Time Of Death: November
September 11th, 2010
Everyone has an opinion about the Bucs’ chances in 2010. Joe has heard all the prognostications, from one win to 10.
Of course, Joe must chime in.
Last year, Joe optimistically wrote how the Bucs would have a rough start and come on late to win six games. Well, that didn’t hit the mark.
For 2010, Joe doesn’t see much hope. A pile of rookies, too many holes and paltry depth is way too much to overcome.
Joe’s excited to see the talented young Bucs make mistakes and make plays, but that shouldn’t be enough to chalk up a stash of Ws.
Joe’s leaving open the possibility that Raheem Morris is a defensive mastermind, despite approving the heinous Jim Bates Experiment. And there’s at least a chance he’s got the defensive tackles to be competitive against the run and generate enough of a pass rush to improve the secondary. And the demotion of Sabby Piscitelli has got to be worth at least a few points a game.
It’s the offense, though, that makes Joe’s stomach churn. The Bucs are relying on Cadillac Williams to not only stay healthy for the season, but be the feature back and be better than he was last year. And behind him are three guys with no experience. Earnest Graham has bulked up to start at fullback, but his durability is a major question mark. The Bucs couldn’t run the ball in the preseason, and the offensive line is coming off a subpar year.
Joe can’t wait to watch the receivers, but four out of six of them have never caught an NFL pass, and Maurice Stovall is the elder statesmen with 44 career receptions. No sane Bucs fan can expect this group to be average among their NFL counterparts.
With the 2010 crew of wideouts and running backs, Joe feels like Mark Dominik hung second-year Josh Freeman out to dry. Joe would love to be wrong.
Looking at the schedule, Joe sees the Bucs out of hope with eight losses by the end of November.
Like every Bucs fan, Joe will wake up on Sunday fired up for a new season and filled with excitement for the opening kickoff, and will be pulling for the good guys on every snap. Maybe there’s a miracle out there, but reality tells a different story.
Bucs 5-11 in 2010.
September 11th, 2010 at 10:12 pm
Joe I would consider myself right there in the boat with you. My thoughts are that if the Bucs are to do this good it needs to start with special team play and turnovers with the defense praying off other teams mistakes.
Joe I want you to be more specific anyone like me can say 5-11 but superfan Joe needs to take it 1 step further and break it down – which are the five wins, according to Joe?
September 11th, 2010 at 10:28 pm
I stand at 6-10. I think a couple teams will walk in thinking they won and underestimate. And we should beat a few of the teams that are in the same boat as us.
September 11th, 2010 at 10:37 pm
6-8 wins…sorry joe ur wrong
September 11th, 2010 at 10:58 pm
We get it, the team is young and there are going to be some growing pains. I really hope the players on the team don’t check out this site too much. It’s got to kind of get to a guy after seeing what is supposed to be a Buccaneer’s fan site call them young inexperienced losers on a constant basis.
September 11th, 2010 at 11:09 pm
Joe here,
Mr. Lucky wrote: “Joe I want you to be more specific anyone like me can say 5-11 but superfan Joe needs to take it 1 step further and break it down – which are the five wins, according to Joe?”
Don’t think there will be any reason or predictability to the Bucs’ five wins. Joe expects them to shock with some quality wins and depress fans by losing to poor teams, too.
September 11th, 2010 at 11:34 pm
you are now viewing ChickenLittleBucsFan.com
September 11th, 2010 at 11:36 pm
About what I expected you to pick. I on the other hand see a brighter future 8-8. By the way I love your site and have been a regular reader for almost a year now. Go Bucs!
September 11th, 2010 at 11:38 pm
Joe you are way too optimistic.
Playoff hopes will flat line before November. The patient has not had a heartbeat since 2008 when Dr. Chucky was in charge.
September 12th, 2010 at 12:01 am
SUPER BOWL BABY!! YEAH!! YEAH YEAH YEAH!!!!
September 12th, 2010 at 12:30 am
Too bad Sluggo won’t be starting when we play the Steelers. That could’ve been a W right before kickoff.
