banking on six more wins the rest of the way.
November 16th, 2024 at 2:07 pm
I’m not saying it’s possible, but do y’all remember how Raheem’s team collapsed at the end of his Bucs days…. Hopefully the same thing happens in Atlanta
November 16th, 2024 at 2:13 pm
Does this look like an 8-2 team? As the saying goes, you are what your record says you are. Until they get the defense figured out, we’re a mediocre team at best, particularly without our two star receivers.
November 16th, 2024 at 2:29 pm
On offense we are fine, the defense is not good enough.
November 16th, 2024 at 2:32 pm
Schedule is meaningless if 2 things don’t happen.
1) Team is healthier – Evans Wirfs Winfield Dean McCollum … if they are all healthy after the bye that will go a long way towards helping get wins, obviously.
2) Aggressive play calling/ game management – no more code turtles. Let Coen be aggressive. Can’t be running on 1st and 2nd with White from the 7. Or from the 30 when we need a first down to win the game. PLAY TO WIN, not Bowles favorite strategy of playing not to lose.
The Bucs are gonna have a good chance here to hopefully get healthy, get hot and be the team no one wants in round 1. I think we are gonna be right there through 5 games with 5-0 or 4-1 record. Can’t take Saints or Panthers lightly, we miss the playoffs last year if Winfield doesn’t strip that Panthers player at the goal line. I fear we will need to win both those division games and neither will be easy unless Saints and Panthers continue to lose bodies to injuries.
November 16th, 2024 at 2:35 pm
Im reminded of an old adage… Dont count your chickens before they hatch
November 16th, 2024 at 2:47 pm
The Bucs have a psychological issue. They have not yet learned to how to win the close ones, the big games. We screw up in crunch time.
Broken coverages and missed assignments, missed blocks, missed recievers, missed tackles, penalties etc etc etc.
Losing all these close games can either be a good thing or a bad one for us… More will be revealed ✌🏼
November 16th, 2024 at 2:47 pm
this team isn’t going 6-1
it’s not
November 16th, 2024 at 2:54 pm
Week 5 the NY Giants dropped 29 on the Seahawks…Todd needs to tighten up the center of the field or history will repeat itself
November 16th, 2024 at 2:59 pm
Bwaaahahahaaaaahahahaaaahahahaaaaaaaa…..
November 16th, 2024 at 3:03 pm
if the saints win they will have same record as bucs. Easy? 49ers beat the bucs and didn’t have a winning record. It’s over. Everyone except the Joe-Joes were right about the falcons winning the division and the bucs not making the playoffs. Time to fire JL
November 16th, 2024 at 3:34 pm
The schedule screams playoffs.
The defense screams watching the playoffs from a comfortable sofa.
November 16th, 2024 at 3:34 pm
Take it easy Al. Bucs aren’t getting it done on D or in crunch time. Lots of teams have been injured like us so I won’t use that as an excuse but has any team faced a schedule like the Bucs have so far?
Take out the Bucs games and our opponents have a combined 58-30 record. We lost 4 one score games and won 4.
Next 7 the combined record is 22-45.
Fire JL? Absurd notion! If they fire JL I will turn in my fan card. Now don’t get it twisted, I am defending he Bucs and their record and think they have a good chance for the playoffs still. Only reason I am not guaranteeing it outside of health reasons, is Todd Bowles. If there is a guy getting fired, it needs to be him. Licht needs an extension.
November 16th, 2024 at 3:37 pm
I have doubts we beat the Giants much less have any type of streak…
November 16th, 2024 at 3:42 pm
Net points for first 10 opponents – +323
Net points for last 7 opponents- -468
If Bucs miss the playoffs you can blame injuries and the refs and Todd Bowles. Optimistic fans like me are looking at this as a win win scenario right now. We either get to enjoy Bucs playoff football for the 5th straight year or we get a new HC. Grass isn’t always greener but with Coen and Licht in tow with the current youthful roster… I will take it.
