“Stranger Things Have Happened”
November 12th, 2024
Fighting the good fight.
“This Joe” typing this here post does not like the way the Bucs are playing.
The offense, for losing its three star players (Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Tristan Wirfs) isn’t playing awful, but it’s missing firepower.
The Bucs, thanks to one of the better offensive lines, can run the ball. But like with any run-first team, you better pray you don’t get behind by two scores (or more). And that is where the putrid Bucs defense comes into play, or not play as the case may be.
The pass defense is atrocious and boy, the chickens are coming home to roost.
Ignore the edge rush? Pretend you have good players where sinkholes exist? Turn your nose up on acquiring players that can help? Look where that gets you.
So no, “this Joe” is not one bit confident the Bucs can run the table after the bye, or even win six games. Joe doesn’t care how awful their remaining opponents look.
Do the Bucs look like a team that can go 6-1 the rest of the way?
Well, Seth Walder of BSPN, a man who never met a number he didn’t like, still thinks the Bucs have a shot. He grouped all NFL teams into categories to match their playoff chances.
With the Bucs? He lumped them into the group of “Stranger Things Have Happened.”
Injuries to wide receivers Chris Godwin and Mike Evans helped derail a season that started so promisingly. Quarterback Baker Mayfield has played quite well and Evans should return, so there’s hope — especially because Tampa Bay faces the easiest schedule in the league, per the FPI, the rest of the way. Two losses to the Falcons certainly hurt the Bucs’ chances for a division title, so a wild-card berth is their more likely playoff path.
If the Bucs were playing better defense, Joe would have a lot more hope. Good defenses travel well, too. A good defense can set up an offense and give it time to find its way in a game.
Half the Bucs’ losses have come because the defense couldn’t close the door. All three choke jobs gave up touchdowns. Pretty damn hard to have a winning season, much less make the playoffs, with stunts like that.
Walder gives the Bucs a 22 percent chance at a playoff berth and a 14 percent chance of winning the NFC South.
November 12th, 2024 at 4:05 am
I don’t see it either. Which is a shame. I know you won’t call for his job, but with everything you Joe’s have said, all signs point to him needing to go.
November 12th, 2024 at 4:19 am
it really can’t happen because a couple of those teams on our schedule are going to turn the corner and finish strong…it happens every year…a team written off for dead, wins 4 of their last 6 to create excitement going into the next season…
initially i had us losing 1 of 2 to the chargers and cowboys…
and losing another rando game…
so that’s 5-2…
and if we play another rando clunker it’s a quite mediocre 4-3…
so there you have it…9-8…or 8-9……………..it sucks…
i had us at 10-7 going into the season – but it was also imperative to go 5-5 thru our first 10 games before the bye
November 12th, 2024 at 4:21 am
#JustRunTheFockinTable
make the t-shirt now !
wear the t-shirt now !
and send me one !
November 12th, 2024 at 4:42 am
Being a new fan my predictions for this team were optimistic. I saw Bowles defenses the last 3 or 4 years were giving up about 20 points per game. I thought the offense would average closer to 30. I thought we’d win 12 or 13 games. Shows what I know.
November 12th, 2024 at 4:45 am
I think injuries and then corresponding depth issues have been the biggest difference between a .500 team and a top tier team. Stay Together guys and Go Bucs!!
November 12th, 2024 at 5:35 am
So…you say there is a chance?
November 12th, 2024 at 5:51 am
Bowles must go. Everyone agrees the D is the problem. Bowles is in charge of the D. Bowles refuses to change. Bowles says D players aren’t ready to play. So Bowles didn’t get them ready to play. If Bowles stays, you will lose your OC to another team as a HC.
This is the Lovie and Dirk Koetter scenario again.
November 12th, 2024 at 6:17 am
If Bucs can run the table, highly unlikely, there schedule is favorable and if Falcons do what they do, they have Chargers, Vikings, Broncos, Commanders, Giants and Panthers. You should not have to depend on other teams to do your job, but the division is still possible
November 12th, 2024 at 6:25 am
GO GET BELICHICK!!!
November 12th, 2024 at 6:49 am
This team needs a top 15 draft slot more than it needs a one-and-done playoff slot right now.
November 12th, 2024 at 6:56 am
“The Bucs, thanks to one of the better offensive lines, can run the ball.” Betcha thought you would never type that line again..huh Joe?
November 12th, 2024 at 7:52 am
Nope.
November 12th, 2024 at 8:09 am
Seven wins.
Been saying it since day one…
November 12th, 2024 at 8:30 am
Even a 6-1 run might not get this team a WC. And even if they did go 6-1 here on out did, they will be a WC Round beat-down.
