Your predictions... Right AND wrong.

[Benchwarmer#1]

 Today was both sad, but also very happy. Tampa didn't quite make it to playoffs, but we did happen to beat the Saints in their house once again which is always nice and also end the season with ten wins.

In this essence of "sad and happy" feelings all Tampa fans have right now, for MANY different reasons, what was the biggest surprise(s) that you would have never expected and what were the things you got right?

I would never want to be like Dan Silieo (sp) or some of the others mediaheads, so when I'm wrong, I'll be a man and actually admit it.

1. I NEVER thought Blount was going to be THAT big on our offense. Holy crap I was wrong. The guy is a workhorse and damn-sure better be the certified 1 and only next season. Him being picked up and placed into the offense like that, and succeed, was amazing.

2. If you would have said 10-6 would have been Tampa's final numbers on the season, I would have viewed you as a overzealous fan, nothing more. I myself will own up, eat my plate of crow and admit that I believed in an 8-8 result at best. 10-6 in my mind would have been unattainable. Sure am happy with the job they've done disproving me.

3. I knew Williams was talented, that part I got right. I KNEW he was going to surpass his projected Vegas numbers, and he did. What I feared was that he would be injury prone or scared of contact. Neither seemed to be the case.

4. I knew Freeman was going to be something special for us. Just the idea of having a QB with that type of height/weight/speed suggests something good can definitely happen. I however didn't have a clue that the team could literally be carried by the man, just like he did in college. Without him, I could believe there would've been 5 more losses.

5. Rah. I knew the guy had it in him. When I met the guy and talked x's and o's, he was SMART. I've played some, and I have to tell you, he does know A LOT about football. It's probably why the Glazers hired him... besides the "cheap" issue. What I didn't know is that we wouldn't have a top defense. I thought for sure he'd have that figured out by now. Plus, where he came from I thought would help.

6. Olsen. God...He makes me so mad at times, then I have to love the guy all over again. I thought GO was an awful playcaller in the beginning of the season. I swore up and down that Jagz would have been better. Now I'm thinking we got the better of two evils.

7. Mark Dominik. Damn son. You get the award for surprising people. Bring in Ward, cut ward... Pay Clayton big $, tell him bye bye, you're not starter. Go draft-first, cut G Adams for extra pick, pick up Williams. TWO DL in a row, in the first TWO rounds? nuts man, nuts. I won't say that I was wrong about Dom, because I've supported the guy from the get-go. But I never thought we had a guy straight from the Patriots draftroom! He should get a 5 year contract JUST for picking up Freeman alone imo.

We all have things we could not believe happened this season. I've stated some of mine, what's yours?

[BuccaNova]

Somewhere on these boards is a lengthy whine by me stating 5 wins probably, with luck 7. And I recall I was being the optimistic pollyanna of that discussion.  I felt like a homer even suggesting 7 as an outside possibility, and that's knowing the easy schedule in advance.  I also had hope for Freeman, but in my heart thought he seemed like the kind of guy who might eat himself out of contention.  It was the whole fat poodle thing: hard to take seriously. I take it seriously now.  I did feel Rah was going to get better and be a good coach.  I didn't think the rookie receivers would be more than placeholders, and I didn't think of Blount at all. I do now, though.

[Bucpride5]

Before the Pre Season I was HOPEFUL at 6 or 7 wins, I knew this entire season was a developmental season for this young team. I didn't expect the Bucs to be playing meaningful games in December, but I was pleasantly surprised. Also was kind of right on a Pre Season prediction of around 20 TD's for Freeman but I expected more INT's than 6.

I 100% love it when my team proves me wrong, 10-6 feels great, wish the 2011 season started tomm, this is going to be a long off season.

[The Shadow]

I called 5-11/6-10 and if everything went right, 10-6. The Bucs maxxed out with the talent on the roster IMO and that credit goes to Dominik and Morris.

Glad to be wrong. Now do it again boys.

[Morgan]

2-14 was my prediction.......happy to be wrong........high expectations for next season

[CTGuyton]

I called the 10-6 record but I was wrong on which games we'd win/lose. I did call wk 17 though. I based it mostly off SOS and the draft. I was hugely impressed with what our rookies were able to do. I don't know that anyone could've predicted MW and LGB and how huge they've been this season.

I will also say, Freeman has made a believer out of me. I knew he was our Franchise, but mainly because I knew he'd get wins and that'd keep Morris who in turn would keep Freeman. I didn't expect him to ever become an Elite QB though. Maybe a Kurt Warner, or Matt Hasslebeck, or Vince Young. Starter and franchise but never on the level of Brady, Manning, Vick, Big Ben. After watching him this year, and especially the past few games, I believe! He'll do great things for us!!

