The Pewter Report Bucs Monday Mailbag is where Mark Cook answers your questions from our @PewterReport Twitter account. You can submit your question to the Mailbag each week via Twitter using the hashtag #PRMailbag. Here are the questions we chose for this week’s edition of the Pewter Report’s Bucs Monday Mailbag.

Question: With the Bucs recent success, everyone expected ticket prices to go up. But these prices are crazy for Bucs fan standards. Do you think the Glazers are wrong for jacking prices up this high for fans who stuck around for so long or is it just typical owner stuff?

Answer: I am not sure exactly what you are referring to. I am guessing you are a season pass member and might have seen an increase in your package this year. There are no individual tickets available for 2021 so the only way into Raymond James Stadium this year is to be a season ticket holder or to purchase on the secondary market.

Renovated Raymond James Stadium

Heading into 2020 the Buccaneers were still in the bottom third of NFL teams in terms of ticket prices, and while there may have been an increase for this year, I am guessing prices are still competitive with the rest of the NFL. We don’t know exactly where the average price falls this season compared to other teams as not all the teams in the league have released their prices to be able to determine that.

But it is a supply and demand business, and based on the fact every single ticket is sold for 2021, you could make a case that whatever the increase might have been, it could have been a lot more. And one other thing – the Glazers and the Buccaneers don’t have anything to do with secondary re-sale ticket prices. That is scalpers and fans who are selling their season tickets individually to the ticket sites and on sales forums.

It is crazy to think just a few years ago Bucs COO Brian Ford had stacks of preseason tickets in his pocket at training camp and would give them away to fans who came out to see the team practice. And there were even times with our PewterReport.com suite where it was difficult to convince advertisers to come to games at no charge. Boy, how things have changed.

Question: Give me the over/under for the below players.  
Tom Brady 34.5 TD passes
Mike Evans 10.5 TD catches
Chris Godwin 11.5 TD catches  
RoJo 900 yards
Shaq Barrett 12.5 Sacks
JPP 12.5 Sacks  
Ryan Succop 87% FG percentage 

Answer: This is a fun question but please note – I am not responsible for any money lost based on my answer to this question. Now that disclaimer is out of the way, let’s go.

First, in the case of Tom Brady (34.5 TD passes) I would most certainly take the over. Brady threw for 40 last season and will only be better in 2021. Look for Brady to exceed last season’s number. I am guessing in the 42-45 range.

Mike Evans should also end up with 11 or more TD catches and I would think Godwin will be in the same range. I would take Evans and the over, but probably the under for Godwin (11.5), as he only had seven last season, although he missed games with injuries. And I am not sure if this is a factor you’d want to use when placing a bet, but Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald, who played the same position as Godwin, never exceeded 11 TD receptions in Bruce Arians’ offense.

Bucs WR Mike Evans – Photo by: USA Today

Ronald Jones is an easy over (900 yards) for me. He came super close last season, he is the most talented pure runner on the team and is motivated by being in the last year of his rookie deal. He knows a 1,000 yard-plus season will earn him more money as a free agent in 2021.

I think I would also take the over (12.5 sacks) for Barrett and Pierre-Paul. Especially Barrett, who seems extremely motivated to get back to double-digit sacks again. If Vita Vea plays all 17 games this year, look for both pass rushers to exceed 12.5.

And last, this might be the toughest to predict, as kickers are volatile performers. But if I had to bet, I would take the over with Succop (87 percent). The Bucs offense should be humming in 2020 so even if they don’t score a touchdown, I do expect them to reach deep in opposing enemy territory often, making for fairly short field goals if they don’t score a touchdown. I also don’t see Arians calling on Succop to try many 50-yard+ attempts as the defense should be better. Why not punt it deep and let the defense do their thing?

But as I mentioned, don’t come looking for me if these don’t happen. However, if by chance you win big, I will make sure to send you my Venmo information so you can hook me up.

Question: Other than Tom Brady, what injury would be the most devastating for the Bucs?

Answer: That’s a tough call to choose just one, so I will go with one position from both sides of the ball.

Offensively other than Brady I believe the Bucs could least afford to lose left tackle Donovan Smith. I wrote last year before the season that the Bucs key to success and winning would fall on the offensive line, particularly Smith. We all know Brady isn’t the most fleet of foot, so giving him a good pocket and time to throw is critical. Losing any of their linemen would be really bad, but we saw the Bucs make do after Alex Cappa went down in the wild card game. It is a little easier to hide deficiencies in the interior part of the line than on the edge.

Bucs LT Donovan Smith – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

On the defensive side it is a tougher call, as the depth is a little more questionable. After Barrett and Pierre-Paul, the Bucs are thin at edge defender. The same is true at linebacker too. And while the team has high hopes for Ross Cockrell and Herb Miller, do you really want to defend your Super Bowl title without Carlton Davis in the lineup?

But my final answer for the defense is linebacker Lavonte David. David’s ability to drop into coverage, excel vs the run and his intangibles in Todd Bowles’ scheme would be extremely difficult to replace.

Question: Which is more likely, Buccaneers go 17-0, or they win three Super Bowls in a row?

Answer: For the record I don’t think either of them happens. While it would be amazing to see one – or both – of your scenarios play out, the odds are very slim. Like nearly impossible.

Bucs QB Tom Brady – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

But if I had to choose one, I suppose I would go with the Bucs 17-0. Brady had already led a team to an undefeated regular season with the 2007 Patriots, so that isn’t impossible. And on paper at least, this 2021 Bucs team looks to be even better than that 2007 Patriots team.

To win three Super Bowls in a row is something that has never been done in the history of the NFL. There have been a few back-to-back winners and even some three-out-of-four championships, but never has a team won three straight. If by some miracle that were to happen, just put Arians, Brady, Evans, David, Devin White and the entire team into the Hall of Fame right away. No need to even wait the five years following their retirement.