Is that so you can waffle on your stupid take of how good Bowles is and the Bucs are going to walk through to the Super Bowl instead of putting your ignorance on record? Then again, you seem to do that on a regular basis. Freakin idiot.Anyone doing predictions prior to the first game is feminine, goofy, and just plain silly.
I wanted to believe this team can be a 9 or 10 win team with this rookie class and Mayfield magic and maybe that still happens. The problem is that the offense has too many unknowns at the moment and the schedule features a lot of top tier QBs with a very green DB room.
It is not until week 7 and 8 where the Bucs face QBs they can compete against which are both division foes. It could be argued week 2 is the Bucs chance to steal a W against the Browns and Deshaun Watson. But after week 7 and 8 the Bucs face off against the Bears. The bye arrives but after the bye they must face off against Detroit and then Carolina again. Followed by Chargers, Ravens, Saints, Falcons, Rams, and the Saints on the road for the final game.
Tough, tough schedule.
I wanted to believe this team can be a 9 or 10 win team with this rookie class and Mayfield magic and maybe that still happens. The problem is that the offense has too many unknowns at the moment and the schedule features a lot of top tier QBs with a very green DB room.
It is not until week 7 and 8 where the Bucs face QBs they can compete against which are both division foes. It could be argued week 2 is the Bucs chance to steal a W against the Browns and Deshaun Watson. But after week 7 and 8 the Bucs face off against the Bears. The bye arrives but after the bye they must face off against Detroit and then Carolina again. Followed by Chargers, Ravens, Saints, Falcons, Rams, and the Saints on the road for the final game.
Tough, tough schedule.
1) feel like week 1 will be telling. Most that have us going 9-10 wins has a win over the Bengals (including myself)
that is hardly a forgone conclusion with us being 3.5 point dogs on the road.
2) another key factor will be the division and just how much the gap is closed there. Throwing last year's debacle out, the Bucs have gone 4-2 each year. Will they do the same this year or is 3-3 the new norm.
Forgone conclusions that Baltimore and Rams games are losses, right? What's the best we can do in prime time? 1-2. Let's assume a Carolina win. That's @Dallas and @Chicago losses.
so we are looking at potentially 3-8 right there having to go 6-0 in the following games (V CLE, V MIN, V GB, V PIT, @DET, V LAC) to reach 9 wins in the event we lose to Cincy and split the division. Not looking good.
Week 1 is pretty big. Bucs have started 2-0 in every year under Bowles. Will they keep it up?
Week 1 is pretty big. Bucs have started 2-0 in every year under Bowles. Will they keep it up?
I dont think so. The first game is a real wildcard, playing away against Burrows with a rookie-led (or dependent) defense and who knows what offense.
I wanted to believe this team can be a 9 or 10 win team with this rookie class and Mayfield magic and maybe that still happens. The problem is that the offense has too many unknowns at the moment and the schedule features a lot of top tier QBs with a very green DB room.
It is not until week 7 and 8 where the Bucs face QBs they can compete against which are both division foes. It could be argued week 2 is the Bucs chance to steal a W against the Browns and Deshaun Watson. But after week 7 and 8 the Bucs face off against the Bears. The bye arrives but after the bye they must face off against Detroit and then Carolina again. Followed by Chargers, Ravens, Saints, Falcons, Rams, and the Saints on the road for the final game.
Tough, tough schedule.
1) feel like week 1 will be telling. Most that have us going 9-10 wins has a win over the Bengals (including myself)
that is hardly a forgone conclusion with us being 3.5 point dogs on the road.
2) another key factor will be the division and just how much the gap is closed there. Throwing last year's debacle out, the Bucs have gone 4-2 each year. Will they do the same this year or is 3-3 the new norm.
Forgone conclusions that Baltimore and Rams games are losses, right? What's the best we can do in prime time? 1-2. Let's assume a Carolina win. That's @Dallas and @Chicago losses.
so we are looking at potentially 3-8 right there having to go 6-0 in the following games (V CLE, V MIN, V GB, V PIT, @DET, V LAC) to reach 9 wins in the event we lose to Cincy and split the division. Not looking good.
Week 1 is pretty big. Bucs have started 2-0 in every year under Bowles. Will they keep it up?
The Saints on paper have a very good TE, RB and Ol group. But reality is their WR core is a weak spot and they are relying on two rookies to play big roles. Similar problem the Falcons have with their WR group. If the Bucs LBs can cover the TEs and RBs then the Bucs can defeats the Saints and Falcons because their WR cores outside of Olave and London are not going to be able to do enough damage even with a green Bucs secondary.
The Panthers are little better off with their WR group as a whole and they do not have a TE core as good as Atlanta or New Orleans.
On paper the Bucs offense is still the best in the division but the division will come down to defense. And right now on paper the Panthers have that edge as they doubled down on fortifying and upgrading depth and their starting defense. Panthers I believe have the best front seven right now on paper in the NFCS.
The Falcons defensive before training camp began was very small across their entire front seven. Now that pre season is over their final depth chart has larger bodies to compete with the division having beefy OLs. They traded for Gervon Dexter Sr. Then they picked up Jared Ivy as the Seahawks couldn't keep him on their main roster. They signed ZaDarious Smith and picked up Cameron Thomas. They fortified with some bigger OLBs and DL because they need help to generate pressure as their secondary is still the best in the division.
Injuries have also hurt the Saints like the Falcons defensively as Breese is out.
