but they were pretty formidable and much improved in their 6-2 finish to the season including playoffs
As was the defense, including holding opponents to 18 points or less in 50% of those aforementioned games, including a few holding teams to less than 10 points twice and a complete shutout.
For sure, the whole team was firing in that 6-2 run
for some reason the Panthers had our number on defense in which we only scored a combined 30 points in 2 games. The defense definitely won those match-ups
The impressive 29, 34, and 30 point games against Atlanta, GreenBay, and Jacksonville - hard to take away form the offense there!
the saints game, offense was trash
Eagles victory 32-9 - throwing out our 2020 superbowl year, this was my most enjoyable win in the last 3 years. Dominating on all facets
The Lions 31-23 loss
it was 10-10 at the end of the half and 17-17 at end of three. I dont recall exactly but i remember a few lions drops saving us on defense.
then heading into the 4th
Lions drive 75 yards for a touchdown, we go three and out
Liosn drive 89 yards for a touchdowns to fall 31-17
we answer with a 75 yard touchdown. for some reason go for 2 because of "analytics"
force a punt, and get ball back with 2 minutes having to drive 90 yards and get 2 points as well. interception on 2nd play
but still, could have called a time out because Dan Campbell is a bone head and a missed field goal away from driving 60 yards for a touchdown. Unfortunately we also have a bone head head coach
The Panthers should have made Evero the HC because he is that good. Canales if he can have the Panthers offense NFL average or close to it then Evero can work his magic on defense.
This is why I feel that the Panthers roster and the Saints roster are more competitive than Atlanta because they are more complete rosters that match up well against the Bucs. The Falcons roster is very top heavy meaning they have a lot of ultra talented player at starting spots but nothing behind them and that is with 17 NFL regular season games they have to grapple with. Bucs, Saints and Panthers can compete if they have injuries here and there but Atlanta doesn't have the depth the other three teams in the division.
NBC Sports
- NFC South Odds: +300 | NFC Odds: +3500 | Super Bowl Odds: +7500
- Head Coach: Todd Bowles (3rd Season) | 2023 Record: 9-8 | Projected 2024 Win Total: 7.5
- Best Bet: Mike Evans Over 1000.5 Receiving Yards (-112)
- Evans continues to hold off Father Time gaining 1255 yards while scoring 13 TDs in 2023.
- The wideout has cleared the 1000-yard mark in each of his 10 NFL seasons.
- New signal-caller Liam Coen put his name on the list of Offensive Gurus leading the Kentucky Wildcats’ offense in 2021 in which they were the 5th-best scoring offense in the nation.**
- Evans should get the targets to hit this number assuming good health for Mr. Reliable.
This is why I feel that the Panthers roster and the Saints roster are more competitive than Atlanta because they are more complete rosters that match up well against the Bucs.
Will respectfully disagree with this.
Atlanta and Tampa's rosters are superior to NOLA's, and in another echelon compared to Carolina.
I have to fall back on the ole saying "It ain't over till the fat lady sings". The Buc's are showing to push through no matter what you get dealt. They definitely have built themselves on this. Chemistry and continuity is actually alive and well here with the team. Go Buc's!
NFCE: 33-35
NFCS: 27-41
You can offer all of the opinions you want about what will or won't happen in the future. I'll deal with the facts at hand, which are:
2023 - NFCE: 33-35 or .485 winning percentage > NFCS: 27-41 or .397 winning percentage
2024
NFCE: 36-32 or .529 winning percentage
NFCS: 28-40 or .411 winning percentage
Both divisions improved from last season, the East by 3 games and the South by 1 game. But this is the third year in a row that the East has outperformed the South, by a pretty significant margin.
@bucsbits - I hate the cowboys. But if someone told me I had to put $5k of my own money on either the Bucs or Cowboys to win the superbowl this year… I’d have to put it on the Cowboys.
Precisely. The Cowboys are better favored because they are the better team.
Thats why they play the game.
Cowboys 7-10, 3rd in the division
Bucs 10-7, win the division
The Cowboys were blown out by the Saints AT HOME, the Bucs swept the Saints
Both teams lost to the Ravens, both teams split with the Commanders
The Cowboys lost to the Lions, the Bucs beat the Lions
The Cowboys lost to the Eagles, the Bucs beat the eagles.
The TOP brand is going to get more coverage and, by default, get the high hopes of reporting (the POINT OF MY ORIGINAL POST):
almost every year the Cowboys are covered like they are a contender. They haven’t won a Super Bowl since 1996. The Bucs have won 2 over the same timeframe.
Dak Prescott has something like a 2-6 playoff record. Mayfield is what, 2-2?
BUT if you just step away from the surface and ask why the "better team" (Cowboys) underperformed the Buccaneers, both teams had injuries (always a wildcard) BUT the Cowboys are almost always MIRED in off-field drama and crazy personnel decisions. Last year was pretty extreme for that stuff.
Odds sell action. The Prescott led Cowboys were 3-5? On a three game slide when he gets injured, 2 of those wins against the Browns and Giants
MGM
Bucs +4000
Cowboys +6600
An interesting look back and the concerns we had back then are valid for the most part. I think the one thing no one anticipated was the Bucs having an elite offense. Even with the loss of Coen there was enough growth for the second straight year with the players on offense to show that the Bucs offense is here to stay at the top for a while as the Bucs head into this season.
Defense on the other hand has been up and down but the common theme since 2021 has been the lack of health in the secondary which Arians has pointed out many times. Hopefully the Bucs not only doubling up but triple investments into the DB room mitigates that potential pitfalls that slowed down the 2022 and 2024 teams respectively.
I think the one thing no one anticipated was the Bucs having an elite offense
What a great surprise.
And that 2023 top 7 defense faded fast in 2024… as anticipated.
Would be interesting if the 2025 defense rebounds in the same way.
