Two Buccaneers Seasons In One

April 21st, 2017

Different year

Look, any Buccaneers schedule in any year is awesome and exciting and absolute crack in April for addicted Tampa Bay fans.

But this season is damn unique.

Your beloved Buccaneers don’t have a division game until October 29 — Week 8!

So there’s the first seven games, a somewhat bizarre mix of opponents. They’re important, sure, but the Bucs don’t get nasty in the division, where it almost counts double, until halfway through the year.

Here’s the Week 8 and beyond schedule below. The Bucs close the season with three straight division games! Holy crap!

Oct. 29, PANTHERS, 1 p.m.
Nov. 5, at Saints, 1 p.m.
Nov. 12, JETS, 1 p.m.
BYE Week 11
Nov. 26, at Atlanta, 1 p.m.
Dec. 3, at Green Bay, 1 p.m.
Dec. 10, LIONS, 1 p.m.
Dec. 18, ATLANTA, 8:30 p.m. (Monday)
Dec. 24, at Panthers, 1 p.m.
Dec. 31, SAINTS, 1 p.m.

Joe wrote last week, directly from the mouth of Dirk Koetter, that the opening message to the Bucs from their head coach was that, “They all matter. They all matter.” That was the Bucs’ big December lesson last season.

Professionals should all know that already, but it gets magnified this season, when the Bucs will wait and wait for their biggest games.

39 Responses to “Two Buccaneers Seasons In One”

  1. Buccaneer Bonzai Says:

    Joe, you are more right than you realize. We play our division at the end of the season, but we play our OLD division the rest of the season.

    Gonna be fun!

  2. WhatdaBUCisthis Says:

    12-4 damn it lol

  3. Locked In Says:

    I’m hoping this will be a positive for the Bucs. Hopefully they’ll be playing their best ball week 8 – and they don’t have too many injuries. Glad the bye is later in the season too.

  4. Buccaneer Bonzai Says:

    I think we rack up some good wins before the bye week.

  5. Tom Edrington Says:

    Very, very, very tough schedule, I sense a lot of overconfidence out there….the longer I look at it, the tougher it gets.

  6. tmaxcon Says:

    A lot of time from week one to first division game. Can you imagine all the excuses the soft leader of the losing culture will have by the first division game… Will it be knees, shoulders, vaginia, ankle, big toe or pinky that is the reason for cancer93 not being inpactful

  7. Jack Clauberg Says:

    Dear Buccaneer Followers,
    I’ve been a Buc fan since day one, 1976, and a season ticket holder for 19 years.
    Yesterday I was told that my tickets are being revoked. Why? Because the organization only wants Buc fans to be surrounded by fellow Buc fans. Apparently, I sell too many of my tickets on the secondary market. Considering that I live in New Jersey, why does the organization assume that I don’t sell or give my tickets to family and friends that I have in the Tampa area?
    Which I do. Additionally, I will be relocating to Dunedin when I retire shortly. However, now I don’t have my tickets or a team to root for. From a organization that is constantly whining about empty seats, I’m a paying customer for 19 years that has been kicked to the curb.
    Just thought all you Joe Buc followers should know what type of people you are supporting.

    A Buccaneer supporter no more,

    Formally Section 150, row C, Seats 11 & 12

  8. Mike Johnson Says:

    I’ll just wait and see. Sometimes I LMAO because Buc fans act like 31 other teams are not improving. This Hard Knocks crap will not be a plus in any way for us preparing for a tough schedule. Thus I’ll remain forever..cautiously optimistic!

  9. Pawel Says:

    The team usually gets pretty banged up after a divisional game, now it will be all you got in the last 3 games. Free for all.

  10. Love and Warrick Dunn Says:

    Did Lovie Smith make this schedule?

  11. Pickgrin Says:

    Hope we are peaking in December.

    3 out of the last 4 games at home could be very advantageous if we are in position record wise and playing well late in the season.

  12. bucNation Says:

    this almost looks like death row if you look close enough.. take away the jets and every team in that stretch can most definetly be battling for playoffs. i have faith in my bucs but they will most definetly have to be playing they’re best football during this last stretch of the season

  13. Buccaneer Bonzai Says:

    I really wish there were an ignore function on this place.

  14. Buccaneer Bonzai Says:

    A lot of overreactions here.

  15. tmaxcon Says:

    Bonzi

    You need an ignore button because you can’t handle the truth about the leader of the losing culture…. He’s just another bible thumping hypocrite who does not produce when it matters…

  16. rayjay1122 Says:

    I said it once and will say it again. If the Bucs are truly turning the corner and a playoff caliber team then it really does not matter what the schedule looks like. I get it though. The years of losing has created this loser or scared attitude in fans. I hihly doubt Patriot fans freak out over schedules or the Giants fans, Cowboy fans or Steeler fans. They all just expect their teams to contend and win every year.

  17. Bucfan951 Says:

    Tmaxipad: you must be sooooo much fun to hang out with at social functions. No wonder your ex wife left you.

  18. Pickgrin Says:

    stfu tmax. you are such a d!ck with your relentless and clueless GMC bashing.