September 12th, 2010 at 12:44 am
Maybe true, eric, but they went into cardiac arrest due to old age well before 08.
September 12th, 2010 at 1:05 am
Funny thing is that many of the young talented players we’re building our team around came from Chucky. Black, Hayes, Talib, Ruud, Joseph, and Cadillac were all players from Chucky. And his drafts were downright disgraceful? I’ll admit his drafts weren’t the best, but they weren’t the worst. Dungy’s drafts weren’t anything spectacular either. He also acquired Penn and Faine for our line. I hate it when I hear people say that Gruden left a mess for Raheem to clean up. He left a lot of talent for him to build around.
September 12th, 2010 at 3:41 am
I’m hoping for at least and 8-8 season. Hopefully we will beat the Panthers in both rounds… brother is a panthers fan so i hope Matt Moore sucks against us. NFC South is definitely going to be an interesting division…..
September 12th, 2010 at 3:42 am
I’m hoping for at least and 8-8 season. Hopefully we will beat the Panthers in both rounds… brother is a panthers fan so i hope Matt Moore sucks against us. NFC South is definitely going to be an interesting division…
September 12th, 2010 at 3:43 am
Sorry for the duplicate joe.. computer messed up been readin for 3 years now, love it man keep it up
September 12th, 2010 at 3:59 am
im hoping for 7-9….would be thrilled with 8-8……probably finsh 6-10….and joe is playing it safe at 5-11…because we wont be any worse than that…yet we might not be any better either…..and anyone saying 9-7 or 10-6 knows nothing about football…….adam from ny
September 12th, 2010 at 4:01 am
im hoping for 7-9 because i just dont want double digit losses…anyone with double digit losses sucks….7-9 is a team somewhat in the mediocrity range and i can deal with that…..but if we lose 10 games or more we might as well wipe the slate clean and start from scratch….again……….adam from ny
September 12th, 2010 at 5:43 am
Joe(s) I can appreciate your PC’ness especially when you are running this show so I won’t press.
As for myself looking at the Bucs 2010 schedule I’ll go out on a limb and state a 5-11 season as follows:
Wins: Cleveland, St. Louis, Carolina (home), Detroit and Seattle.
Of the wins I believe that this Cleveland game is as close to a coin flip as it comes. Last year the Browns were ranked 32 in offense and 31 in defense compared to the Bucs being ranked 28 & 27 respectfully.
The difference, in my mind, is that Cleveland upgraded their FO and QB while the Bucs only upgraded their D-line for the future. Long-term I believe that Freeman will be better than Jake but as of September 12, 2010 I’ll give the advantage to Jake.
The reason I believe the Bucs win – home team advantage and the boys in Pewter win the turnover battle: Bucs 13 Browns 10
September 12th, 2010 at 8:10 am
The blackout is only supposed to be for a 75 mile radius around the effected metro area.
I say the Bucs will win 8 this year… but they blackout today is
SEVENTY FIVE MILES.
Orlando is just under 80 miles from Tampa.
Ft. Meyers is over 93 miles from Tampa.
WFTX Ft Myers are idiots if they black out the Bucs game because they do not have to. They are as close to Miami as they are to Tampa…
September 12th, 2010 at 8:15 am
If they can’t pull off a victory today, I their next opportunity will not come until Week 7 (10/24) against the Lambs.
September 12th, 2010 at 8:35 am
If they can’t pull off a victory today, Jim Buc will go into hiding, and will not come out until week of the NFL Draft.
September 12th, 2010 at 8:42 am
Patrick had to make another irrelevant post, lol! Yes patrick, we all know you are “gay for Gruden” ! To bad for him and you . He’s straight, you’re a loser, and the rest of us don’t want to be reminded of .500 loser coach we fired two seasons ago. Nobody is interested in your disgusting man crush, or that loser coach. Go watch Logo, this is a football site
September 12th, 2010 at 8:43 am
At the fort lauderdale airport waiting to catch the flight to Tampa. Excited the season is starting. I’m predicting 7 wins this year. Will be at the game cheering for our beloved pewter pirates. Go Bucs!!!!