[TBayXXXVII]

Initially said 5-6 wins.  While wrong on number of wins, wasn't wrong on calibre of the team.  This WAS a 5-7 calibre win team with 9 wins... until Sunday.  They finally showed that they can beat a good team.

Freeman is a good QB... but that's about it right now.  Better than I thought, but not a "franchise" QB yet.  Right now, he is better than the other guys in his class, but not better than Bradford, Ryan, or Flacco.

[Bucpride5]

Initially said 5-6 wins.  While wrong on number of wins, wasn't wrong on calibre of the team.  This WAS a 5-7 calibre win team with 9 wins... until Sunday.  They finally showed that they can beat a good team.

Freeman is a good QB... but that's about it right now.  Better than I thought, but not a "franchise" QB yet.  Right now, he is better than the other guys in his class, but not better than Bradford, Ryan, or Flacco.

Not better than Bradford, Ryan or Flacco you just discredited your entire post with that comment. 25 TD's and the 6th best QB rating in the league how are you not convinced? Besides I doubt you could call Bradford a Franchise QB yet, with your line of thinking.

[Blaze688]

Bradford is terrible, and Freeman just led the NFC South in passer rating, throwing the ball to three rookies and a seventh-rounder.   He may not be better than Flacco or Ryan, but he's on their level.

[Biggs3535]

Bradford is terrible

Come on, man.  That's a bit harsh.  The guy lead a god-awful offense as a rookie QB.

Don't take that TBayXXXVII guy seriously anyway.  He still think Donovan McNabb is better than Phillip Rivers, even though mountains of evidence prove otherwise.  And now Freeman still isn't a franchise QB?  GTFO.

[TBayXXXVII]

Initially said 5-6 wins.  While wrong on number of wins, wasn't wrong on calibre of the team.  This WAS a 5-7 calibre win team with 9 wins... until Sunday.  They finally showed that they can beat a good team.

Freeman is a good QB... but that's about it right now.  Better than I thought, but not a "franchise" QB yet.  Right now, he is better than the other guys in his class, but not better than Bradford, Ryan, or Flacco.

Not better than Bradford, Ryan or Flacco you just discredited your entire post with that comment. 25 TD's and the 6th best QB rating in the league how are you not convinced? Besides I doubt you could call Bradford a Franchise QB yet, with your line of thinking.

Sorry, I didn't realize that I wasn't supposed to use common sense here.  My bad.

[ufojoe]

I don't make a lot of predictions but my 7-9 record was off the mark. I also bet the Bucs to make the playoffs but I didn't really believe that. Thus, the $20 small bet.

I didn't think Morris would show this much maturity as a HC so quickly.

[-ts]

Initially said 5-6 wins.  While wrong on number of wins, wasn't wrong on calibre of the team.  This WAS a 5-7 calibre win team with 9 wins... until Sunday.  They finally showed that they can beat a good team.

Freeman is a good QB... but that's about it right now.  Better than I thought, but not a "franchise" QB yet.  Right now, he is better than the other guys in his class, but not better than Bradford, Ryan, or Flacco.

Wow, a lot of stupid in one post...

Joe Flacco's 2nd year 21 TD's 12 Picks 88 QB rating, without having a team full of rookies and having one of the NFL's best RB's that year.
Matt Ryan's 2nd year 22 Td's 14 Picks 80 QB rating, while having one of the best supporting casts in football.
I don't even have to argue Bradford bc at this point it is too early.

Right now, Josh is the best young QB in the game and is 1 year away from being in the elite status... Oh yeah and that's while being surrounded by youth and having absolutely no OL which is probably the most overlooked thing. Not too mention at 22 he has the 9th best TD-INT ratio in history..........

And yes you were wrong on caliber of team the entire season. Damn, I know crow sucks but might as well go ahead and take your full serving.


As for my predictions I believed 7-9 wins and I didn't think the team would be near as good as it was, feels great to be wrong.

[TBayXXXVII]

In games against GOOD teams...
Matt Ryan: 5-3 / 87.3 rating
Joe Flacco: 4-3 / 93.9 rating
Josh Freeman: 1-5 / 57.8 rating
Sam Bradford: 0-4 / 65.3 rating

Again, sorry for using common sense, but really... you guys need to stop chugging the kool-aid and start living in the real world.  Put the glass down, and breathe.

[Watchman]

I recall saying that 7-9 was the best case scenario and that Blount would be inactive every week.