This is a horrendous defense.
I’ll bet some data geek can tell us how often a team with a bottom 10-20% defense makes the playoffs, much less wins a playoff game.
Time to put down the hopium and stuff that bong with copium…
November 12th, 2024 at 8:48 am
The Bucs will win enough meaningless games so the Glaziers will bring todd back for ANOTHER YEAR. Guess who the h/c was when the GOAT had his ONLY season with a losing record?
November 12th, 2024 at 8:54 am
Can’t coach talent. The second and third stringers don’t seem possessed of it
November 12th, 2024 at 9:43 am
The rest of the NFC is trying to give us a chance. Loses by the Falcons, Comanders and Rams left the door open a crack.
November 12th, 2024 at 10:10 am
MegaFailure Says:
November 12th, 2024 at 6:25 am
GO GET BELICHICK!!!
*******************************************************
The name says it all…
Belicheat has a worse winning record (minus Brady) than Bowles has.
Get real!
November 12th, 2024 at 10:20 am
The Glazers have been maneuvered into a box canyon. Hiring B.A. produced the results they wanted (sans Jaboo) but left them in a position where they had no real alternative but to choose Bowles as head coach. They now have a legit QB/OC pairing. The OC is still a bit green when considered as a potential HC. Rumors abound. From my perch, I see a repeat of the Bill Parcells scenario. Hiring Gruden again would in my view be a huge mistake and most certainly result in the exit of Coen. Perhaps a 2 year deal with Belichick keeping Coen and for Coen to ascend to HC afterwards could be worked out, but I wouldn’t count on it. This is just more cold water being poured onto me as a fan. I really don’t care what they do. My fever for the Bucs is falling rapidly.
November 12th, 2024 at 10:29 am
A very wise old Doctor and friend once told me the biggest mistake he ever made was marrying the same woman twice.
NO Gruden.
Forgive Gruden…Yes
Reinstate him…Yes
Rehire him. NO
November 12th, 2024 at 10:45 am
Citrus County and gp – Agreed. Both comments are right on point about Belichick and Gruden. No to both as a HC.
November 12th, 2024 at 11:30 am
Those crapping all over the idea of hiring Bill are forgetting the maestro calling the operational shots. Jason has only had one real coaching hire – BA. A lot of the simps saying no to the idea of Bill were saying no to the idea of BA. Brilliant.
(Lovie the First actually hired Jason, and LovieI had full control over personnel. Jason was told by the Glazers to offload Lovie the First and keep Dirk for Jameis. That’s when Jason got personnel control. When he hired BA, strings were attached. One of his protégés would take over for him. That ended up being Lovie 2, who may be the reason Byron looked so horrible. By now, we are back to the future with Lovie. The Glazers will tell Jason Lovie2’s time here is done. But instead of thrusting Liam into a role he’s not ready for, Jason will work his magic with Bill. )
Bill is a great fit for the Bucs, IF
— he knows he’s not the supreme commander and Jason is the GM
— he accepts Liam Coen as Assistant Head Coach / Offensive Coordinator
— he agrees to hire a full time Defensive Coordinator…like Robert Saleh
— the Glazers agree to open the vaults for Bill, Liam and Robert.
Anyone thinking this wouldn’t immediately provide a supersonic boost to the Bucs performance needs to take more opioids and stay in their comas.
2025 is gonna be great.
November 12th, 2024 at 12:15 pm
Bowles goes 9-8 and lives to fight another year
November 12th, 2024 at 12:42 pm
Adam from NY says now that’s funny send me 1 also
November 12th, 2024 at 12:57 pm
Agreed JOE can’t win games with this defense. Well only if the offense was putting up 35 plus pts a game. Baker is doing an amazing job but we deff lose some games because of his throwing picks. It’s a recipe for disaster throwing picks and having the worst defense in the league. Which also is baffling cause we got talent on the defense.
November 12th, 2024 at 1:59 pm
People are going to be pretty upset if the Bucs don’t make the playoffs… they had enough talent to get there. So we’ll want answers what happened.
November 12th, 2024 at 4:31 pm
Dave Pear – A lot of ifs.
I stand as a no vote for Belichick if the Glazers let Todd go at the end of the season. There are many others to choose from if that even happens. Spag from the Chiefs would be my choice. But it’s way to early yet. The Bucs could win the rest of the season.
November 12th, 2024 at 9:54 pm
Zero faith.
Defense is atrocious.
I told y’all at the beginning of the season that the offense has to score 30+ every week to have a chance at winning.