September 12th, 2010 at 8:46 am
The greater fanbase who cared checked their optimism out a whike ago. The only optimistic fans these days are the delusional fruitloops. Aka, Buccaneer Bagholders.
A lose today would just reinforce the apathy, while generate excuses from the fruitloops… but believe you me, it shall be all Raheems fault, PERIOD.
September 12th, 2010 at 8:46 am
Joe,
I think you and everyone else are gun shy because of last year and you are looking for ways to justify your reserved view. Once you decide 5-11, it’s easy to find reasons to make you right.
But let’s explore a little. Last year at this time there were some things in place that are not in place now:
1) Jeff Faine was injured
2) Mahan was the Center
3) Tanard Jackson was suspended
4) We were trying out a new defense that we did not have the right talent for
5) We were trying out a new defense that we did not have the right coaches for
6) Because of the proposed changes, both the offensive line and the defensive line were told to put on weight, which slowed them down
7) We had just fired our Offensive Coordinator
8) We had a QB Coach promoted to OC, who was trying to use the old OC plays while working new plays into the offense that were West Coast style
9) The Defensive Coordinator sucked
10 ) The schedule was the toughest in the league
11) We had receivers that would go on to average less than 50 yards recieving per game…COMBINED
This year, every one of those areas has been fixed. And you are telling me after having such a productive off season it’s only worth 2 more wins????
Dare to hope, people! Sheesh. How can anyone not see the potential for this year!?!?!? Yes, the players are inexperienced! But that doesn’t mean they cannot excel! All we need is one member of the defensive line to excel and the rest will benefit! All we need is one WR to excel and the offense will benefit! (because we would then have both that WR AND Winslow out there)
Our most dangerous oponent is the Saints, but we CAN beat them at least once…maybe. The rest of the division is totally beatable. What? The panthers are ranked higher than us with a new QB?
The Falcons are ranked higher than us with a 1-year wonder at QB?
Come on people…we play six games in our division alone, and can we not win at least three of them? And the rest of our schedule has winnable games as well! Steelers without Roth? Please!
Quit your negative nancy-pantsy attitudes and dream a little!!!!
(/rant over)
September 12th, 2010 at 8:47 am
@NoMoreDelusionsBoutRah
And we’re suppose to give credence to someone that cannot spell or structure a sentence correctly?
September 12th, 2010 at 8:49 am
I am still sticking with 8-8, but Joe actually is right about depth. Any injuries will be hard to overcome. But this team, like every NFL , depends on how our QB plays. And I believe in Josh “Neo” Freeman. He is ” The One”, and will be the key to the Pirate Nation’s future!!
September 12th, 2010 at 8:56 am
I totally agree with you eric. Let’s see where all you Raheem Morris and Dominik ASS LICKERS are at the end of the season when the team ends up with a 3-13 or 4-12 record, which is what I believe their record will be. Look I’ve been a season ticket holder for the past 6 years, well until the retarded leaping cheerleader and Dummynik were appointed head coach and GM. I have NO CONFIDENCE or faith in these two ass clowns to turn this team back into a winner. Nor will I buy season tickets or any Buc gear again until the bastard Glazers hire a REAL EXPERIENCED coach and GM. As far as I’m concerned I hope the Glazers lose their asses this season by every home game being blacked out. Because that’s how you hurt these assholes…..IN THEIR WALLET!!!! Maybe then and only then they’ll realize that they NEED to make a BIG splash in the off season with a REAL coach and some REAL free agent players to get people excited about this team and start selling tickets again. Unlike the “studs” they’ve signed here like Derrick Ward, Michal Clayton, Fat Boy Leftwich, Luke McCown who never even saw the field come opening day but they paid him $2million, Reggie Brown( didn’t they trade a pick for that “all pro”), Niko Koutouvides, Sean Jones, etc, etc , etc, .
