Bucs No. 11

May 24th, 2017

Moving up. (Photo courtesy WTVT-TV Channel 13.)

Tampa Bay improved a lot on paper in the offseason, but not enough to be considered a top-10 team.

Says who?

Says no less an authority than California train-romancing, anti-football proliferation, outhouse-admiring, airline-napping, steerage-flying, Yogi Berra-worshipingurinal picture-takingvideo game-playingTaylor Swift-listening, pickpocket-thwartingBucs-uniform-frowningAllie-LaForce-smittenBig-Ten-Network-hatingpedestrian-bumpingolive oil-lappingpopcorn-munchingcoffee-slurpingfried-chicken-eatingoatmeal-lovingcircle-jerking, craft beer-chugging, cricket-watchingscone-loathingcollege football-naïvebaseball-box-score-readingNPR-honkfilthy-hotel-staying, fight-instigatingbarista-training Peter King, of Sports Illustrated and NBC Sports fame. The keeper of theMMQB.com issued power rankings this week and he has the Bucs at No. 11.

Tampa Bay averaged fewer than 20 points a game in its last seven, and that just won’t do this year. So GM Jason Licht added two big weapons for Winston: Howard at tight end and Jackson at wideout. The moves were designed to get some separation in the Bucs’ offense; Jackson’s still got premier speed, and Howard enters the league as one of the fastest tight ends playing. Howard and another TE stud, Cameron Brate, are going to make the middle of the field a Winston preferred zone. A little aside: When I was with the 49ers for the draft, the big emphasis in the receiver group was on separation, and Kyle Shanahan preached the gospel of how vital it was in a league where the pass is king. Bucs GM Jason Licht added two separators to an offense that needs that aspect, and Winston should be the beneficiary. Tampa Bay should be better on offense.

Very good stuff there from King on Shanahan, indirectly, praising Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht for getting receivers to separate.

Oh, and King has a prediction: Nick Folk will be your Bucs kicker when the regular season begins in Miami. (Yesterday’s results sure gave Folk an early and big leg up.)

28 Responses to “Bucs No. 11”

  1. LakeLandBuc Says:

    I agree with Peter King.

  2. JonBuc Says:

    The kicker battle is all but over. Aguayo-no is shell shocked and will not recover…at least in Tampa.

  3. LakeLandBuc Says:

    Nick Folk and his wife are out House-Shopping and looking at schools for their kids. Congratulations Mr. Folk, the job is yours!!!

  4. Dusthty Rhothdes Says:

    Bucs have not done anything on the field to warrant top 10 yet on field…weapons wise its promising on paper….OL very weak soo hope it glues together

  5. Guzzie Says:

    The sooner the Bucs cut Agauano the faster we can move on from one of the dumbest draft moves in recent history

  6. JA Says:

    “On paper” predictions aren’t worth the paper they’re written on…

  7. BigMacAttack Says:

    11 is good for now, but Chris Godwin is the WR who they keep forgetting about. Marvin Harrison Jr.

  8. Joe Says:

    Nick Folk and his wife are out House-Shopping and looking at schools for their kids.

    🙂

  9. The Buc Realist Says:

    Joe Says:
    May 24th, 2017 at 12:51 pm
    Nick Folk and his wife are out House-Shopping and looking at schools for their kids.

    🙂

    Maybe he should look at mark dominik’s place, it should be a fire sale on that one any time now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  10. biff barker Says:

    BigMacAttack Says:

    11 is good for now, but Chris Godwin is the WR who they keep forgetting about. Marvin Harrison Jr.
    —————–
    He’s not going to be under the radar for long. Love this pick.

  11. Pickgrin Says:

    Speed kills!

    Adding DJax and Howard and Godwin and McNichols is more than a tune up to an engine that was only running on 7 cylinders last year. Its like the tune up + adding positraction, new tires, fuel additive and a nitrous booster…

    We’re looking at a top 5 offense easy if the OLine can do an adequate job. I think Jameis is going to put up some YUUUUGE #s this year.

    In 42 years the Buccaneers have NEVER had this kind of talent across the board at skill positions on Offense. Not even close.

  12. USFBUC Says:

    Should we cut Aguayo? We have him under contract through the 2019 season. If we have the space we should tuck him away in the practice squad and let him practice without pressure. That way maybe the pick won’t go wasted.

  13. louis Says:

    hey lakeland, i think Nick folk can afford a home with indoor plumbing….

  14. NFLNut Says:

    The Bucs were better than the Lions and Texans, two of the 12 playoff teams last year so finished the year #10 … and that was without OJ, DJax, Baker and the new gang.

