No one who has listened to Tampa Bay head coach Bruce Arians speak since being hired to take on the rudderless Bucs franchise earlier this year can say the 66-year old lacks confidence.

Last week in Arizona, Arians was asked about expectations for the Buccaneers – not five years from now, but in 2019.

Bucs head coach Bruce Arians – Photo by: Mark Cook/PR

“We have one goal every year and that’s to win the Lombardi Trophy,” Arians said. “Is that our goal this year because we’re starting? Hell, yeah. We aren’t playing for second place or just to get better, we’re going after the Lombardi Trophy and that’s our goal. One team and one cause, and if you aren’t on that cause you aren’t on the team. That’s it. If you aren’t buying into that accountability to win that trophy you won’t be a Buc. I don’t care who you are.

“I hate that word, chemistry. What is chemistry? It’s accountability to each other. Make decisions to become accountable to each other in the street, on the field, in the locker room, every decision you make had better be helping the team win a championship.”

One has to go back to the early days of Jon Gruden to find anything even remotely close to the real confidence level Arians exudes. And while he may be exaggerating a touch, the Bucs locker room has been in desperate need of a coach and a leader who believes things can be turned around, and turned around quickly.

No matter how the upcoming season goes, it is highly doubtful that fans will ever hear Arians tell the media following a loss that he doesn’t have any answers. Even if he doesn’t, he will never let it be known to the fans or his locker room.

“We’re going to win, and we’re going to win now,” Arians said wrapping up his breakfast with the media last week in Phoenix. “Don’t be afraid of it. Everbody’s always riding the fence. Jump in the pool because it’s going to be alright.”