September 12th, 2010 at 8:58 am
Want a laugh- nomoredelusionsblahblah, is actually the THIRD identity for RahDomtheracist, also known as Javier. It just doesn’t get more pathetic than having to change your anonymous I’D, cause everyone thinks you are a douche!! Doing it three times wins you the ” Dumbass Douche of the Decade” award. Lol! Rahdom, suicide is really looking like your face saving option at this point. You are a waste!
September 12th, 2010 at 9:02 am
I will make my prediction after the game, but as for my now….
My Glass (road mug) is half full….of Wodka. chk
Cooler full of beer. chk
Truck full of Diesel. chk
Tickets. chk
Jersey, McCoy. chk
Jersey, Brooks. chk
Hat. chk
2 jts, 2 jts & 2 more jts. chk
flags & magnets on truck. chk
Pirate Metal CD. chk
Metallica CD. chk
Advil. chk
Okay, I’m rollin, enjoy the Blackout Tour.
We are going to kick Cleveland’s everlovin @$$ all the way back to Ohio, and Jake Delhomme will retire after this game!!!
Go Bucs!!! Hell yea!!! Go Bucs!!!
September 12th, 2010 at 9:03 am
WINS;
Cleveland
Pitt(dixon isnt that good)
Saints at R.J.
Rams
Cards
Panthers at R.J.(they cant win every time can they???)
Lions(McCoy plays a little more motivated)
Seattle
Throw in maybe one more division win or loss and the Bucs still end up with a new head coach.Freeman’s growth is stunted by a new O.C.and system.I don’t think the Glazer’s have ever planned on Raheem coaching more than 2 yrs.Dominik stays and Billick or Cowher maybe even a Meyer
comes in next year(unless we are in the playoffs).
September 12th, 2010 at 9:07 am
@ Jester
Rah wins 8 games and gets canned? Are you out of your mind?!?!?!
September 12th, 2010 at 9:08 am
Pewterpirate99- if you don’t like the team, the go join the rest of the fair-weather fags and go watch a team you do like. No one cares about your stupid opinions and uneducated observations. You are like some of the rest of these idiots. The minute this team isn’t winning, you throw tantrums like 2 year olds. Every NFL team has rebuilding phases, but some people here are so ignorant and childishly impatientits sickening! I’m surprised your Dumbass isn’t standing at the Stadium, threatening to hold your breath til the Bucs win the Superbowl!! Why don’t you grow up in to some kind of man. If yor aren’t capable of adulthood, then just shut up! You can squirm your fair-weather as back on the bandwagon when we start winning again
September 12th, 2010 at 9:12 am
Remember when 11-5 or 9-7 and Division Titles just wasn’t good enough?
Now 8-8 is a miraculous dream.
September 12th, 2010 at 9:16 am
@ Pete Dutcher
You hit the nail on the head Pete.
Last offseason’s turmoil stunted our initial growth mightily last year but the signs for a solid year are there to be seen. I expect the biggest improvement to come from our defense getting back to a scheme we know and we have the personnel for. We’ll give up less big plays, and less scoring (as evidenced by the last few games of last year and this preseason.
My win prediction will remain 6-8 wins and we’ll be competitive in every game this year.
September 12th, 2010 at 9:18 am
@Jester – if what you wrote happens I would NOT be calling for Raheem’s head. Instead I’d be estatic!
The Bucs going to Arizona – Tampa ALWAYS does poorly when traveling west. The Saints defense will cause Freeman some more growth pains. I think we split with Carolina but the Falcons beat us twice with Turner running up the gut and having 100+ yards both times. The Skins with McNabb are going to surprise people this year. The Rams are having the same problem that we are having so we come out on top. Seattle travels here so we win that one. The Lions – this is a toss-up. I realy like Stafford and boy does that team have talent if they start to protect their QB the Lions could make a run at Chicago.
September 12th, 2010 at 9:18 am
jester pass over that “blunt” because if you think they’re going to win that many games this year, you must be smoking some GOOD chronic! Though I do like the thought of Billick or Cowher coming here.
