Measuring The Talent Pool
August 3rd, 2020
For so many years, the Bucs have been looking up at their NFC South opponents in various ways.
There are many layers.
Mike Evans is a superstar, for example, but he might be the third-best receiver in the NFC South. For the past decade, the Bucs had the third- or fourth-best quarterback in the division, which is a wonderful recipe for a couch seat in January.
Running game? Don’t get Joe started.
Special teams? Pass the Tums.
Coaching? Three Super Bowl head coaches led Bucs rivals in the NFC South for a long time. Laugh at Dan Quinn all you want, but he’s got a winning record in Atlanta that includes a winning record in the playoffs.
That’s all hopefully old news, though a new analysis at NFL.com puts the Bucs in a similar light.
Former Pro Bowl running back Maurice Jones-Drew typed up his assessment of the 10 most talented rosters in the NFL.
Hooray! The Bucs ranked fourth just behind Baltimore. That’s awesome! But the Saints ranked No. 1 and the Falcons checked in at No. 2 (yes, in the whole league.)
There’s no shortage of talent in the NFC South … …. This is the scariest passing unit in the league right now, and to be frank, I don’t know how defenses can stop an offense that has Brady, Gronk, O.J. Howard, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Drafting one of the top O-line prospects, Tristan Wirfs, to protect Brady, who’ll be 43 on Aug. 3, only helps. The Bucs’ defense features a linebacking crew full of stars — OLBs Jason Pierre-Paul and Shaq Barrett and ILBs Lavonte David and Devin White — but the secondary is an area of concern. The bottom line with Tampa: The team’s talent pool is top-heavy — which is enough to put the Bucs above both Super Bowl LIV reps.
Jones-Drew outlined a classic Bucs situation — very talented but possibly not stacking up in a brutally tough division.
As Joe has talked about on the Ira Kaufman Podcast, the Bucs face the Falcons in Weeks 15 and 17. Hopefully, Atlanta running back Todd Gurley is completely burned out by then. Regardless, those games likely will determine the quality of this Bucs season.
August 3rd, 2020 at 6:32 am
Jones-Drew usually has decent takes, but Atlanta at number two overall?!? He probably thinks that “where’s the touchdowns dude” Julio Jones is better than Mike too. I’ll give him a Mulligan on this one.
August 3rd, 2020 at 6:53 am
Joe says, “For the past decade, the Bucs had the third- or fourth-best quarterback in the division, which is a wonderful recipe for a couch seat in January.”
Joe is too kind. Winston was the solid #4 of 4 but not one bit lower. All other NFC South QBs were playoff frequents and even SB players, if not MVPs. Clearly, Newton lost his luster and moved on the same time as Winston who was always pulling up the rear; but Newton was still a winner in the grand scheme. He accomplished something material. I think Matty Ice is waning, but still clearly #2 or #3 in the NFC South in past years. We now have arguably the #1,hands down.
August 3rd, 2020 at 7:30 am
I agree the Falcons have some talent…..but not as much as the Bucs….
Look at our Defense…..Vea, Suh, JPP, Shaq, White, LVD
August 3rd, 2020 at 7:57 am
Roy T. Buford Says:
August 3rd, 2020 at 6:53 am
Joe says, “For the past decade, the Bucs had the third- or fourth-best quarterback in the division, which is a wonderful recipe for a couch seat in January.”
Joe is too kind. Winston was the solid #4 of 4 but not one bit lower. All other NFC South QBs were playoff frequents and even SB players, if not MVPs. Clearly, Newton lost his luster and moved on the same time as Winston who was always pulling up the rear; but Newton was still a winner in the grand scheme. He accomplished something material. I think Matty Ice is waning, but still clearly #2 or #3 in the NFC South in past years. We now have arguably the #1,hands down.
Every article ⬆️ I tell ya. I hope you all know that our former QB and current QB had the exact same QBR last year. But I know I know one had WRs and the other didn’t, but I was told by almost every poster on here if something happens other than what the QB does themselves are simply excuses? Nothing else matters, not play calling, not oline, not a lack of a running game, not a new offense, not a horrible defense, not a incompetent kicker nothing, the results were the results and results say both players were equally effective. But I guess all that goes out the window when we are talking about Brady right, cause as we all know nothing is his fault?
But I guess I will ask this, if he is so great why does everything have to be perfect around him?
Sound familiar?????????
