Enough With The Easy Schedule!
November 24th, 2010
Joe sees and reads the comments each day. He can envision Bucs fans pounding on their desks at work with their fists loud enough to startle the chicks in the nearby cubicles, interrupting the mindless prattling about Bed, Bath & Beyond.
“The Bucs are a fraud because they haven’t beaten anyone,” so the cackling goes from news sources based in Bristol, New York and further reaches.
Well, to be fair, the Bucs haven’t. The Bucs are still searching for that first elusive win of the 2010 season against a team with more wins than losses. It’s not the Bucs fault they are beating the dregs of the NFL, but the observation is fair if not accurate.
This has veteran sports columnist Gary Shelton irritated. Shelton points out how empty this thinking is because it was also used against the greatest team of the Super Bowl era: the undefeated Miami Dolphins.
As Shelton pointed out in his St. Petersburg Times offering, the NFL is not a beauty pageant.
For crying out loud, this isn’t college football, where a team can win three times as the athletic director makes out the schedule. The Bucs’ schedule is a result of cycle and circumstance and the fine fortune of playing the NFC West in a year where nobody’s home.
Look, I understand doubt. In some years, I’ve led the league in it. Even now, I’m as quick as the next guy to suggest the Bucs still have proving and improving in front of them. If the subject is the Super Bowl, there is plenty of room for skepticism. But I’ve never been one to fret too much about a team’s opponents. There are bigger worries.
Still, the talk of a weak schedule seems to be growing louder as the Bucs get better. More people seem to be talking about who the Bucs play than Boise State.
Possibly the main reason this complaint is lodged against the Bucs stems from two earlier losses to Pittsburgh and New Orleans. Those weren’t just losses. The Bucs were simply pistol-whipped. At home no less.
For Bucs fans who lie awake at night gritting their teeth in a controlled rage over hearing — again — how the Bucs haven’t beaten anyone, the only way this will stop is if in fact the Bucs do beat someone with a winning record.
A thumping of the Crows in Baltimore this Sunday would be a nice start.
November 24th, 2010 at 1:02 pm
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/A-demonstration-of-NFL-parity-in-one-handy-circ?urn=nfl-288589
November 24th, 2010 at 1:43 pm
Yes people talk that “the Bucs haven’t beaten a good team”, but I remind you there is no ‘gimme’ in the NFL. The Browns, Panthers, Bengals, Rams, Cardinals, and 49ers are telling their team(s) how good they played against a top 10 team as the 7-3 Bucs, and that is what they are building towards.
That’s right, top 10 – look at the league standings, numbers don’t lie.
November 24th, 2010 at 1:46 pm
Agree 100. I get tired of the Power rankings too. I mean do you get a trophy for being in the top tn for power rankings. Most of the times the Bcs beat were suppouse to be better than us before the year started including the browns panthers Bengals 49ers and Cardinals. This is the NFL
November 24th, 2010 at 1:55 pm
Sorry but I’ll play Devils Advocate and agree with those who say the Bucs schedule is an easy one.
GOOD! Cause last year it was damned hard and look what happened 3-13.
You want to shut up the critics coach Morris; beat the stuffing out of the Ravens this Sunday. Then the coup de grais would be a smackdown on the Falcons December 5th.
Then and ONLY then will this go away.
If the Bucs lose to BOTH Baltimore and Atlanta it will be: I told you so…..
Come on coach Morris – the WHOLE MEDIA WORLD is out to get you and your Bucs. Put that chip on your shoulder, kick some azz and MAKE then shut up!
November 24th, 2010 at 1:55 pm
I’m so tired of hearing we haven’t beat anyone. We have been favored on what, 2 games all year but have consistently beat the odds. If we are not favored and we win how is it that we are beating nobodys? To me the other teams win/loss record shouldn’t effect how we are viewed. San Fran was favored by 3pts but we shut them out…that should say something. Browns have beat winning teams…does that mean the winning teams had a bad day or the browns got lucky? Even if we win the remaining schedule the reporters will say “they got lucky” or the other team “didn’t play at the top of their game” we can’t just win and play good football. That’s ok, keep the negative press coming b/c our boys feed off of it!
Go Bucs!
November 24th, 2010 at 1:55 pm
Even so the Bucs have STILL done a great job so far this year!