September 12th, 2010 at 9:28 am
Nope gave up the Blunt years ago,well see how it goes.I just had the Guts to place my predictions!I say the Glazer’s bring a big name coach to sell tickets!
September 12th, 2010 at 9:34 am
@ eric
We’ve touched on this before but, when we were winning those Divisions titles after our Super Bowl, I never felt like, “This is the year we make THE run.” My expectations were, “Make the playoffs and maybe a couple breaks will go our way” because we lacked a cohesive offensive strategy or the overwhelming talent to repeat out Super Bowl run.
With (most of) the moves Rah & Dom make, I can see a strategy for the type personnel they want to build their offensive and defensive systems around. I can see a commitment to winning long term by valuing the draft over free agency. I can see a young HC/GM combo who made some rookie mistakes themselves last year, corrected them and deserve a second chance at a first impression from this fan base. I can understand that if two or three years of losing/mediocrity can lead to a decade of deep playoff runs and true championship contender status, then I’ll take it.
If they fall on their faces this year and fail to win at least 6 games, I’ll welcome Cowher, Lovie Smith, Schotenheimer, or whatever veteran *cough* RETREAD *cough* coach the Glazers decide to bring in and support them like I supported Rah and Gru and Dungy before him.
September 12th, 2010 at 9:34 am
I wouldn’t be calling for Rah’s head either if they finish where I think they will.If there is a lock-out the Glazer’s bring someone else in hopefully they keep Olsen otherwise Freeman is stunted.
September 12th, 2010 at 9:36 am
BigMac! Rock on brother! Man, you don’t know had bad I wish I could be there with ya today! I am excited to see McCoy,Price,Williams,Benn, and the other new guys get their first Game in! I was here for Sapp , Brooks, and Lynch’s first game! The main thing is Freeman. We gave never really had a young , potential Franchise QB , with a decent line around him, to watch! That could be something new in Tampa! A defense and an Offense!! This could be the beginning of exciting times!!
September 12th, 2010 at 9:41 am
Sorry you can’t attend Capt.Tim. Ill drink an extra beer in your honor.
@Sensiblefan,
Playoffs and hoping a few breaks go our way sounds outstanding to me!
But the 9-7 Gruden lynching vs. the 8-8 Rah celebration is a double standard, and it isn’t right.
September 12th, 2010 at 9:45 am
Pete,
Don’t forget, we also had:
A QB carousel last year.
Both starting WRs injured on and off all year
A home game in London
Sabby at SS
Mack at nickel
Sims at DT
Hovan who could barely walk
Ward who provided nothing
There are many reasons to be more positive about this year. I won’t say Gruden left us destitute of talent. We did have Ruud (who many say should go, tackles 10 yards downfield), and Black and Hayes were backups, we had T-Jack and Talib. We had Caddy (who many say is not the RB we want, too many injuries). We had a O-line that was the “strength of our team” (yeah, right…. see last year’s performance to check that one).
This year, we have a young QB to get excited about, young WR’s, young RB’s, young DT’s, and even young CB’s (Biggers and Lewis to see if any will eventually replace the aging Barber). We’ve been working out some of the players that were backups for a year or so under Gruden (Black and Hayes). Gruden did bring in talent, but was too hesitant to give them a shot. They missed on most WR draft picks (Clayton, Stovall, and D Jackson), we’ll see if any this year pan out.
September 12th, 2010 at 9:48 am
eric,
8-8 isn’t a celebration. It’s an acceptance that the team is rebuilding, they are improving, and they are young enough to build on that and be something special in years to come. I won’t be jumping up and down for 8-8, but will be looking at it as great improvement and many pieces in place for next year. If they go 3-13, I’ll be wondering which pieces aren’t working, and if it’s the coaching staff or the players. That will be seen during the coming season. I’m not going to just throw them all under the bus because I didn’t like them firing Gruden though.
