Wow it really takes the sting out a playoff loss

[DanTurksGhost]

I've seen this excuse a lot.  Only after the game, of course.  Not a lot of folks were saying that before they beat us.

It's not an excuse, it's a fact. And if you were in NY, you'd have heard it plenty. The homers down here, all of us, thought the Giants sucked. Of course, we learned better, as did the Dallas and GB fans.

I thought Vegas had the Bucs as favorites?

Vegas, schmegas. I'm talking about football, not betting lines designed to balance the money on both sides of the bet so the house can enjoy the vig.

[sammy8887]

It makes it worse, IMO, because Gruden treated the players like little girls by resting them. Screw that next year, go into the playoffs with some mo, this is proof that his mind frame doens't mold the team into a battle tested one like the G-men.

"Little girls" is coming to mind with some of these posts tonight, but it doesn't have anything to do with the players...

Blah, blah, blah. And you fail to point to the teams that rested their guys and won their game.
And you fail to note that we came out great against the Giants. Great D, multiple 3 and outs
and a TD to go up 7-0. Doesn't look like we came out flat at all.

No doubt...a reasonable person could argue the Bucs came out like gangbusters, the Giants came out flat...could say then talent took over...others can say Gruden blew it...

[keeponbucn]

It's not an excuse, it's a fact. And if you were in NY, you'd have heard it plenty. The homers down here, all of us, thought the Giants sucked. Of course, we learned better, as did the Dallas and GB fans.

You need to put down the club seat cushoin stance DTG, Gruden made a mistake and it cost the team. Simple as that.

[sammy8887]

I've seen this excuse a lot. Only after the game, of course. Not a lot of folks were saying that before they beat us.

I thought Vegas had the Bucs as favorites?

That's why they play the game...

[dbtb135]

I just never realized we had so many fans that thought we were Super Bowl contenders going into the playoffs -- so much so that Gruden should have been able to overcome playing a more talented team (which has clearly been shown at this point and what these threads are referring to), overcome the injuries and mistakes made on the field and coach us to a victory...

I agree, but how does the Giants winning take any of that away? Oh, that loss feels so much better no that our opponents won another game.

I'll gather up the team on Feb 3rd, and if the G-Men win again, we can all celebrate by singing Queen's "We got beat by the champions". It'll be great.

[DanTurksGhost]

You need to put down the club seat cushoin stance DTG, Gruden made a mistake and it cost the team. Simple as that.

Then we've got a bunch of weak-minded pansies for players and there's no chance we can recover with the current roster. We need to cut everyone and start over. I'll offer to suit up again, since apparently I'm more mentally tough than everyone else on the roster.

[sammy8887]

I just never realized we had so many fans that thought we were Super Bowl contenders going into the playoffs -- so much so that Gruden should have been able to overcome playing a more talented team (which has clearly been shown at this point and what these threads are referring to), overcome the injuries and mistakes made on the field and coach us to a victory...

I agree, but how does the Giants winning take any of that away? Oh, that loss feels so much better no that our opponents won another game.

I'll gather up the team on Feb 3rd, and if the G-Men win again, we can all celebrate by singing Queen's "We got beat by the champions". It'll be great.

Clearly you're not in this camp...so we know this...

For others, I see it going like this:

We lose to the Giants...we see we got whipped, but thought we would win the game

The Giants beat Dallas...whoa...yeah, we lost to the Giants, but now Dallas did too...their fans are probably more upset then we were/are

The Giants beat GB...wait a minute, this team just won the NFC...that's why they whipped us two weeks ago...yeah, we looked rough a couple of weeks ago, but I guess they had a little bit to do with that...

[MiltonMack21]

The two costly turnover and the impotency of the offense cost the Bucs the game, not any time off that was given certain players.

I fixed it for you.. the offense was to blame as usual for us losing.

[DanTurksGhost]

Not quite, but nice try.

[MiltonMack21]

DTG, I am aware you are a fan of Gruden, but in reality.. the offense only scored 7 points. I know... 7 points is ALOT to ask out of an NFL offense, but really.. all this pathetic offense could muster was 7 points. Now while this defense may not have been the best we have had down in Tampa, the offense just plain stunk in the playoff game. There is no way around it, even for Gruden apologists.

[DanTurksGhost]

DTG, I am aware you are a fan of Gruden, but in reality.. the offense only scored 7 points. I know... 7 points is ALOT to ask out of an NFL offense, but really.. all this pathetic offense could muster was 7 points. Now while this defense may not have been the best we have had down in Tampa, the offense just plain stunk in the playoff game. There is no way around it, even for Gruden apologists.

I'm not a Gruden fan. What gives you that impression?

[MiltonMack21]

Defending an obviously flawed head coach, but I digress. This Giants team is a damn good team, they beat us because they should have beaten us.

[Chucky4mayor]

cause you wouldn't rather have a guy coaching our team that is not a head coach in this league right now obviously.

[DanTurksGhost]

cause you wouldn't rather have a guy coaching our team that is not a head coach in this league right now obviously.

Claiming I'm a Gruden fan is a way for the haters to deflect. Fact is this board remembers very clearly, I'm sure, my thread calling for Gruden to clean out his desk if he couldn't get this team to 9-7 this year. That was my personal standard of expectation, and he made it.

[MiltonMack21]

cause you wouldn't rather have a guy coaching our team that is not a head coach in this league right now obviously.

Claiming I'm a Gruden fan is a way for the haters to deflect. Fact is this board remembers very clearly, I'm sure, my thread calling for Gruden to clean out his desk if he couldn't get this team to 9-7 this year. That was my personal standard of expectation, and he made it.

You are correct.. he barely made it. Thats where we differ, this team should have come into the playoffs strong, but we didn't. Another wasted season.