Rookie Of The Year?
May 14th, 2015
Though this may change after three preseason games (the fourth is a joke and the only reason Joe watches is because he is paid to do so), it is reasonable to expect six wins this season.
Six wins would triple last year’s total. Any time you do that, well, that’s an accomplishment. Joe thinks the defense will actually be better, but the offense? Sure, “America’s Quarterback,” Bucs signal-caller Jameis Winston, will easily be an upgrade over turnover-prone Josh McCown.
Joe is nervous about that offensive line. That’s why Joe can’t honestly see more wins. A rookie quarterback behind a suspect offensive line is not a good combination.
However, Evan Silva is not in this camp. The popular NFL analyst for Rotoworld.com thinks Jameis is going to be just fine this year, which may trainslate into more wins. In fact, Silva is of the mind that Jameis will be your 2015 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Jameis Winston my OROY pick. Results of his “decision making” will be much better going from Nick OLeary/Rashad Greene to MEvans/VJax/ASJ.
— Evan Silva (@evansilva) May 13, 2015
It’s an interesting observation. Clearly, Mike Evans and Vincent Jackson are better than the weapons he had at Florida State. But be careful reminding Jameis of that. He gets so excited talking about Evans and Jackson, he’s liable to kiss you and buy you some crab legs.
Still, young Jameis is a rookie. He might figure out Dirk Koetter’s playbook, but does that mean he will be able to figure out NFL defenses?
May 14th, 2015 at 5:10 am
Im upgrading my prediction to 9 wins! Book it!
May 14th, 2015 at 5:31 am
6 wins only to keep the expectations low and thus mitigate the disappointment.
May 14th, 2015 at 5:44 am
No, Six wins because that’s what the team looks like today. It’s really not that complicated.
May 14th, 2015 at 6:08 am
As I have stated before a 6-10 record with Winston showing flashes and the “it” factor on the NFL level would suit me fine. Let’s begin seeing some entertaining football again in Tampa Bay. Bring back the relevance and hope to Tampa Bay.
May 14th, 2015 at 6:11 am
This “AQ” stuff is dumb.
May 14th, 2015 at 6:11 am
Winston, Marpet, and Smith upgrades our Offense enough to be on the field longer than we were last year….and that allows our D to rest a little more.
8 games lost last year were by 6 points or less…..and w/o an OC.
Come on Joe, Im optimistic AND complicated….but realistically, with our weak schedule, I see 9 wins 🙂 (or more)
May 14th, 2015 at 6:22 am
5-11
May 14th, 2015 at 6:45 am
8-8
May 14th, 2015 at 6:47 am
I see 12 winnable games on this year’s schedule. Assuming some rookie growing pains and a couple bad bounces that go the other team’s way, I put our floor at 7 wins. If I’m realistic I’ll say that we should be at 9.
May 14th, 2015 at 6:57 am
Predicting ROTY right now is as dumb as predicting the super bowl.
May 14th, 2015 at 6:58 am
UNDEFEATED!!!!!
May 14th, 2015 at 7:09 am
it was just said the other day that no one is really playing tricks in the nfl……there are no defenses in the nfl that no one knows or hasn’t run at some point in a game, there are no new defenses so it’s figuring out how defenses are playing YOU not what they are running, if glennon can get all the recognition he did as a rookie then Winston can be ROY, that has nothing to do with record of a team
May 14th, 2015 at 7:13 am
If they change back to the old uniforms they might get 9 wins…
Toss the clown outfits!
May 14th, 2015 at 7:21 am
7-9
May 14th, 2015 at 7:34 am
What ever happened to playing real games and making a name for yourself on the NFL field. ROTY… We haven’t even seen a single NFL snap be hiked to our QB and people are talking rookie of the year, not any different than Joes “America’s QB” can Mr. Winston. You have to earn a title not have it attached to you.
I must say Mr. Winston sure was throwing some nice spirals all over in mini camp.
Go BUCS!
May 14th, 2015 at 7:37 am
Wow, we have a lot of optimists out there. The rookies on the offensive line combined with the vets who aren’t they good will make life difficult for the skill positions.
However, I think the defense has to be the big concern. They don’t have any starting caliber defensive ends or safeties on this team. Those two glaring weaknesses likely will mean that the secondary of the Bucs is going to get torched all season. I am surprised Joe thinks the defense will be better with the lack of talent in those areas. I think the Bucs ceiling is 6 wins tops.
Vegas has the Bucs favored to win ZERO games right now. Would love to be wrong here but I am realistic.