So they made a claim for Colby Wooden. Their DL is all about power on that front. And they did draft Christian Miller in the wings. But they will have to find a way to generate pressure and their secondary has to hold up. The Saints on paper have the weakest secondary in the division but that could change.
With the schedule they have, I'm going to go with 8-9, hoping I'm wrong...
AFC East - Buffalo Bills
AFC North - Baltimore Ravens
AFC South - Houston Texans
AFC West - Kansas City Chiefs
Wild Cards - Cincinnati, Los Angeles Chargers, New England
3 new playoff teams with Baltimore, KC, and Cincinnati
Just missing out are the Jaguars and Broncos
NFC East - Philadelphia Eagles
NFC North - Detroit Lions
NFC South - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
NFC West - Los Angeles Rams
Wild Cards - Seattle, San Francisco, and Dallas
3 new playoff teams with Detroit, Tampa Bay, and Dallas
Just missing out are the Packers and Bears
Super Bowl - Rams over Bills
11-6
11-6
that would be quite the turnaround
1) What does this assume for divisional record? When the Bucs were rallying off playoff appearances under Brady and Baker 4-2 was the ceiling. Last year debauchery resulted in 3-3
2) What do you have for prime time games? Bucs currently have 2 road games - Dallas & Chicago as well as a home match up for Panthers. Under Baker/Bowles duo, the regular season has not been kind. Bucs are 1-9 in prime time games with their first win coming last year at Houston.
3) What do you have them doing in 3 tough games we will be pretty big underdogs in - @Detroit, @Baltimore, and v Rams
To be fair, i have them at 9-8 so not "coming at you" but just curious as to where the 11 wins come from
11-6
that would be quite the turnaround
1) What does this assume for divisional record? When the Bucs were rallying off playoff appearances under Brady and Baker 4-2 was the ceiling. Last year debauchery resulted in 3-3
2) What do you have for prime time games? Bucs currently have 2 road games - Dallas & Chicago as well as a home match up for Panthers. Under Baker/Bowles duo, the regular season has not been kind. Bucs are 1-9 in prime time games with their first win coming last year at Houston.
3) What do you have them doing in 3 tough games we will be pretty big underdogs in - @Detroit, @Baltimore, and v Rams
To be fair, i have them at 9-8 so not "coming at you" but just curious as to where the 11 wins come from
Bengals W
Browns W
Vikings W
Packers W
Cowboys L
Steelers W
Panthers W
Falcons W
Bears L
Lions L
Panthers W
Chargers W
Ravens L
Saints L
Falcons W
Rams L
Saints W
Bengals - L. (0-1)
Browns - W. (1-1)
Vikings - W. (2-1)
Packers - L. (2-2)
Cowboys - L. (2-3)
Steelers - W. (3-3)
Panthers - W. (4-3)
Falcons - W. (5-3)
Bears - L. (5-4)
Lions - L (5-5)
Panthers - L. (5-6)
Chargers - L. (5-7)
Ravens - L. (5-8)
Saints - W. (6-8)
Falcons - W. (7-8)
Rams - L. (8-8)
Saints (Both teams for the division) - L. (8-9)
8-9
Lose a tiebreaker to the Saints to miss the division.
Miss the playoffs.
AFC East - Bills
AFC North - Ravens
AFC South - Jaguars
AFC West - Chargers
Wild Cards - Broncos, Chiefs, Patriots
______________
NFC East - Cowboys
NFC North - Lions
NFC South - Saints
NFC West - Rams
Wild Cards - Seahawks, Bears, Eagles
Athletic/NYT -- wins (8), playoffs (39.5%), division (31.8%), Super Bowl (1%)
|
8.0
|
39.5%
|
31.8%
|
1.0%
|
BuccaneersBengals - L. (0-1)
Browns - W. (1-1)
Vikings - W. (2-1)
Packers - L. (2-2)
Cowboys - L. (2-3)
Steelers - W. (3-3)
Panthers - W. (4-3)
Falcons - W. (5-3)
Bears - L. (5-4)
Lions - L (5-5)
Panthers - L. (5-6)
Chargers - L. (5-7)
Ravens - L. (5-8)
Saints - W. (6-8)
Falcons - W. (7-8)
Rams - L. (8-8)
Saints (Both teams for the division) - L. (8-9)
8-9
Lose a tiebreaker to the Saints to miss the division.
Miss the playoffs.
I get this especially given TB as the head coach. If healthy I think Mayfield can eek out 2-3 more wins than last year and D line is improved. Watched the QB on Netflix, Mayfield had some bad injuries. That is where my 11-6 arrived on my game by game.
Bengals - L. (0-1)
Browns - W. (1-1)
Vikings - W. (2-1)
Packers - L. (2-2)
Cowboys - L. (2-3)
Steelers - W. (3-3)
Panthers - W. (4-3)
Falcons - W. (5-3)
Bears - L. (5-4)
Lions - L (5-5)
Panthers - L. (5-6)
Chargers - L. (5-7)
Ravens - L. (5-8)
Saints - W. (6-8)
Falcons - W. (7-8)
Rams - L. (8-8)
Saints (Both teams for the division) - L. (8-9)
8-9
Lose a tiebreaker to the Saints to miss the division.
Miss the playoffs.
I get this especially given TB as the head coach. If healthy I think Mayfield can eek out 2-3 more wins than last year and D line is improved. Watched the QB on Netflix, Mayfield had some bad injuries. That is where my 11-6 arrived on my game by game.
Fair points.