November 16th, 2024 at 3:49 pm
In my opinion…reaching the playoffs with this crappier than crappy defense is a waste of time. The Bucs won’t have a realistic chance at the SB because of the D. We will only get further away from drafting a bada$$ edge rusher. We will pick around 19-20 if we reach the playoffs.
November 16th, 2024 at 4:08 pm
Todd Bowles says we are in every game – until we’ve proven we’re not by poor calls and game management by Bowles
November 16th, 2024 at 4:09 pm
We don’t have a prayer with this defense. Thx Todd, for your bend but don’t break defense that keeps breaking.
November 16th, 2024 at 4:10 pm
I could easily see Todd Bowles losing a game to Dave Canales
November 16th, 2024 at 4:26 pm
“PLAYOFFS?”, as Jim Mora said.
November 16th, 2024 at 4:34 pm
Repeat of last year? I don’t see it but maybe. Then we will be back with Bowles. Is that best for all?
If our D was even halfway decent, we’d be sitting pretty – but that is on Bowles.
When we are done with the Brady years financial baggage, I expect light to spend and get us some help.
November 16th, 2024 at 4:59 pm
Canalwater will sweep Lovie just like Raheehaw did. Book it.
November 16th, 2024 at 5:15 pm
This headline makes me guffaw and chortle.
November 16th, 2024 at 5:21 pm
I echo the sentiment of some posts. Could we make the playoffs? Sure! Win the Superbowl? Nope.
November 16th, 2024 at 5:25 pm
Our defense has played better against Chiefs and 49ers. If we beat the Giants, our streak begins !!
No more losses !! Go Bucs !!
November 16th, 2024 at 5:30 pm
NFL Historians: has there ever been a playoff team with a crappier defense than this version of the Bucs?
November 16th, 2024 at 5:46 pm
Good deal….Bridge for sale…genuine quit claim deed…location…Brooklyn.
November 16th, 2024 at 5:53 pm
The only real question going forward now is where is Bruce Arians, and I if he’s not ever coming back then who can we expect to replace Todd Bowles?
Because you know what guys, he’s just not doing it as HC. He hasn’t ever done it at HC anywhere in the NFL. I did long ago suggest his name for HC, and you know what else he’s arguably not done that bad granted his team’s division winning record since then and rebuilding phase since he took over.
However he’s not a great coach, and he makes questionable decisions very late and he doesn’t have that risk it for the biscuit mentality like arians had.
He coaches the games as if he’s scared to put his team in a winning position.
Go finish the game and W end of story.
I say fired or demoted if no division win or playoffs! Can’t stand what he’s doing anymore.
November 16th, 2024 at 5:56 pm
Joe wrote about Arians earlier in the week. Arians is at his Georgia lakefront house at The Villages for football coaches. He’s still with the Bucs and periodically will show up for Bucs games.
November 16th, 2024 at 5:57 pm
If I knew in the pre-season that the Bucs would have a Top-5 Offense and had fixed their running game this season I would have thought the chances of getting to the Super Bowl were excellent.
I don’t understand how our defense took such a big step backward. I was excited when I heard Whitehead was returning. What the hell happened??
November 16th, 2024 at 6:32 pm
Stop with all the playoff BS…..how about let’s win a game first…..then win another, then win another….and then we can begin to talk.
November 16th, 2024 at 6:33 pm
We did not have the depth to be considered Super-bowl ready. At this point we need to run the table. We have to win all 7 games. I doubt anyone here expects that, Especially those who want Bowles’ head on a pike spear.
November 16th, 2024 at 6:52 pm
Bucs 10-7
Falcons 9-8
Let’s go.
November 16th, 2024 at 7:37 pm
Everyone stop with the “What happened?” Questions. Two words.
Yuccaneer Lovie.
He is so stubbornly holding on to the misguided, uneducated label of “defensive genius” that he refuses to adjust to the players he has. Like Lovie the First. But at least he still throws the reins over his stud offensive coordinator to foil game winning situations where the offense could put it away.
The signs have been there since BA’s last game when the Masturmind undid Brady’s heroic comeback against the Rams by trying to be the hero. ENOUGH.
