Week 1 is a reality check not just for the Bucs but for it's division foes as well.
The Bucs have a home game against a team in transition with a rookie QB. If we lose tomorrow, we're in trouble. There's no other way to slice it.
The Falcons have a home game against an average Steelers team (O/U 8.5) starting Justin Fields. Sure a loss wouldn't be the end of the world, but if they truly are a team to be reckoned with this year they should win this game. If they lose, then Atlanta would reveal that they are just an 8 or 9 win team at best. With the offseason moves they made, they can't be content with fighting for that last wildcard spot on Week 17.
The Saints have a home game against the lowly Panthers. A win would just be holding serve. A loss would make the Saints the favorite for last place in the division and perhaps the entire league. It would immediately put the spotlight on Dennis Allen and whether he could last the entire regular season.
When the Packers lose the Eagles or the Ravens lose to the Chiefs those losses are meaningful, but they aren't an indication of how the season will end up for any of those teams. But for the NFC South there are some real litmus tests in week one. If they lose then get ready for a long season.
If we lose tomorrow, we're in trouble. There's no other way to slice it.
Yep.
Season would be over.
Probably looking at a Top-3 pick.
Might have to fire Licht and Bowles on Monday.
Most likely trade Evans, Winfield, LVD, and Wirfs before the deadline.
Glazers most likely to relocate the team.
If they can't beat the Commanders with a QB playing his first game, then how are they going to be any of the good teams on the schedule? You can joke all you want, ha ha. I don't think the Bucs, Falcons or Saints will lose this week. But if the Bucs lose then check back here on Monday funny boy and see what a jovial mood everybody is in and how they feel about the future of this season. Week 1 is a must win for the Bucs.If we lose tomorrow, we're in trouble. There's no other way to slice it.
Yep.
Season would be over.
Probably looking at a Top-3 pick.
Might have to fire Licht and Bowles on Monday.
Most likely trade Evans, Winfield, LVD, and Wirfs before the deadline.
Glazers most likely to relocate the team.
“Kancey will not play in Sunday’s season-opener because of a calf injury suffered in practice on Friday.”
I read one online prediction that NO, Atlanta and TB would all end up with 9-8 records. Had the lowly Panthers only winning 2 games. Put your money on the Panthers. (not much)
Week 1 is a must win for the Bucs.
Your next intelligent post will be your first.
I stated this before in another post in another thread. Given the difficulty of the Bucs' schedule, they absolutely must win the games they should win. Today's matchup as a home opener vs a team in transition with a rookie making his first start at QB is the first of several games they must win.
I agree with the thought that the first game is critical.
Last year they won games we might not expect and lost games they should've won, but the problem with a home opener loss against a team like the Commanders is that it would really put them behind the 8-ball BECAUSE the Lions, Eagles and then two division games. Even if you pencil in the Broncos as a win and the division games as split they could be 2-4 or maybe 3-3 through the first third of the season.
Last year when they were 3-3 there was big group calling for Trask and talking about playoffs being meaningless. Add to that the calls for Bowles head in each of his years as a HC (lol) and Iit is not hard to see how a start like that COULD BE A TROLLING BLOODBATH ON THE RED BOARD at 2-4. . . especially with completely different expectations expressed here so often.
I think they beat the Commanders today with an imperfect performance on both sides of the ball, but also with some encouraging play.
i want to see them come out FAST on offense!
Well, one team is taking care of business. The Saints winning 30 to 0. Gonna be a long season for Dave Canales apparently.
We might lose to the Saints like usual but we now have Coen, Cousisn is still cousins, panthers arent good
We don't lose tomorrow
edit: today
Yes it seems like they forgot to block TJ Watt. It's not the end of the world for Atlanta to lose to a Steelers team that always plays tough, but if there was anybody predicting they would win 12 or 13 games and challenge for the NFC championship they should temper those expectations. They looked like a 9-8 team today.Dirty Birds going down?
The problem with Atlanta isn't how good they can be this year.
The problem for Atlanta is they do not look better than the Saints, Bucs, Vikings, Packers, Bears, Lions, Cowboys, Eagles, Rams, Seahawks and 49ers so far. Cardinals might be on par with Atlanta but lets say that Atlanta is better than Arizona at this point.
So for Atlanta to live up to the expert high level prediction of dominating the NFC conference they need to out play a lot of NFC teams but based on how they look and on paper I am not seeing it.
Yes it seems like they forgot to block TJ Watt
As much as one player can do in the NFL, he almost won that game single-handedly for the Steelers. One helluva performance.
