You’ve all read THE PESSIMIST, who spews his Bucs-related anger like no other. But Joe also wants you to know THE OPTIMIST. 

THE OPTIMIST is Nick Houllis, a Bucs fan and an accomplished writer whose steadfast allegiance to the team goes back to the 1970s. Houllis is the founder, creator and guru of BucStop.com, a place Joe goes to get lost in time via Houllis’ stunning video collection.

THE OPTIMIST will shine that positive light in your eyes. Some will love it. Some won’t.

Raheem Morris has told us the Bucs are “the best team in the NFC,” and who are we to argue? Well, we are football fans, and it’s in our very nature to argue.

Though I might one day win the ‘Greatest Homer on the Net’ award, even I do not think they are the Best in the NFC. I think New Orleans would have something to say about that wouldn’t they? They did win beat the Bucs by about 10 touchdowns, and even though the Saints lost to the Browns, which we beat in Week 1, the NFL doesn’t work that way.

No, Raheem was more than likely playing cheerleader, and in doing so he caught some national attention for his team, too, making the Jim Rome show, even getting top billing on the afternoon Rome Report. He was probably referring to his teams two losses that match an NFC low, and is trying to pump the kids up even higher than they may already be after a 4-2 start and a comeback win over the Rams.

So are the Bucs the best at anything they do? They have the 18th passing attack. Heck in Bucdom, that is almost as good as best isn’t it? Well no, because they are 23rd in total offense. What about defense, that’s the claim to fame for Tampa Bay right? Not when you’re 31st in the league in rush defense!

So where are the Bucs great?

The Bucs have given up only three rushing TDs; that’s good for 7th in the NFL. We’ve recovered four fumbles, that’s good for sixth.  A No. 8 spot holds the Bucs time of possession stat, with the Bucs’ defense on the field 28:55 minutes per game.

Clearly Tampa Bay is not best in any statistical category, but they do tend to fare well against the pass. The Bucs sit as the No. 6 defense, seventh in QB Completion percentage allowed at 55.6 %.

So its the good old wins and losses where the Bucs are ‘best’, and that will have to do.

With two losses, the Bucs are even with Atlanta, the Giants, and Seattle. Of course, the Falcons have a beef because they have five wins to the Bucs’ four, but the Bucs have a game to play, and after all, they are the best team in the NFC, so they will win that game!

The Bucs do sit strong with a 2-1 conference record and a 1-1 division mark. Atlanta has better marks in both, however. Still, should it come down to a (gulp) Wild Card, the Bucs could find themselves is a sweet position.

Wild Card, hmm, that’s not the best team either.