This team's ceiling is 9 wins. I have said 6. All the talking heads writing sports articles know exactly dick about this team. I have always stated Bowles lost this team last year. Why does anyone think the outcome is going to be any different. This is who Todd Bowles is as a head coach and he's not capable of being any more than that. I will stand by my 6 until I see the product on the field, because to me, they didn't do anywhere near enough on the coaching side or the player side to get over the 8-9 win hump.
The ceiling is 11 wins imo. We are def limited by Bowles but we are the most talented team in the division.
If Baker and the line stay healthy and we win 1 or 2 games we shouldn't, 11 wins is possible (however unlikely).
We have been the most talented team in the division for the last half decade and still that has amounted to 8, 10, 9, and 8 wins under Todd Bowles.Â
Also, in terms of winning 1 or 2 games we shouldn't, that's all fine and dandy assuming you don't lose 3-4 games you shouldn't. So while we beat Seattle last year, we also lost to Miami and call it 2 other division games we should not have. Heck in 2024, we were on our dominate second half run and still lost to a back-up QB led Dallas team in the midst of it which offset one of the games we should not have won - Detroit, Philadelphia, etc. So point being is it seems to even out.
I think the fact that the best we ever did in the division under Bowles/Arians, recent memory is 4-2; that is likely the ceiling there. You then have kryptonite teams in Baltimore and Los Angeles Rams which to me are guaranteed losses. 4-4 for those keeping track. Then aside from the Carolina prime time game, you have 2 others in Dallas and Chicago which again under Bowles/Baker we are 1-9. So that's 4-6 right there in which you'd have to go 7-0 in the following games - @Cincy, v Cle, v Min, v GB, V Pitt, @DET, V LAC. Other than Cleveland which should be a very winnable game, those are not gimme games in which we will be underdogs in the road games and likely even or 2.5 point spreads in all the other games.Â
I know i know, dont look at history when assessing what can happen, but Bowles has been around for 4 years now and it's been a repeat....strong start, mid season struggles, prime time struggles, playing down to division level. Last season was clearly the worse with a 3-3 record and unlike the prior 2 years where we would clean up on easy schedule, we did the opposite, Should be a more talented team this year but we had a damn top 5 offense back in 2024 and still only won 10 games. Â
This team's ceiling is 9 wins. I have said 6. All the talking heads writing sports articles know exactly dick about this team. I have always stated Bowles lost this team last year. Why does anyone think the outcome is going to be any different. This is who Todd Bowles is as a head coach and he's not capable of being any more than that. I will stand by my 6 until I see the product on the field, because to me, they didn't do anywhere near enough on the coaching side or the player side to get over the 8-9 win hump.
The ceiling is 11 wins imo. We are def limited by Bowles but we are the most talented team in the division.
If Baker and the line stay healthy and we win 1 or 2 games we shouldn't, 11 wins is possible (however unlikely).
We have been the most talented team in the division for the last half decade and still that has amounted to 8, 10, 9, and 8 wins under Todd Bowles.Â
Also, in terms of winning 1 or 2 games we shouldn't, that's all fine and dandy assuming you don't lose 3-4 games you shouldn't. So while we beat Seattle last year, we also lost to Miami and call it 2 other division games we should not have. Heck in 2024, we were on our dominate second half run and still lost to a back-up QB led Dallas team in the midst of it which offset one of the games we should not have won - Detroit, Philadelphia, etc. So point being is it seems to even out.
I think the fact that the best we ever did in the division under Bowles/Arians, recent memory is 4-2; that is likely the ceiling there. You then have kryptonite teams in Baltimore and Los Angeles Rams which to me are guaranteed losses. 4-4 for those keeping track. Then aside from the Carolina prime time game, you have 2 others in Dallas and Chicago which again under Bowles/Baker we are 1-9. So that's 4-6 right there in which you'd have to go 7-0 in the following games - @Cincy, v Cle, v Min, v GB, V Pitt, @DET, V LAC. Other than Cleveland which should be a very winnable game, those are not gimme games in which we will be underdogs in the road games and likely even or 2.5 point spreads in all the other games.Â
I know i know, dont look at history when assessing what can happen, but Bowles has been around for 4 years now and it's been a repeat....strong start, mid season struggles, prime time struggles, playing down to division level. Last season was clearly the worse with a 3-3 record and unlike the prior 2 years where we would clean up on easy schedule, we did the opposite, Should be a more talented team this year but we had a damn top 5 offense back in 2024 and still only won 10 games. Â
The talent argument starts to lose weight when you look at the loss of Dean, LVD and Evans all in one off season. I just think the Panthers leap frogged the Bucs, Saints caught up and the Falcons are not far behind which is why the records of the four teams in 2025 were so close. If you thought the divisional race in 2025 was tight it will be a lot closer in 2026. Â
9 wins is going to be enough to win this division but I do not see a team pulling away from this division given the schedule is brutal for all four teams. Given the talent level is close to one another the team that stays healthy might have the edge for the divisional title. Â
The talent argument starts to lose weight when you look at the loss of Dean, LVD and Evans all in one off season. I just think the Panthers leap frogged the Bucs, Saints caught up and the Falcons are not far behind which is why the records of the four teams in 2025 were so close.