May 14th, 2015 at 7:49 am
Hopefully this school girl giddiness has not spread beyond JBF…because even the worst NFL defense will be pumped on gameday facing a rookie QB….this Winston hype is setting him up for frustration and disappointment….he has not done JACK…..I hope he goes down as the greatest Buccaneer QB in history but gezzo pezzo…lets let it happen first !
May 14th, 2015 at 7:52 am
@TDTB – Isn’t that a similar sentiment to what they were saying in Dallas last year about a defense that was heading in to their second year under a very similar system? They were projected to have the worst defense in NFL history. Turns out they were actually pretty good. With a defense that takes so long to learn, an off-season could go a long way.
May 14th, 2015 at 7:54 am
Mariota… Always negative and a hater. Get on board or go follow your boy in Tenn.
May 14th, 2015 at 7:56 am
Well I think it would be pretty amazing if these practice squad safeties and defensive ends played at a high level game in and game out. I hope I am wrong.
May 14th, 2015 at 8:00 am
Why not us, why not now
May 14th, 2015 at 8:01 am
@Patrick
You made an excellent point about what they were saying about the Cowboys and their defense last year.
The Cowboys were also in the second year of an OL rebuilding with a couple of second year guys and then started a rookie at guard who played lights out.
We have three veterans who have played at an acceptable NFL for two other teams and in Dotson’s case our team. Nobody expects Smith, Mankins, or Dotson to be All Pro, nor do we expect the rookies to set the world on fire.
All we need is five guys who can learn to play together at a competent NFL level. That’s easily possible.
May 14th, 2015 at 8:05 am
@Joe
I know this is not all request radio but here is something that would be fun for your fans.
You could feature a post where you actually go on the record with your prediction. If I’m reading you correctly you’re believing six games is the “correct” call and I do not disagree. How about giving us a post with your actual gut feelings?
What would be truly fun is to do that post now and then do it a couple of times again leading up to the season and see if those numbers change. In addition since you archive your material it would be fun to have the regular commenters on the record. I’d be curious to see if the predictions change much as the preseason arrives and then what the final predictions might be after the full preseason schedule.
I would expect the numbers to vary some.
For today I’m still on the record as predicting ten wins.
May 14th, 2015 at 8:10 am
C’mon StPete! The team went 2-14 last year and let many starters go,and didn’t replace them. You don’t really believe that do you?
May 14th, 2015 at 8:27 am
Yeah I think some of you forgot we were 2-14 last year….
6 wins is about right….Patrick “I see 12 winnable games”…clueless. Can you name one team that ever went from 2-14 to 12-4 the next year? Yeah cuz it doesn’t happen. EVER!
I think some of you sip too much of the Koolaid…sometimes.
May 14th, 2015 at 8:28 am
5-11
Bucs show flashes this season, but I think we will continue to have issues on the O-line and we will have issues trying to rush the passer. We need another sold draft and free agency period before we become a contender.
May 14th, 2015 at 8:30 am
WOW, is all I can say. So many go crazy after the draft with Buc Fever. But it is toned down from last year, when they were predicting winning the divisions and playoffs. There are just so many holes still! and if we see a pulled hamstring or twisted ankle of 1 of our 2 starting WR, it could be season over! Rb is average at BEST! and that is just the start. 5 wins if everything goes right!
Also Dallas had a proven offense, QB and better Coaching then what the Bucs had and got!
May 14th, 2015 at 8:30 am
@Touchdown
I absolutely believe it! The Kansas City Chiefs went from 2-14 to 11-5 in one season. They did that in a competitive division. I’m predicting one less win in what is one of the weakest divisions in the NFL.
I’m from the late great Chris Thomas school who view the NFL as he used to on his great radio show. NFL stands for No Freaking Logic.
Injuries are the HUGE wild card in any NFL predictions. But I think Lovie had turned the defense around by the end of the year. All of our FA pickups fit Lovie’s schemes already both talent wise and experience wise, There should be a quick learning curve.
The offense has a much improved QB. I was a Mariota supporter. But I truly believe that Fameis will also have a great career. I think this years draft could be like the one that brought Flacco and Ryan into the league the same year.
Mariota AND Fameis will quite possibly have good careers.
And even though I was for Mariota I’m now very happy with Fameis. He seems to have figured out his off field mistakes and seems to be embarrassed by having to deal with them. I think he’s over that phase.
