Finish? How About Being Complete?
October 17th, 2024
Complete game desired.
Very interesting observation if the Bucs can take another step up in play (and wins) now that the Bucs are beginning to pull away from two NFC South foes.
Jenna Laine of ESPN admits she still can’t figure the Bucs out. At times they look like a contender. Other times, they look like the Bucs of the Lost Decade, a team devoid of an edge rush and overmatched by most NFL teams.
Laine wants to see the Bucs at least play a full competent game to demonstrate they have turned the corner before assessing the future of the Bucs in 2024.
What direction is this team headed in? With “finishing” being such a key point of emphasis after last week’s loss at the Falcons, the Bucs managed to do that in New Orleans — but not without an ugly second quarter. They jumped out to a 17-0 lead and then allowed the Saints to score 20 unanswered points before pitching a second-half shutout. Getting Antoine Winfield Jr., Calijah Kancey and Luke Goedeke back was huge, especially with Winfield’s fumble recovery for a touchdown. But it’s too early to tell where this team is headed when it can’t put together complete games.
That’s a helluva point. But Joe thinks the Bucs have played a couple of full, competent games already (wins over Detroit and Philadelphia). Because of that, it makes the nutkick in Atlanta, the laydown against Denver and the second-quarter implosion in New Orleans so frustrating.
Good teams who go deep in the playoffs don’t often have those types of hiccups.
The collapse in Atlanta was unforgivable (Joe puts that loss directly on Bucs coaches). The loss to Denver was flat out embarrassing. The second quarter at New Orleans was galling.
Joe thinks the Bucs are just one position, just one player from making a Super Bowl run (take a wild guess what that is). But Laine seems to have the big picture in focus.
Play a full, complete, dominant game first. At least, show that Denver, Atlanta and New Orleans’ brainfarts have been buried and put to rest.
October 17th, 2024 at 12:08 am
The 2020 SB as hardly a flawless season. I’m more interested in how they do down the stretch with a lead in the NFCS. We don’t need perfect games, we need timely wins.
October 17th, 2024 at 12:08 am
*was
October 17th, 2024 at 12:12 am
Ravens will be a helluva test. Henry and Jackson are no joke. That and they are well coached.
Would be great to soundly beat them.
October 17th, 2024 at 12:20 am
Bingo lambchop. I’m fine if they just keep swinging and stay healthy enough. Win the ones you need to and be ready to make a run once you get to the dance. I fully expect to lose this Monday to the Ravens and everyone will, once again, label us frauds. It doesn’t matter as long as we take down Atlanta and control our destiny.
I don’t expect dominance from this team. But I do expect them to take care of business when it matters most and come January it’ll be time to really hit the gas.
October 17th, 2024 at 12:29 am
That SB year with Brady had a 38-3 drubbing by NO at Home in it.
Sometimes it takes a game like that to say the Hell with that, Im putting my foot down. I think they did that in the 2nd half and it will carry over to the Baltimore game. They are definitely getting the best version of Tampa.
Will it be enough?
We are gonna find out what this team is made of.
Especially running the rock!!!!
October 17th, 2024 at 12:41 am
The Bucs are the second youngest team in the NFL. Some of these young guys didn’t ever play in a winning program – or at a big school. As Nick Saban says, you have to play to your highest standard, no matter who or when you are playing.These young players need to understand how good this team can be, they don’t have to be superman, just focus on their job. The coaching staff and vets need to do a better job with the young players, getting them to play to their own high standard on every play, every quarter, and every game.
October 17th, 2024 at 1:30 am
The Lions game was Dan Campbell’s gift to the Bucs and he admitted it. That was a loss. Making Atlanta failure so much more glaring. Jenna is spot on.
The reason for the above examples of suckitude lies at the feet of one man. If he can emerge evolved, the sky is the limit. This game against Baltimore is an excellent litmus test. Bucs defense is very unlikely to hold Lamar and friends in check. Liam has the horses and brains to match them in a shootout.
Does Todd? We will see.
October 17th, 2024 at 2:35 am
Bucs will beat Ravens in a shootout provided ME can participate. He was dragging his legged virtually the entire NO game. Watched the replay and it looked like he hurt his leg on the first offensive play which was a quick over the middle slant which gained about 12 yards.
October 17th, 2024 at 3:25 am
Brady threw 3 picks in the game that took us to the Super Bowl. Travis Kelce screamed at Andy Reid in the first half of last years Super Bowl because they were doing so badly.
The sentiment of playing *complete* games is nice. It’s not reality at this level. Mastering bad days is what gets you championships. Saints playef a *complete* game twice to start this season. Who the hell cares now?