November 24th, 2010 at 1:58 pm
Hire,
That chart would make a cool clock, but thats about it!
November 24th, 2010 at 2:01 pm
Look first of all what does “winning games they’re suppose to” means??? I thought the NFL was all about any given sunday??? My thing is why is everyone calling us frauds for winning games that were suppose to and not calling other teams frauds for not winning games that they’re suppose to? Are the Patriots frauds? werent they supposed to beat the Browns? Are the Saints frauds? werent they supposed to beat Browns and Cardinals? Are the Steelers frauds? werent they supposed to beat tthat one-dimensional Saints? Are the Colts frauds? shouldnt they have beaten the Texans? I mean the Wade Phillips coached Cowboys beat them! Instead of waiting on these “YOUNG BUCS” to FALL they should spend more time analyzing why some Elite teams arent “winning games they’re supposed to”
November 24th, 2010 at 2:05 pm
The Bucs added another promising young player to their D-Line corps on Tuesday, signing DT Frank Okam off their practice squad and releasing veteran DT Ryan Sims
November 24th, 2010 at 2:28 pm
We haven’t beaten anyone with a winning record. And, if things fall the right way, we won’t have to to make the playoffs (though Washington and/or Seattle may have a winning record by the time we play them). The question is: Who cares? If/when we make the playoffs (and make some noise in them), will it matter who we beat to get there? In fact, we have a real chance of not beating a winning team and making it to the second round of the playoffs (if we face Seattle in the first).
November 24th, 2010 at 2:29 pm
Okam is a beast. Hope he works out for us.
November 24th, 2010 at 3:05 pm
Other than beating the Steelers (whom they know and play twice a year), who have the Ravens beat that is good? Look at their schedule, it’s no more impressive than ours (to those that think we haven’t beaten anyone).
November 24th, 2010 at 3:35 pm
Regardless of the schedule, you don’t win 7 out of 10 games in the NFL without being a good team. Besides the ’72 Dolphins, the Rams team that won the Super Bowl had a really easy schedule too. That worked out pretty good for them (except they were the beneficiary of a BS call, but I’m starting to get over that). At this point, this team is playing with house money, since nobody thought they would be this good this fast.
November 24th, 2010 at 4:39 pm
Guys no one is saying the Bucs are BAD.
What they ARE saying is that the Bucs aren’t as good as their record indicates. For example if the Bucs offense plays the Ravens like it did against the 49ers the Bucs wouldn’t have scored 21 points.
The Ravens defense is better than the 49ers – FACT.
The only ‘unknown’ is this – will the Bucs offense rise to the occassion?
Personally I HOPE so. I think a lot has to do with attitude and right now the boys in Pewter have a great attitude.
I just want them to keep that chip on their shoulder and DARE Flacco to knock it off.
November 24th, 2010 at 5:31 pm
Joe said it best:
“For Bucs fans who lie awake at night gritting their teeth in a controlled rage over hearing — again — how the Bucs haven’t beaten anyone, the only way this will stop is if in fact the Bucs do beat someone with a winning record.
A thumping of the Crows in Baltimore this Sunday would be a nice start.”
November 24th, 2010 at 5:39 pm
The Browns beat the Pats and the Bucs beat them. So the Pats must suck. Hmmm?
The Falcons luckily squeaked by the 49’rs on a lucky strip by Roddy White. Hmmm?
With different refs the Bucs may have beaten the Falcons. The pass interference play spotted at the 12 instead of 6 yd line. We missed by 1″ and 6 yds may have made a difference. Challenges that could have went either way and lousy spots all day. Hmmm?
The Panthers were very close to beating the Saints in their first game, and they do suck for sure.
The Saints beat up the Bucs because Payton had something to prove. The next meeting in N.O. should be much closer.
It’s parity and match ups. You just don’t know from week to week how teams will match up and on a given day anything can happen in the NFL, but you would be wise to bet the winning teams and not plan for upsets, but they do happen.
November 24th, 2010 at 5:43 pm
Just beat the Ravens. That’s all. They have a chance to earn respect this Sunday.
November 24th, 2010 at 5:54 pm
Personally, I don’t care what Shelton prints. He is a “loser” according to Morris. hehe.
