The Bucs will be the 2nd or 3rd seed. Miscellaneous comments:
1) Kudos to the NFL for moving the start times of the Bucs and Saints games to keep some games from being meaningless. This helps the Bucs chances to get the #2 seed. The 49ers now have to win to be sure to get in the playoffs, rather than be able to wait and see if the Saints eliminate themselves @ ATL. So the Rams will have their hands full at San Francisco, while the Bucs play a team who's head coach will be fired the next day.
2) The Bucs have a reasonable path to the Superbowl because they didn't get the 4th seed. If the Bucs take care of business, they will still likely have to go up to the Frozen Tundra, but I don't see anybody beating the Packers up there after they've had the bye week. So let the Cowboys, Rams or Cardinals try to do that. Good luck with that. Hopefully they can soften up the Packers a little if the Bucs end up making it into the NFC Championship.
3) Week 17 The Falcons are out, but in that type of division rivalry I think the Falcons will play spoiler and beat the mediocre Saints.
4) Week 17 The NFL couldn't keep all the games meaningful. The Cowboys/Eagles game is meaningless to both teams, so tough to call who will win. The Cowboys are stuck in the 4th seed, and the Eagles could get 6th or 7th seed but have no idea who their opponent will be anyway. From what I see this one will be a glorified preseason game.
5) 1st Round Opponent watch: (Assume Bucs beat CAR). There's about a half dozen different scenarios. I tried to figure it out, but its just impossible to tell who the Bucs might be playing between the Eagles, 49ers, or Saints. I'd prefer the 49ers who will have to lay it all on the line in Week 17 and will likely be starting a rookie QB. I just don't want to face the Saints again, mediocre as they are, because they've seen us five times in the past two years. They are well coached and know us too well. I don't want it. And the Eagles as I said will be able to get rested up a bit and have a mobile QB. So the Bucs of course should win vs. any of those teams, but I prefer the Niners.