  19. tmaxcon Says:

    Pickgrin

    you and the other nut huggers would rather the bucs be mediocre than accept the fact with a leader like mccoy on defense they will never be great. his mentally weak approach for seven years has proven this time and time again. I’ll shut up when bucs win a playoff game which they will not do with soft losers like mccoy

  20. tmaxcon Says:

    All the safety running back schedule discussions are irrelevant until the leader of the losing culture cancer93 is removed from roster or assumes his rightful place on IR

  21. Gencoimports Says:

    Jack Clauberg,

    Did you make any attempt to contact the Bucs office?

    If what you are saying is true, it is unfortunate that they revoked you, however most fans in your position are probably not selling to other Buc fans.

  22. TampaTown Says:

    I like the late bye week (for once) but I can’t believe we play the Giants @ 4:05 then the Patriots on Thursday night. Get rid of TNF! I do like the Bears in week 2. Watch all their idiot fans show up wearing jeans and jerseys. They’ll all be getting IV’s by halftime, just like their team. Ha!!

  23. Han Solo Says:

    Fine with me, the Bucs were 6-3 after week 8 !

  24. Tampa Tony Says:

    @Jack,

    I’m in NYC and have season tickets and haven’t had this happen. But I typically only miss 1-2 games.

  25. 813bucboi Says:

    13-3…12-4….lets ride!!!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!

  26. BuccoDav Says:

    Joe wrote last week, directly from the mouth of Dirk Koetter, that the opening message to the Bucs from their head coach was that, “They all matter. They all matter.”

    I call bullsh!t… I have it on good authority that the real season doesn’t start until November. You can disregard everything up until then.

  27. Steven007 Says:

    Ah Maxi! Our favorite feminine napkin troll coming to the rescue as usual. One wonders, do you see a post with the title of “Two Buc Seasons in One” and think “hmm, this would be a great place to vomit my hate for the 10,000th time about my lord and savior, GMC?!” Mentioning your undying love for GMC (we can see right through the hateful rhetoric) is sweet but enough already. And as for your other frequent silly posting standard: “gaytor”. Really? Are you 12? You know who talks like this? A self loathing severely repressed hom0. Not that there’s anything wrong with that of course. Lots of flavors for an ice cream cone.

  28. BuccoDav Says:

    Tmax,
    Does that also make JW3 a “bible thumping hypocrite”? Or do you discount his religion because you like him?

  29. Pickgrin Says:

    tmax says:
    “I’ll shut up when bucs win a playoff game”

    Gonna hold you to that.

    Your contention that we are a better team without McCoy than with him is just laughable.

  30. Nole on Sat.-Bucc on Sun. Says:

    Tmax I’m wit you BIG homie.

  31. Brandon from Philly Says:

    The last 3 out of 4 games are home is huge. That plays to our advantage if we can maintain a winning record early

  32. Stpetebucsfan Says:

    This team has talent, coaching, leadership, and growing experience….now what we MAINLY need is the “health fairy”. If we stay healthy we are going to be a scary team!

  33. tdtb2015 Says:

    We will be ready for the division games. Perfect!

  34. Buccfan37 Says:

    Count me in agreeing somewhat with the tmax take. Mostly the extremely weak pre game pep speech given by GMC. Quite comical and depressing. Tiny Tim-ish.

  35. Steven007 Says:

    Buccfan, agreed. That speech was weeeeeak. Embarrassing really. But that’s not how he plays. As for Maxi, he simply doesn’t get it. Listen, the argument isn’t about whether or not GMC is a hall of famer or even a good player. We can all have our opinions on that and we’re entitled to them, obviously including even uber haters like Maxi. But saying you don’t think GMC is great is very different from saying he’s the leader (he’s not, it’s Jameis; he’s not even the leader on defense, that would be Kwon) of a losing culture (uh, last time I checked we actually had a winning record). So Maxi’s simply wrong on both of those counts no questions asked. Feel free to “hate” GMC (as much as one can hate an inarguably nice human being) if you must. But at least stop lying (Max).

  36. 813bucboi Says:

    @jack…damn that sucks…I would be pissed….I hope you tried to contact them and explain the situation….

    I’ve been part of the “trade GMC” club for a while now….that weak a$$,” lets go have fun” speech was the nail in the coffin….I also think that’s the moment his teammates saw the light as well….GO BUCS!!!!

  37. Stpetebucsfan Says:

    Steven

    That was very well written! How nice to see a dude on a sports blog give something critical thought and not simply go for the most creative insult.

  38. Steven007 Says:

    Thanks, Stpete- I appreciate it. The only time I believe I’ve ever gone for anything that might be implied as insult was in response to Max who states (and restates, ad infinite) the most thoughtless, tired, lame and inaccurate rhetoric regarding GMC. What a waste of time. And I almost feel bad that someone can be so filled with so much ugliness toward a player on his favorite football team. Almost. We choose how we feel about these things so his choice is his choice.

  39. Chucklehead Says:

    Tmax

    I would love to be in the room with you when GMC seals a game with a sack or does something utterly Sapp like late in the 4th quarter. Would be great to watch your face turn green and see the pain in your stomach force you to run to the toilet. What will you say then?

    Kidding aside, seriously bro, you got a problem. Im wondering how many pictures you have of GMC on the wall in your room. How many fat firls have you ripped the skin off of so you can sew up a GMC skin suit? Obsessed much?