    I’d put the Patriots, Steelers, Packers and Falcons (for now) ahead of the Bucs by a decent margin … and one could make a case for the Raiders (who we should have beat last year), Chiefs (who we beat in Arrowhead last year), Seahawks (who we demolished last year), Cowboys (who we probably would have beat had we had a living breathing RT) and Giants (I see them as about on the same level as us right now) to be ranked ahead of us … which would put us as #10, but again we beat the Seahawks and Chiefs and we have a lot more weapons now.

  15. Atlbuc28 Says:

    Joe , not sure if Im late on this here. Atlanta sports station blowing up over the official Bucs Twitter burn of the falcons trolling them. Crazy funny stuff, buy a couple beers for whomever is in charge of that Bucs Twitter account .. I have everyone mad at work up here!

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

    28 I love it..

  17. Atlbuc28 Says:

    Nole… That 28 -3 pic .. epic, my work screen saver & home screen on phone… its soo on up here!

  18. LakeLandBuc Says:

    NFLNut, apparently Peter King agrees with me. He has the Titans ranked #4 in his Power Ranking. He even said that Marcus Mariota will be a strong MVP candidate. …louis a outhouse is a outdoor bathroom, not a home.

  19. LakeLandBuc Says:

    louis, but I get your joke. Nick Folk can afford a home with indoor plumbing. I did mention that he was out house shopping.. So you’re saying that he don’t need to buy a out house. He can afford a home with a bathroom. lol

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

    That’s what I’m talking bout, keep given’em h3ll up there homie.

  21. ndog Says:

    Question for Peter King, how does one win the MVP when they will miss 5-10 games hurt like every other year of their career?

  22. Rod Munch Says:

    The Titans at #4, LOL! Hey guess what team played the easiest schedule on the league last year – it was the Titans. Guess what team has played the easiest schedule in the NFL since the beginning of the 2015 season? Here’s a hint – it’s the Titans. Mariota put up some impressive numbers last season when he played a long series of games against literally the worst pass defenses in football – at the beginning of the year when he played good defenses his numbers were garbage and at the end of the season before he got injured yet again his numbers were OK. Mariota is a fine prospect – but he’s no Winston. My comparison has been and continues to be that Winston will be the next Favre and Mariota will be the next Jeff Garcia – who put up good numbers against bad defenses but would wilt or get hurt if playing good defenses.

  23. LakeLandBuc Says:

    Rod Munch….I’m only quoting Peter King.

  24. LakeLandBuc Says:

    This is what Peter King had to say………………………………………………………Why I have the Titans fourth: Every year there’s one stunner in the league (at least), and this year I like Tennessee to be that team. Not saying they’ll be another Nashville Predators and make the final two, but I like the Titans to make this huge jump because of core players. Marcus Mariota returns healthy from a broken leg and is a trusted and athletic player about to become a top-10 quarterback. The two franchise tackles, Taylor Lewan and Jack Conklin, proved their mettle last year, and are long-termers; they’ll play this year at 26 and 23, respectively. Much is expected of Corey Davis, the first-round receiver, as a deep threat, and he has to deliver. On defense, Jurrell Casey needs to be a national attention-grabber, Vince Wilfork with a better pass-rush. He’s good. The pass-rush (Derrick Morgan, Brian Orakpo) should generate enough pressure. The secondary’s the big concern, obviously. Adoree’ Jackson has to be the physical cover player he showed last fall at USC, and he has to be that way from day one. LeShaun Sims is a rising corner. In short, I’m trusting lots of young players to win a division that’s up for grabs and to win at least one January game.
    Titans prediction in 10 words or less: Marcus Mariota will be a strong MVP candidate.

  25. JimmyJack Says:

    You guys are jealous of the freaking Titans. Tampa fans can just be so pathetic sometimes.

  26. Rod Munch Says:

    LakeLandBuc – oh yeah, I was talking about Peter King there, nothing directed at you.

    Wow look, is it really a Titans fan? LOL!? Who knew they existed. Welcome Jimmy – if you have anything o say based on stats or play let me know.

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

    Jeff Garcia??? I can’t see it,more like the next Alex Smith. Nothing more nothing less. Ion care how many weapons you surround him with. “HE CAN’T READ DEFENSES”.

  28. Rod Munch Says:

    Nole – Alex Smith has stayed health and is a pretty dull game manager QB, I think Jeff Garcia is closer since Garcia would have moments where you’d think wow, this guy can be something, then he’d get hurt. I think Mariota has a career like Garcia where you always think he’s going to be good and yet he always lets you down. If both players in 5 years are being talked about as the best QBs in the game, I’m totally for that.