On the field does anybody here not believe a ROOKIE Famies is light years better than a bumbling choking poor decision making nice guy who sucked out loud last year. McCown was nothing short of AWFUL.
Then replace Arroyo with Koetter…well there is room for my optimism.
But 2-14 and the stench they left on the field last year gives everybody the right to rip the Bucs until the put some more W’s up. I get that and respect all of you calling for another disastrous year. I simply disagree.
But that’s the fun here…the debates and then the final results. This is why I’d like to see everybody go on the record.
I’ll eat my crow if the Bucs choke away another year. If they win 10 there will be the vast majority here eating crow.
May 14th, 2015 at 8:31 am
BTW Touchdown I don’t recall reading your prediction yet but I may have missed it. How many wins do you believe the Buccos will produce in 2015?
May 14th, 2015 at 8:51 am
Face it, the optimistic outlook approaching every upcoming season is always elevated by hardcore Buc fans. Reality is mostly the painful outcome but the offseason rebuilds the enthusiasm. With a potential franchise QB on board, the sky is the limit for drastic improvement and dramatic expectations. Go Bucs!!
May 14th, 2015 at 8:53 am
@JoeNUTS, not to say the Bucs will do this but the Chiefs went 2-14 in 2012 and went 11-5 the next year. It can happen. It’s just highly unlikely. We’ll have to have alot of things go our way to accomplish that.
May 14th, 2015 at 8:58 am
Undefeated! Winston will demand it!!
May 14th, 2015 at 9:08 am
@JoeNuts – pretty sure you didn’t read the whole post. I said that of the 12 winnable games that 7 was the floor and 9 was most likely. Nobody said 12-4. If need be, I’ll give you my number and you can call me up when you want to read something and I’ll break it down for you and put it in terms you can get your head around.
May 14th, 2015 at 9:35 am
8-8 and beat the stinky saints once….That’s all I want.
May 14th, 2015 at 9:40 am
StPeteBucsFan Says:
@Joe
I know this is not all request radio but here is something that would be fun for your fans.
___________________________________________
Dude. Get your own blog. 😉
May 14th, 2015 at 9:56 am
I’m hoping for less than 10 losses. But I’m thinking 5-6 wins right now. Depends on the O Line and Winston.
May 14th, 2015 at 10:00 am
Hey Mariota Troll, Joe is clearly trolling the trolls with the AQ stuff. Have some cheese with your whine.
May 14th, 2015 at 10:06 am
With a competent OC and no tanking in the finale vs New Orleans the Bucs would have been a 5-11, 6-10 or maybe even a 7-9 club last season (wins vs. Rams, Vikes, Bungles, Saints in the finale, and one or 2 of the Carolina games or Cleveland)… So its not a far reach to say that the Bucs will win 6 or 7 this season with a real OC and a new qb as well as some fresh hogs for the trenches. One has to remember as well that the Saints, Carolina and especially the ATL with its new coaching staff are probably not going to win 10+ games either. The Bucs could actually be relevant this coming season and I say that as a Buc fan who chucked his rose colored glasses away after buying into L&L going into the 2014 season only to suffer through 0-8 at home and numerous winnable games lost via incompetence in all aspects of coaching as well as the play on the field…. I say the Bucs go 6-10 or 7-9 winning 3 games in division (hopefully beating the saints at least once) and the rest from the Giants, Skins, Jags, Rams Titans and Bears with a couple more frustrating losses to the above mentioned pool of fellow bottom feeders to go with some character building wins. I do hope the Bucs do open with a win over the Titans else the national trolls will start talk of 0-16 again and winless at home again until the Bucs finally get a win at home vs Carolina or the Jags in week 4 or 5…. So memo to L&L: pretty please with sugar on it: just win some ****ing games early…….
May 14th, 2015 at 10:31 am
ROY < SB MVP
Minimum 9 wins and a SB Trophy. You heard it here first.
May 14th, 2015 at 11:01 am
We were one score or less away in nine losses last year with No QB, No OC,No Oline, A New D. I dont see how we dont win at least 8 games and we dif could have a shot at winning our div. GO BUCS!!!
May 14th, 2015 at 11:21 am
@StPete – I looked over the schedule and I will go with my optimistic guess and put them at 5-11. Honestly I think 4-12 is the most likely scenario but I will be a homer and go with 5.
May 14th, 2015 at 11:23 am
@Yeah – this is the NFL and the majority of games come down to a single score. Teams don’t lose by 40 plus points typically. Although the Bucs did have a couple of those.