November 24th, 2010 at 7:39 pm
Ok… let’s talk schedule. Our schedule is identical to the Saints and Falcons in all games except these.
Bucs – Lions, Redskins
Saints – Vikings, Cowboys
Falcons – Packers, Eagles
Now, we haven’t played either of those two “different” games. The Falcons lost to the Eagles and have probably the toughest of the three. The Saints got off easy with the Vikings and Cowboys, but who would have guessed that before the season started?
Combined record of the two “different opponents?
Falcons – 14-6 (both 7-3)
Bucs – 7-13 (2-8/5-5)
Saints – 6-14 (both 3-7)
Why is nobody saying anything about the Saints easy schedule? It’s easier than ours. Sure, they beat the Steelers, but lost to the Browns and Cardinals.
November 24th, 2010 at 7:53 pm
Perhaps because they won the Super Bowl last year, they don’t need to earn respect.
Again, the Bucs have the chance to win respect this weekend and over the next 6 games.
November 24th, 2010 at 10:03 pm
The thing that makes this whole haven’t beaten a winning team yet theory b.s. is that out of ten games this year they have only played three teams with a winning record. People need to let the Bucs have a couple more chances against winning teams before proclaiming they can’t beat one. Give me a break.
November 24th, 2010 at 10:12 pm
@derf- The Ravens defense is not all its cracked up to be. This is not the Super Bowl Ravens D anymore. Just so you know backup Mike Goodson rushed for over 100 yards against them too last Sunday and I watched the Ravens/Falcons game and the Bucs D played the Falcons better than the Ravens D. I was embarrassed for the Ravens defense to watch that final TD drive they gave up. The RAVENS CORNERS SUCK!!! You heard it here. If the line can keep J-Freeze upright he might shred this defense.
November 24th, 2010 at 10:29 pm
Let’s look at this straight. This same schedule was only suppose to mount us less wins than last year, per these idiots with pins. And frankly most “so called” Buc fans felt the same way. So now that the Bucs are “over achieving” you mean that the only way that one can justify their stupid predictions is by saying that we haven’t played anyone. These are also the same people who will say after last weeks Colts loss, that it is hard to win a game in the NFL. Well its either hard (for the Colts, Ravens, Patriots), or easy (only for the Bucs). What will one say if it had to contend with the Bucs in the playoffs? Stay tuned…..
November 25th, 2010 at 11:02 am
I love visiting your site every day Joe 🙂 Here is something I would like to say! The reason I feel that we were pistol whipped lol by the Saints and The Steelers is simply because at that time we had absolutely no running game!! I’m sure many will blame our D but notice how much better they have played as of late also thanks to our new and improved O 🙂 Happy Thanksgiving everyone….Go Bucs!!
November 25th, 2010 at 11:13 am
My vote is for Raheem to be nominated for the LCoY as in the luckiest coach of the year 🙂
November 25th, 2010 at 11:48 am
7 wins
Browns……. Delhomme limping around most of the game playing hurt and
the Browns hadn’t yet found there groove as they now seem.
Panthers….. So many struggles this season.
Bengals…… Though the Bengals play is lacking they only lost by a field
Goal.
Rams……… Jumping out to an early lead they only lost by 1 point.
Cardinals… Starting Max Hall then changing QBs during the game.
Panthers…. STILL so many struggles and rotating Qbs
49ers……… Still rotating QBS so there is lacking of experience their.
3Losses
Steelers…. Though even in this game the Qb was not the usual starter
it did not show in this game.
Saints……. Though at the time the Saints were still looking ify they still
dominated the Bucs and if not for a Saint major penalty the
Bucs likely would have been shut out.
Falcons….. The running game of the BUCs with a TD on special teams
{kick off return TD} is what kept it within 1 score.
Though it is great that the Bucs are 7-3 it is understandable why it can be argued that they haven’t really done anything convincingly. 5 of the 7 wins were against backup QBs and the other 2 were close enough to go either way. It doesn’t look like the Ravens will be playing with a questionable QB or without many of their key players so here’s to hoping it is not another manhandling of the Bucs and hopefully for some situations that go the Bucs way to leave with a win……….CHEERS!!!
November 25th, 2010 at 12:09 pm
Bucs Babe:
Thanks for checking in! Appreciate the love!