Up Next, The “Signature Win”

September 18th, 2011

As Joe prepares to watch the Free Agency Bowl — Atlanta vs. Philadelphia — Joe wants to toss in his two cents about the Bucs-Falcons game next Sunday on the Bucs home turf.

Inevitably, this week columnists and talking heads are going to talk about the Bucs needing a W on Sunday to finally achieve the “signature win” that was yammered about endlessly last year as the Bucs rolled to a 9-6 record without beating a stud opponent. Then the Bucs went to New Orleans and won on Week 17, but the negaholics discounted the win since Drew Brees was pulled from the game in the fourth quarter to rest for the playoffs.

So for legions of Bucs fans and followers, the young Bucs have yet to rack up an impressive win.

That can change Sunday.

And while Joe doesn’t buy into the “signature win” theory at all, it’s still out there and means a lot to a lot of people. Joe will even go on a limb and say attendance could improve quite quickly if the Bucs were to knock off a team like Atlanta. Even if Atlanta falls to 0-2 tonight, they’re still a top flight club.

So prepare yourself for the signature-win chatter. If the Bucs want to end it for good, all they have to do is beat Atlanta.

14 Responses to “Up Next, The “Signature Win””

  1. Theodore Says:

    The Bucs need beat Atlanta to get that signature win.

  2. Jrock (mobile) Says:

    We need to win next week because it’s a division game at home, it’s the type of game a playoff team wins. I could care less about it being signature, we just need to get ‘er done.

  3. FLBoyInDallas Says:

    I checked, but I can’t find a “signature win” stat column anywhere. Guess I’ll keep considering that a “W” is a “W” until further notice.

  4. Architek Says:

    I dont care about the signature win crap but I do know this team needs to get a lot better. I trust Freeman only and the D-Line is not getting the jo done, PERIOD!

  5. the_buc_realist Says:

    I agree, I don’t know about this signature win. But I do know we have not won against the Falcons since Gruden was here. We need wins in our division period.

  6. snowden Says:

    pretty sure we were 10-6 last year

  7. tony2cents Says:

    I just want to take the time to say I may have been a little critical of Rah’s playcaiing to start out with, but if hes able to continue the mojo we set with blount in and the play action then Rah! Know you’re team! Know your scheme! and get the dam thing going!

  8. Apple Roof Cleaning Says:

    Atlanta looks vastly improved, and Julio Jones is a stud. Tampa will need to play a mistake free game to beat them.

  9. BamBamBuc Says:

    Nah, if we beat the Falcons, they’ll be 1-2 and we won’t have beaten a “winning” team, so the critics and skeptics will still claim we’ve accomplished nothing. It’s just another week against the same Falcons. They’re not much different than last year. Looks like they were blitzing a bit more, but that may have just been the plan against Vick. Biggest challenge next week is taking Gonzalez out of the game. I don’t know who we have that can limit him. Our LBs haven’t proven too good in coverage, and he’s too big for our Safeties and for Ronde. If we can figure out that matchup, we’ve got a pretty good shot at that game.

  10. Jimmy Delach Says:

    Out of curiosity, will the Blackout Tour be ready for the Falcons and Colts games since I don’t think either game will sell out (especially the Monday Night game with Peyton out)?

  11. Jonny Says:

    I know what “signature win” means. Beat a good team in a convincing fashion. Not really blow them out, but say a 10 point win over a team like Falcons when the game really matters. Not sure about you guys, but I am tired watching our team barely beat bad teams and lose to the good ones.

  12. Capt.Tim Says:

    Our D-line IS getting the job done. Starting Watson over Black is a step in the right direction. Now if we can get his lil sidekick, Geno, ass on the bench, the run defense will be improved.

    I don’t think our secondary can spot White and Jones. Barber has played well so far, the rest of the secondary( including Talib “the Elite”) has been mediocre to bad! And without Ruud- who normally contained Tony Gonzalez, I don’t know which LB they hope to put on him.

    Raheem will have his plate full this week, cause they have more weapons than we have answers.

  13. admin Says:

    Joe here,

    @Jimmy Delach — No Blackout Tour for those games. Too difficult to guarantee seating in Fort Myers for a 4:15 game, and from Joe’s experience there won’t be enough demand for the Monday Night Game with a bus returning well into the wee hours on a work night.

  14. Adam L Says:

    … and how did pulling Brees work out for the Saints in the playoffs? If I remember correctly, they lost the “bye week” to the 7-9 Seahawks. Ha ha ha!!!