November 16th, 2024 at 8:07 pm
Clueless Todd’s Yucs will be swept by the Panthers. Mark the tape.
November 16th, 2024 at 8:08 pm
I had us at 5-5 at this point when I made my prediction at the start of the season. The loss to Atlanta at home is the difference. I have us finishing at 11-6. I thought we’d lose to Dallas (mistake). Still believe we win out and win our division. Cousins will go down soon and the Facons will collapse!!
November 16th, 2024 at 11:07 pm
The Giants always play us tough. No matter their record or the QB.
A road game in cold conditions is ripe for another bed sharting by the scarecrow.
I mean, what if the ground is wet, or there’s no communication?
Soon all the excuses won’t be enough to save the charity case.
Bye Felicia
November 17th, 2024 at 12:07 am
So, of course the defense sucks…it’s ravaged by injuries. At this point, so is the offense!
When healthy, Todd Bowles offense is good…not great, but good. With a great offense, that is enough to possibly win a ring.
I’m reminded of the Broncos having the top offense one year, going all the way, then losing in the end because their defense was horrible. They addressed it the following year and won the championship.
Injuries have ravaged this team. They are forced to play younger, under-experienced players.
The players that are healthy are playing hard. But…are they doing it for Bowles, or because they are simply not quitters?
Is it possible to win 6 of the remaining games? In my experience following this team over the years, no. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be done.
We were the first team to have homefield advantage in the superbowl. Who would have thought that possible years ago? Or that we would be one of the few teams with multiple Superbowl wins in this century?
I suppose anything is possible.
November 17th, 2024 at 1:06 am
Bonz — if any coach worth half his pay had this roster, it would be a 6-4 team simply on not being moronic in critical game situations. A coach with slightly above average acumen would have this team at 8-2, again without changing much other than some scheme adjustments and proper situational calls and personnel.
It has been written on the wall since January of 2022.
November 17th, 2024 at 3:59 am
not trying to be the debbie downer, but we are closer to last place in the division, than first place…
so relax and let’s see how things go…
but i can tell you this…
we will lose one of the two games we play vs the chargers and cowboys (as i stated before the season even began)…
and…
we are going to have a very disappointing loss vs. one of the crap teams we are better than – leave us at 5-2…
thus finning out at like 9-8…
6-1 seems like too tall of an order…5-2 is feasible…and 4-3 can actually happen too…
so let’s not get too far ahead………..yet…
if we go worse than 4-3 down the stretch. sh!t is really gonna hit the fan – with the uber soft schedule…
fan will be losing it, mgmt. &ownership could quietly be bouncing & ping ponging off the office walls, and coach will be gonie gone
November 17th, 2024 at 7:27 am
Nah, schedule screams “total collapse” as the D gives away “W’s” for “L’s”.
November 17th, 2024 at 10:13 am
Bucs are notorious under Bowles for laying an egg after the bye week. I know they’ve lost the last 2 years after a bye. I am confident Bucs will have a winning record over these last 7 but will probably be something like 4-3 which won’t get them in the playoffs. They can’t afford more than one loss in the home stretch.
November 17th, 2024 at 10:27 am
Has to play better and can play better are two entirely different universes this coach and his defense plays in, and after 10 games and regression every week and the offense has almost been figured out to think things are “magically” going to get better is a lesson in futility. Bucs fans are gluttons for punishment and can only hope and wish but never expect this to happen.
November 17th, 2024 at 10:33 am
NFC North will at minimum have 2 teams, so will the NFC East.
That leaves 1 spot left for either another NFC North team, and NFC West team, or perhaps by some miracle the Bucs. But they pretty much have to win out. 9 wins will not be enough.
November 17th, 2024 at 11:50 am
Playoffs? You Kidding me? The only playoffs our Bucs are gonna see is with us fans…sittin on the couch wolfin down wings and fries watchin the rest of the NFl
November 17th, 2024 at 1:03 pm
Mike Johnson, you right. Although some might opt for a healthier choice, like a bag of tacos and a couple pizzas.