Agreed. The talent gap the Bucs have had over the last six seasons is gone. They are pretty tight right now in terms of talent.
What about Head Coaches? I'd go Stefanski and then every one else is fighting for 2-4.
The talent argument starts to lose weight when you look at the loss of Dean, LVD and Evans all in one off season. I just think the Panthers leap frogged the Bucs, Saints caught up and the Falcons are not far behind which is why the records of the four teams in 2025 were so close.
Agreed. The talent gap the Bucs have had over the last six seasons is gone. They are pretty tight right now in terms of talent.
What about Head Coaches? I'd go Stefanski and then every one else is fighting for 2-4.
on paper, we clearly have the best QB so that should give us a clear advantageÂ
now, as discussed nausea, he didn’t show that second half of last year as he played down to the likes of other nfc south QBs; but at his best, they are not touching bakerÂ
The talent argument starts to lose weight when you look at the loss of Dean, LVD and Evans all in one off season. I just think the Panthers leap frogged the Bucs, Saints caught up and the Falcons are not far behind which is why the records of the four teams in 2025 were so close.
Agreed. The talent gap the Bucs have had over the last six seasons is gone. They are pretty tight right now in terms of talent.
What about Head Coaches? I'd go Stefanski and then every one else is fighting for 2-4.
on paper, we clearly have the best QB so that should give us a clear advantageÂ
now, as discussed nausea, he didn’t show that second half of last year as he played down to the likes of other nfc south QBs; but at his best, they are not touching bakerÂ
Yeah, there are still units where Tampa has the edge, like QB and OL.
Dean, LVD and Evans all in one off season
Last season LVD was one of the worst LBers in the league
Evans was 30/368 and 3 TDs
Dean had his best season in years and he only played in 14 games, 40ish tackles. The 3 picks will be missed.
THAT ^^^ is what you are replacing
In other words, if rookies are discounted because they only have "potential" then dont you have to evaluate the veteran "loss of talent" as it existed in 2025? That is what the Bucs are actually replacing.
The Bucs are better off at LBer. Easily. LVD even admitted to loafing last season and he would be 37?
Evans will do well with 49ers (if he stays healthy) but for the Bucs the loss compared to 2025 is mostly leadership. Not discounting that, just saying that one of their receivers will certainly replace 30/368 and 3 TDs. Evans had the "potential" to return to more meaningful form with the Bucs, but potential means nothing, right? Godwin was on the upswing, but he is discounted in the 2026 analysis, but Evans is not?
And Dean would be fat, happy "just got paid" Dean not " let me get paid" Dean lol, so 10-14 games etc.
I just think the Panthers leap frogged the Bucs, Saints caught up and the Falcons are not far behind which is why the records of the four teams in 2025 were so clos
Lolz
Dean, LVD and Evans all in one off season
Last season LVD was one of the worst LBers in the league
Evans was 30/368 and 3 TDs
Dean had his best season in years and he only played in 14 games, 40ish tackles. The 3 picks will be missed.
THAT ^^^ is what you are replacing
In other words, if rookies are discounted because they only have "potential" then dont you have to evaluate the veteran "loss of talent" as it existed in 2025? That is what the Bucs are actually replacing.
The Bucs are better off at LBer. Easily. LVD even admitted to loafing last season and he would be 37?
Evans will do well with 49ers (if he stays healthy) but for the Bucs the loss compared to 2025 is mostly leadership. Not discounting that, just saying that one of their receivers will certainly replace 30/368 and 3 TDs. Evans had the "potential" to return to more meaningful form with the Bucs, but potential means nothing, right? Godwin was on the upswing, but he is discounted in the 2026 analysis, but Evans is not?
