Playoff Picture Clearer, Yet Still Murky
December 2nd, 2016
Bucs players won’t talk about it. Coaches won’t talk about it.
But when a Bucs team with a dismal past decade enters the final month of a calendar year with a winning record, playoffs are on the mind of every fan (along with a select cheerleader or two).
Last night a team that was tied with the Bucs in the standings, the Vikings, were dropped by the Cowboys 17-15.
The Bucs (6-5) now have a half-game lead on the Vikings (6-6) and a full-game lead on Green Bay (5-6), New Orleans and Philadelphia. Tampa Bay leads the pack of teams with their noses pressed against the outside of the Wild Card window looking in.
Per a graphic from the website “Blogging the Boys,” the Bucs have either the sixth-easiest or sixth-hardest remaining schedule of the 11 teams vying for an NFC playoff berth.
Simply put, the Bucs must keep winning, and if they receive help from other teams, good. If the Bucs lose Sunday in San Diego, their playoff hopes take a major hit.
December 2nd, 2016 at 5:47 am
Joe what I wanna know is when analysts are gonna recognizing Tampa as a potential contender. Honestly if we jeep winning and playing the way we have the last three games we have a shot at winning the NNFL. No other team in our conference is playing ” complimentary football like Tampa.
December 2nd, 2016 at 6:19 am
Our way in is atop the NFC South.
December 2nd, 2016 at 6:21 am
Jerry. Does not matter what other’s think, we just got to win! Peoples thoughts don’t get you into the Playoffs. WINNING does!! WE gotta go 1-0 this week. GO BUCS!!!
December 2nd, 2016 at 6:31 am
Go at it one game at a time, best help for the team is keep winning. Possibly on the way to a wild card birth, you may get to the top of the division.
December 2nd, 2016 at 6:50 am
Must win this week or it all goes away….
December 2nd, 2016 at 6:58 am
San Diego and Philip Rivers should be the only focus for the team and the fans. We were a 3-5 team a few weeks ago but now we are 6-5 with a real tough test in front of us this weekend. Plenty of games left to change the narrative for all teams.
December 2nd, 2016 at 7:08 am
this is an interesting discussion but in my view, the BUCS making the playoffs is VERY unlikely
December 2nd, 2016 at 7:12 am
GOTTA BELIEVE!!
December 2nd, 2016 at 7:36 am
There are many analysts that are jumping on the wagon. One of the analysts’ rankings for NFL.com has the Bucs the #9 team, ahead of some very good teams. There are plenty of people who are jumping on who want to say they were the first ones who said we are rising.
December 2nd, 2016 at 7:38 am
I would be thrilled if the Bucs made the playoffs, but I would feel almost just as excited if we are still talking about there chances in another 2 or 3 weeks. Having the Bucs finish strong and being a contender would have me very pumped for next season, instead of “who are we drafting”
December 2nd, 2016 at 7:43 am
I tell you what here in Texas people are starting to notice the bucs due to the game they will be playing against the cowboys in a few weeks. To quote my buddy who is as big a cowboy fan you can get he said “I’m worried about this game. I don’t think any DBs on this squad can hang with Mike Evans”. When I heard him say that he was worried at that moment I knew that they might not be talking about our bucs a whole lot but they are watching them now. Trust me when I say Cowboy fans know Tampa Bay is a good squad. There’s a lot of respect for my team over here I haven’t seen Or heard in a very long time.
December 2nd, 2016 at 7:45 am
Lol I’m not getting laughed at no more for wearing my bucs gear. It’s nice.
December 2nd, 2016 at 8:14 am
If atlanta , washington , and tampa lose its not a major hit …love the up coming tv schedule this sunday we have the saints lions game, the atlanta KC game as well before the bucs game…gonna be a fun sunday if things go our way
December 2nd, 2016 at 8:21 am
Keep the lines playing great and they can win the division
December 2nd, 2016 at 8:33 am
i would LOVE to see the Bucs win the South, then have the Falcons have to come down here again for a wild card game! Somehow I don’t believe they’d be putting up more than 20 points, while Winston, Evans & Martn could easily put up a lot more than that against the Falcons sieve-like defense.
December 2nd, 2016 at 8:49 am
Buy tickets to saints game cmon ppl get your friends to come
December 2nd, 2016 at 8:52 am
I dont want to nicpick here, but with a title of the thread called ” playoff picture clearer, yet still murky”
A picture of a cheerleader with camel toe would be more fitting
Just sayin
December 2nd, 2016 at 9:24 am
Kobe Faker is still posting? Thought that guy banned himself from the site.
December 2nd, 2016 at 9:25 am
One game at a time. I have spent the last couple of seasons watching DK develop his offense. It’s incredible. It’s definitely the best offense the Bucs have ever fielded at this stage right now. The defense and special team are also gradually improving. If the Bucs make the playoffs, it will mirror the last time we were there under Gruden. It was 2005 and we won the division. Washington came to Tampa Bay, and beat the crap out of us. It wasn’t even a contest. Someone correct me if I’m wrong. Talk about fan attitude deflation. It was like popping a balloon. Bucs aren’t quite there yet. We’re getting there though. The Chargers will be a great offensive test for our young offense. 8-8 or just mebbe 9-7. 2017 will be one hellacious year. Yeah!! Go Mighty Bucs!!
December 2nd, 2016 at 9:36 am
Hey look, Kobe is back. Yay!
December 2nd, 2016 at 9:52 am
@Jerry G — The onus is on the Bucs to make the skeptics believe in them. While past performance is not a guarantee of future results, it is the best indicator of what will happen.
Over the past 5 seasons, the Bucs are 3-21 in December/January, a shocking .125 winning percentage, or 1 out of every 8 games. Considering the Bucs will have to win at least 3, probably 4, out of the last 5 games to qualify, that’s why the skeptics don’t believe.
December 2nd, 2016 at 10:09 am
If we lose any of the remaining games i think its over no playoffs but the future is 🌞
December 2nd, 2016 at 10:20 am
How about this? We basically still control our own destiny with just five games remaining. When is the last time that has happened?
If we win the next five we’re in the playoffs. Stranger things have happened…this year in fact! The Cowboys lose their opener to the Gmen and then win their next 11 games! The Cowboys are good but not great. We’ll see just how good when we reach the playoffs. In the meantime I’m not certain the Bucs can’t sneak by them when they play. It could be a very good and entertaining game.
December 2nd, 2016 at 10:55 am
I hope cowboys rest starters once they get home field advantage and bye locked upn
December 2nd, 2016 at 11:48 am
And to win, they will need to score more points than they have been.
December 2nd, 2016 at 12:27 pm
There is definitely an opportunity there for the Bucs. Realistically, the Falcons should win every game to finish the season. The KC game this weekend is a toss up. The Redskins and Giants have tough games to finish out the season, including each other. We have a strong shot at the playoffs this year. We just need some offensive consistency.
December 2nd, 2016 at 1:01 pm
I miss Nina.
December 2nd, 2016 at 2:37 pm
As I’ve been saying since Jameis arrived, LAST TO FIRST!
December 2nd, 2016 at 2:56 pm
The Cowboys are a very good team. The Falcons are a very good team. Our upstart Bucs are chasing them. He who laughs last laughs best. This ain’t no joke.