It’s that time of the offseason when we start to really look ahead to the fall, with predictions and hot takes coming out on the daily. The Bucs are always a hot topic these days, and NFL Network analyst Adam Rank was the latest to try his hand at predicting the team’s 2022 regular season.

Going game by game, Rank predicted a second consecutive 13-4 season for Tampa Bay. His predictions featured a hot start for the Bucs, with a season-opening win over the Cowboys in Dallas. Then, however, he had the team losing its eighth consecutive regular season game against the Saints. Following a 1-1 start on the road, Rank likes the Bucs’ chances to come home and beat the Packers, Chiefs and Falcons. Those three consecutive home wins would have them at 4-1 through five games.

The second loss in these predictions comes in Week 6. Rank calls for a Tampa Bay loss in Pittsburgh against the Steelers. It’s another hot run for the Bucs coming out of that game, though. Rank has them picking up wins over the Panthers, Ravens, Rams and Seahawks before the bye week.

Bucs OLB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and Saints QB Taysom Hill – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Coming out of the bye week at 8-2, the Bucs would be in a great spot to potentially finish as the NFC’s top seed. But Rank has them losing back-to-back games after the week off. First comes a loss to the Browns on the road in Week 12. Then, he predicts a ninth straight regular season loss to the Saints. That certainly wouldn’t go over well.

With another season sweep at the hands of New Orleans in the rearview mirror, the Bucs finish strong in Rank’s predictions. He has them beating the 49ers, Bengals, Cardinals, Panthers and Falcons to end the season on a five-game winning streak. That would put Tampa Bay at 13-4.

Just last year, Tom Brady helped the Bucs to a franchise-record 13 wins. After a brief 40-day retirement this offseason, can he do it again in 2022?

Posting another 13-4 record would give the Bucs a 37-13 regular season record during Brady’s time in Tampa Bay. That’ll play.