August 3rd, 2020 at 8:08 am
Atlanta has one of the best, if not the best Offensive lineup in the league but I certainly would not rank their defense anywhere close to the top 10. They had only 28 sacks last year and their secondary is young and inexperience as the Bucs.
August 3rd, 2020 at 8:48 am
Jaymiss was clearly the fifth best QB in the NFC south…Taysom Hill, Saints back up is waaaaaayyy better than his current back up, Jaymiss.
August 3rd, 2020 at 8:51 am
Atlanta at number 2?
Is this dude real arthritic Todd Gurley a suspect o line a complete lack of a defense. How in gods name can he put Atlanta at two?
August 3rd, 2020 at 9:11 am
Devin white all pro this year book it
August 3rd, 2020 at 9:22 am
jaymiss=dumb
buford t justice…#moveon
ndog…see above
Bucs should’ve swept the dirty birds if Gay yada yada yada
August 3rd, 2020 at 9:38 am
I just can’t wait to see it all play out!
I’ll take our balance of talent all day. With the obvious hope that said talent can pick up where they left off last season.
Homefield advantage in the superbowl!
Perfect Storm!
August 3rd, 2020 at 10:13 am
NDog, we must remind ourselves never to permit the same predictable, multi-season-killing, clearly-wrong-choice mistakes again as was done in drafting Winston. Consider my post to be a morsel for your higher education, and a public service announcment for the lingering Winston clingers.
Tu mama–wrong. Winston isn’t dumb; he’s actually very intelligent I think…just makes poor decisions that hurt those around him. Since you raise the question, moving on still means looking back to remember the lessons of our sad hisotry, lest history repeat itself.
August 3rd, 2020 at 10:31 am
I must be a freaking idiot, will someone please explain why the Falcons get any hype? Imo they are have very little talent and so-so coaching. The defense has been putrid for years. Julio is a beast, Matt Ryan is meh. Jones and Garrett on the Defense is nice but they are a slim after that….. I think they are the worst team in the division by a good margin.
August 3rd, 2020 at 10:56 am
The biggest mistake this franchise is going to regret was just made this off-season. I know everyone that was clearly bias is in hog heaven right now, thinking they were right, but it will all come out in the end where the true mistakes were. The world rewards patience and this franchise along with all those running their mouths now will eventually be shaking their heads wondering where they went wrong when some knew what the problem was all along.
We shall see, we will all see.
August 3rd, 2020 at 11:16 am
NPUPPy
every single post you say the same things. you’re a broken record, dude!
and what if jw fizzles out and doesn’t do anything worth mentioning in the league? will you admit you were wrong? will you admit you made a mistake?
my guess would be no. you’ll make another excuse about god knows what.
your narcissism level is very extreme and you need to get that checked out!
August 3rd, 2020 at 11:37 am
Well said 951!
August 3rd, 2020 at 12:11 pm
We shall see eventually won’t we.
August 3rd, 2020 at 12:13 pm
And BTW on the repeating front, you mean kinda like everyone saying everything is one person’s fault?
The knife cuts both ways.
August 3rd, 2020 at 12:18 pm
NPUPPY
oh, so now you get to repeat since everyone else does?
don’t you “call ppl out” for that?
so why do you get to do it and its fine but you call other ppl out for it?
again, you need to get that narcissism looked at! its at an alarming number!!!
NPUPPY, the professional victim!
August 3rd, 2020 at 12:34 pm
NPUPPY says
“We shall see, we will all see”
Nope! i can see it now. the defense will play better (less turnovers by the offense) and you won’t chalk it up to the offense taking care of the ball better but the defense turning the corner and playing better. and then you will complain “why didn’t the defense play like that when jw was qb?”
i’ll answer that now… they didnt have a pregame speech from a tard eating his fingers that looked like a W to try and get his team jacked up to go out and play. i mean, did you see djax face when jw’s fingers were in his mouth? his face says it all!
there will be no winning with you on this one! remember, professional victim!
August 3rd, 2020 at 1:38 pm
Too funny Npup!! Even Jake Delhomme was twice as good as JayMiss ever will be!! Byron Leftwich Too
August 3rd, 2020 at 2:12 pm
Whats with all the racists in here? Don’t you all know that its not ok to be outspoken hateful bigots anymore??
August 3rd, 2020 at 9:10 pm
Ndog, what do you see that 32 franchises can’t see? The answer is “nothing.” Jay Miss is a fraud and is on his way out of the league.