That one exception though was the Giants. They had a -6 differential, but the interesting part is they basically had QB play (manning) carry them. Bad running and inconsistent defense.
Are you referring to the SB year where they beat the Bucs in the WC?
They were a Top-5 rushing unit all year and their defense gave up 16 points per game in the playoffs.
Eli didn’t carry that team.
The "13-4" Buccaneers will enter the playoffs at .500 (?) and with a points differential 5 times WORSE than those Giants
But Brady >>>> Manning
This is a 3-14 team without Brady.
We'd be 8-8 with Taylor Heineke or Gardner Minshew as our QB.
We're 8-8 in the worst division division in a 2nd rate conference, and that 8-8 is mainly because of a good defense. The offense has been moribund, scoring 18.5 points per game. Brady has been a full participant in that moribundity. It's not like some other teams where the starting QB has missed a number of games and they are down to the 2nd or 3rd string. Brady has been healthy all season! What has he done? He's bailed us out a couple times from deficits that he helped create. This idea that Brady is like the kid putting the finger in the dike is just not accurate.
This is a 3-14 team without Brady.
We'd be 8-8 with Taylor Heineke or Gardner Minshew as our QB.
We're 8-8 in the worst division division in a 2nd rate conference, and that 8-8 is mainly because of a good defense. The offense has been moribund, scoring 18.5 points per game. Brady has been a full participant in that moribundity. It's not like some other teams where the starting QB has missed a number of games and they are down to the 2nd or 3rd string. Brady has been healthy all season! What has he done? He's bailed us out a couple times from deficits that he helped create. This idea that Brady is like the kid putting the finger in the dike is just not accurate.
I can at least see Brady and the structure of playoffs (win or go home) as a significant wildcard, meaning we could definitely perform better than the mediocre team our actual record and a full season says we are.
The closest we have seen to that structure/situation so far is the Carolina game. It was a win, a come from behind win, so that is a great sign ESPECIALLY STOPPING THE RUN. But, no denying the game saw a lot of BAD PLAY and the win was largely dependent on turnovers and taking advantage of back up CBs playing terrible defense against a type of play (deep throw to man covered Evans) that most opponents have played to take away.
I hope Brady has more miracles in him. I hope Bill Parcells and Dennis Green were wrong.
I hope Buggsy know more about playing O-line than Joe Thomas . . .
UUUUUGGGGGGGHHHHHHH . .. I should've stopped at Parcells and Green
I do believe Minshew or Heineke could have gotten this team to 8-8. But I'm not crazy and of course for the playoffs I'd prefer Brady. We have to hope that the Panthers game was the start of something and not just a brief reminder of what used to be.
This team's defense is solid, though injuries have made it look worse for some games than the full starting compliment would make it. Offensively, we've seen the offense be almost unstoppable running no-huddle and on the rare occasion that BL would use a lot of play-action and motion (that first half against the Bengals was no fluke - it's what happens when you keep defenses guessing with the offensive talent we actually have) the offense has easily moved the ball. While execution has killed us at times, the overall play-calling on offense has been our downfall all year. If BL just sticks with the proven formula of mixing up the offensive play calls using play-action, motion, and occasional use of no huddle, we can score on anyone. But that's the big IF. I don't know if it's the lack of Arians around to guide (I suspect the most) or the wishes of a more conservative Bowels (a good possibility also), or both (most likely), but taking the reins off the offense and letting it rip during the post season will get us much further than some here suspect.
BucHarbour, you're too rational to be on this board.
taking the reins off the offense and letting it rip during the post season will get us much further than some here suspect.
This is the big wildcard. No reason to hold back at all. Exciting