And Dean would be fat, happy "just got paid" Dean not " let me get paid" Dean lol, so 10-14 games etc.
This
And for the record I'm not saying we will win 11 games, I'm saying we could win that many if we play well and stay healthy.
Dean played 14 games but got knocked out of what, 3 of them? He's made of glass. Good bye.
I'm a Bowles hater but 10 wins wouldn't shock me (nor would 7).
In the end, I think we have more talent this year than last year and I still think we have the most talent even if the gap has shrunkÂ
Dean, LVD and Evans all in one off season
Last season LVD was one of the worst LBers in the league
Evans was 30/368 and 3 TDs
Dean had his best season in years and he only played in 14 games, 40ish tackles. The 3 picks will be missed.
THAT ^^^ is what you are replacing
In other words, if rookies are discounted because they only have "potential" then dont you have to evaluate the veteran "loss of talent" as it existed in 2025? That is what the Bucs are actually replacing.
The Bucs are better off at LBer. Easily. LVD even admitted to loafing last season and he would be 37?
Evans will do well with 49ers (if he stays healthy) but for the Bucs the loss compared to 2025 is mostly leadership. Not discounting that, just saying that one of their receivers will certainly replace 30/368 and 3 TDs. Evans had the "potential" to return to more meaningful form with the Bucs, but potential means nothing, right? Godwin was on the upswing, but he is discounted in the 2026 analysis, but Evans is not?
And Dean would be fat, happy "just got paid" Dean not " let me get paid" Dean lol, so 10-14 games etc.
This
And for the record I'm not saying we will win 11 games, I'm saying we could win that many if we play well and stay healthy.
Dean played 14 games but got knocked out of what, 3 of them? He's made of glass. Good bye.
I'm a Bowles hater but 10 wins wouldn't shock me (nor would 7).
In the end, I think we have more talent this year than last year and I still think we have the most talent even if the gap has shrunkÂ
yes we are the most talented team in the NFC South, have the best quarterback, have improved OC and ST coordinators. The one knock is that we lost leadership. Not having Evans or David will hurt. Not having Dean, you would hope with all the draft capital of the last few years that we will be fine but that might hurt for the 13 games he plays a year.Â
Evans was a non factor last year but he is a game changer overall. I'd likely pick the under in him breaking 1,000 yards next year but still alot of questions in current WR core.
1 - Can Godwin back to pre injury Godwin? Dude was dominate in 2024 season
2 - Can Egbuka be the guy he was the first half of season? the decline was hard to pinpoint as his targets per game didnt change with other WRs joining the fold
3 - Can McMillian stay healthy? He missed time rookie year with hamstring injury, broken neck last year.
Bonus question mark - How many games will Bucky Irving miss this year?
Our WRs can get the the job done... Can we improve our scheme, improve our blocking, and stay healthy?
Bucky got shoulder surgery and will be ready but at his size, missed time will always be a concern... But I really like Gainwell.
Defense will be improved despite Bowles, that much I'm sure of. It's simply more talented despite my grievances with our LB selection.
Again I'm just saying our ceiling isn't 9 it's 11. That's allÂ
Our WRs can get the the job done... Can we improve our scheme, improve our blocking, and stay healthy?
Bucky got shoulder surgery and will be ready but at his size, missed time will always be a concern... But I really like Gainwell.
Defense will be improved despite Bowles, that much I'm sure of. It's simply more talented despite my grievances with our LB selection.
Again I'm just saying our ceiling isn't 9 it's 11. That's allÂ
quite possible. 11-6 would be a hell of a ride and progress, especially considering this schedule.
All things go right, best case is 11 wins but i could see floor at 5-12. I got us at 9-8 but with 11 wins, man it would be good to have some confidence for a playoff gameÂ
Our WRs can get the the job done... Can we improve our scheme, improve our blocking, and stay healthy?
Bucky got shoulder surgery and will be ready but at his size, missed time will always be a concern... But I really like Gainwell.
Defense will be improved despite Bowles, that much I'm sure of. It's simply more talented despite my grievances with our LB selection.
Again I'm just saying our ceiling isn't 9 it's 11. That's allÂ
quite possible. 11-6 would be a hell of a ride and progress, especially considering this schedule.
All things go right, best case is 11 wins but i could see floor at 5-12. I got us at 9-8 but with 11 wins, man it would be good to have some confidence for a playoff gameÂ
I'll rarely have confidence with Bowles at the helm but with enough talent you can still win games