September 12th, 2010 at 10:06 am
@ eric
BamBam stole my thunder a bit but comparing the two coaches at this point is not a fair comparison at all. Gruden started with proven talent, Rah/Dom are rebuilding.
“8-8 isn’t a celebration. It’s an acceptance that the team is rebuilding, they are improving, and they are young enough to build on that and be something special in years to come. I won’t be jumping up and down for 8-8, but will be looking at it as great improvement and many pieces in place for next year. If they go 3-13, I’ll be wondering which pieces aren’t working, and if it’s the coaching staff or the players.”
BamBam perfectly encapsulates my thoughts on the entire coaching matter. I was outraged when Gruden was fired and even more disappointed when Rah & Dom were hired. I never bought into any notion that this was anything but a rebuild. I’ve made my peace with it and now I’ve got a cautious optimism for the new regime. Hope on board Eric. Plenty of seats are still available!
September 12th, 2010 at 10:08 am
5-11 Bwahahahahah! Joe must have had a few too many Claybrews before this prediciton. Fly predicts that at the best Ra and his crew of CFLers will improve by 33% to 4-12. But, more likely it will be a repeat of last year with 3-13. There will be only one team rooting for a lockout next season and that will be Team Gla[no $$]er……………
September 12th, 2010 at 10:13 am
Oh and now that Fly doesn’t have to pay $2500 each week to watch this garbage there are wonderful new buying oportunities like……..
http://www.kimberamerica.com/products/pistols/cdp/ultra_cdp_II_lg/
September 12th, 2010 at 10:28 am
Dutcher has the best take on the possibilities. With bad luck and injuries, 6-10. with good luck, 10-6 and most probable 8-8.
The offensive line is better by far than last year moving Zuttah out. Running back position will preform better over the course of the year. The receiving corp. could not possibly be as bad as last year .
Grade from a 5 to an 8
The defense. the line even with the rookies will get more penetration than last year and will not wear down as the game goes on. The front four will make the line backing corp look better even with Ruud. Jones replacing P will be a significant help. Look for that young line to look very good by week 8. If price is healthy by then it will be 5 times better than last year. The OS linebackers are now playing with a little more seasoning and given the schedule is weaker should be more of an impact. All N’ All, I say that the D has gone from a 2 to a 7.
Prognostication minimum 8-8
September 12th, 2010 at 10:49 am
Look at all these number 8-8 and above!
Dang you all are drinking EARLY today.
The Vegas people LOVE you guys. Thanks for the Sunday morning chuckle.
September 12th, 2010 at 11:17 am
Heading out the door for the game.
Go Bucs!
September 12th, 2010 at 11:31 am
You guys are so rediculous with this back and forth bitching. It’s game day Sunday and anything can happen any week. What’s wrong with just saying GO BUCS!!!!
September 12th, 2010 at 11:33 am
Still say probably 4 – 12 …outside chance of 5 – 12. It’s one thing to be optimistic but let’s not get delusional..hahaha
September 12th, 2010 at 11:41 am
“delusional” works in more than one direction.
September 12th, 2010 at 12:21 pm
40 minutes to go – Pass the Pewter Flavor-Aid please…..
September 12th, 2010 at 12:28 pm
I’m hoping for at least 7 or 8 wins this year. Something that doesn’t have double digits in the loss column.
Go bucs!! Beat the Browns!! Let’s hope K2 has a great game against his former team.
September 12th, 2010 at 4:21 pm
OMG!!! I take it all back. Super Bowl here we come!!!!!! LOL waiting for the cool-aid intoxicated fools to get back………………….
September 12th, 2010 at 5:01 pm
Eric, thank you for beer in my honor- glad you got to see the Bucs win!!! Patrick- I apologize for my earlier post. Sounds like you are a Buc fan after all! Go Bucs!
September 12th, 2010 at 8:17 pm
I’m gonna say 8-8 right now but if they continue to improve, 10 wins, attributable to a young strong stingy defense. And next week we get Talib back. Props to Biggers, Ronde, Spurlock & Mike Williams. Go Bucs!