May 14th, 2015 at 11:34 am
Anyone who feels really strongly about a record prediction is pretty rediculous.
Every single year every expert is wrong about most predictions in the NFL; outside of knowing certain staple franchises with franchise QBs will always likely be competitive.
People aren’t hyping Jameis up that much; but Bucs fans are excited. People are just casting their opinions about potential rookie of the years because wtf else are we supposed to talk about lol?
I’m a hardcore believer in Winston so I don’t see why we can’t win the division. I would be surprised if we aren’t at least in the running for that. Top 10 defense last 10 weeks of the season (after the bye) in points allowed per week on average. And to that defense we added depth / impact players with comfort in the system at DT/DE/CB/S/LB.
McCoy/Melton/McDonald is a awesome trio of pass rushing DTs. If Jack Smith continues to play like last season we have a double digit sack guy playing DE. We have 3-4 young DEs who are in the years where they typically break out as well. I’m just excited to see how a lot of these lesser known guys pan out.
There is no NFL roster without weakness. The pats don’t even have a true corner at this point on their roster; and they just won the super bowl. The seahawks lost a lot of players in the offseason and will have to re-stock their lines now and find a way to do that / pay Russel Wilson. The best teams in the league have weaknesses.
Ours is the O-line but i like what we are doing. Put those young guys out there and let them struggle if need be; but they will learn. O-lineman take a few years to reach their potential typically and the only way to do it is reps.
If this team does terrible it’ll likely have come down to the O-line and guys like Mankins or EDS not playing at least to an average level. Winston’s line at FSU played pretty bad for most of the year last season; so he at least has dealt with it before.
May 14th, 2015 at 11:57 am
Homer in me sees 8-9 wins.
Realist in me sees 6 wins.
I’m being a homer this offseason and going with 8-9 wins.
Go Bucs!
May 14th, 2015 at 12:00 pm
Not sure who’s more awesomer Jameis Winston or Barack Obama.
May 14th, 2015 at 12:01 pm
A MINIMUM of 9 WINS.
If we gonna do it then …..
May 14th, 2015 at 1:33 pm
Evan Silva is just a guy… countless other fantasy nerds out there (myself included) are as educated as him. His opinion is worth a bucket of piss.
May 14th, 2015 at 2:14 pm
6 wins- take a year for O-line to jell
Next year- DE, Safety
Fight for NFC south title.
Then, just keeps getting better
May 14th, 2015 at 2:38 pm
Capt Tim….I can see that scenario very clearly.
May 14th, 2015 at 5:12 pm
WS99 Says:
May 14th, 2015 at 12:00 pm
Not sure who’s more awesomer Jameis Winston or Barack Obama.
Well since Obama won twice and in record fashion the second time…only the 11th President R or D to ever win the popular vote twice and the first since 1956 to gather more than 51% twice. I gotta go with who you probably call the Kenyan/Marxist/Corporatist/Muslim. Must have been all that voter fraud that caused a record win.
Now Fameis still has a lot of time left to close the gap of course.
May 14th, 2015 at 6:27 pm
This thread just got interesting! Lol
May 14th, 2015 at 9:43 pm
@BoJim
Dude. Get your own blog. 😉
But if I did that I’d have to work! This way I just get to eff off and let Joe do the work. 🙂
Have you ever been in sales. I sold a little broadcast radio for about six weeks. All I could take. Hat’s off to Joe’s sales staff…that’s freaking work!
May 15th, 2015 at 3:40 am
Here is the best way to look at it. McCown and Glennon totaled 3600 yards passing, 56% comp, 21 td, and 20 int. Without a rusher to hit 500 yards, and a defense that was horrendous first 10 games. We have added missing parts on this greatly improved D. There is no reason Jameis cannot do better than those numbers. If Doug Martin stops running like a bitch, I see no reason we can’t get at least 9 wins or more.
May 16th, 2015 at 1:26 am
How-about a friendly wager Joe? If Jameis leads the buc’s to six wins I will shave my head and stand on Dale Mabrey with a sign that reads “I was wrong about Americas quarterback!” if we don’t win at least 5, then the Joe’s will shave their heads and stand with signs that read, “We were wrong about supporting Lovey and shameless Jamies”. Bet you don’t have the stones.
May 16th, 2015 at 1:39 am
Stones? So a guy hiding behind a keyboard name “Claud” wants a stupid bet… for what reason exactly? Sounds like you want Jameis to fail. Can’t the Titans use a man of courage like you?