Is One Enough To Know?
January 2nd, 2021
Much to prove
Like all red-blooded Bucs fans, Joe’s feeling all the happy vibes pulsating from head to toe.
But one tough question to answer from a skeptic is, ‘Who have the Bucs beaten?
When the season ends tomorrow, the Bucs will have beaten just one team with a winning record this season, a 38-10 thrashing of the Packers on Oct. 18.
Vegas and Minnesota seemed like pretty good clubs just prior to the Bucs facing them, but each tanked its season after facing Tampa Bay.
So just how good are the Bucs? The straight answer to that comes in the playoffs.
Back in 2010, the buzz among fans and some media types was about the Bucs not having a “signature win” that year. The only winning team the Bucs beat that season was the division-champion Saints in Week 17; the Bucs were leading 23-10 entering the fourth quarter when the Saints pulled Drew Brees and other players because they locked up their playoff seed.
It was unfair to label that Bucs team as a fraud winner, just like it would be to say that about for the 2020 edition.
Still, the current Bucs are unproven against good competition, 1-5 against winning clubs.
Enjoy today’s new Ira Kaufman Podcast, presented by Bill Currie Ford
January 2nd, 2021 at 2:21 pm
There are no easy games in the NFL period a win is a win dosen’t matter who the team is
January 2nd, 2021 at 2:22 pm
🥱 this case can be made against some other playoff teams.
January 2nd, 2021 at 2:24 pm
Its a fair question to ask.
January 2nd, 2021 at 2:32 pm
while I agree about the competition’s records, I have to remind everyone that the Patriots went 11-5 just a few yrs ago. NOT ONE of those 5 teams made the playoffs. You guessed it, Tompa lead them to the SB and won. I think it was 2007 that the Pats were 18-0 and lost to the rumbling bumling stumbling Giants with Eli Manning who couldn’t shove his finger up his ^%$ if he used both hands. When the Pats came back from 28-3 with 2 minutes left in the 3qtr, it took the entire team. There was so many plays that had to happen but there is only one person driving the bus, so PLEASE Curley, Larry and Moe, give the keys to TOMPA and let him drive the frickn bus
January 2nd, 2021 at 2:48 pm
I’m guessing that Optimistic Joe had too much to drink on New Year’s Eve and that Pessimistic Joe saw that as his opportunity to sneak this piece into JBF.com. Am I close, huh?
As much as I love watching great football, I’ll be the first one to say that it doesn’t matter how you get invited to the big dance. Once you make it through the door, you’ve got a chance to eventually go home with the Grand Prize.
Granted Joe, the Bucs have lost 5 games, including 2 beat-downs to our arch rivals the Saints. However, the other 3 losses were by a TOTAL of 7 points. And IMO we could’ve won any of those 3 games with better coaching.
But, despite all the peeing & moaning … ‘You are where you are’. We might end up winning the Super Bowl, or we might end up being one-and-done. Lots yet to be written of this 2020 Bucs story. All we can do now is hope for the best and enjoy the ride.
January 2nd, 2021 at 3:13 pm
The team is still developing so it is not fair to judge a team which the nucleus of the team at least on the offensive side of the ball is still unknown. Hopefully against Atlanta we can show some consistency throughout the game from start to finish giving us at least some confidence in who we can be when needed to be in the playoffs. It is unfortunate that we are missing some of our pieces on defense but hopefully we can offset this with a strong offense that is starting to see it’s potential.
January 2nd, 2021 at 3:45 pm
Who have the Saints beaten? One winning team twice
Get in the playoffs with a great QB and let’s take our chances
January 2nd, 2021 at 3:45 pm
Lol @ 2010 bucs. Hey let’s remember some names: Jerramy Stevens, Kellen Winslow Jr (2 of the worst humans ever.) Sabby Piscatelli, Sammy Stroughter, the ollllll benn’d around, Josh Freeman the crack head, EJ Biggers. Listen, if that Bucs team played today’s Bucs team – they would lose 108-0. Tom Brady and Evans would be making it rain atomic bombs all afternoon and sleepy josh would wish he had popped an extra dose pill of molly to numb the pain from donkey Kong Suh. That team epitomized “lost decade.”
January 2nd, 2021 at 3:46 pm
All NFL games. Some teams are tough on this day, not as good on other days. What was missed here is strategy and execution (on that particular day). And I m sure that the TB coaches have reviewed the bad TB days/plays on the field and addressed them. High level: the Bucs can score and play D pretty evenly right now. Bottom line: who’s healthy and peaking right now? Bucs are in this. Execute.
January 2nd, 2021 at 3:53 pm
Bucs have been getting steadily better as the season has progressed, would love for them to meet and beat the Saints in the post season
January 2nd, 2021 at 4:00 pm
All playoff teams look shaky this year, even the 1-loss Chiefs. Their last 7 wins were by one score including vs. the Panthers, Falcons, Bucs, Broncos and Raiders. The 11-0 Steelers lost 3 straight. Anyone can win it all this year. Why not the Bucs?
January 2nd, 2021 at 4:08 pm
Fair question with an unknown answer for an evolving team.
Are they the same team as on opening day?
January 2nd, 2021 at 4:10 pm
if we beat an nfc east team in the wild card round…
then get thumped and wacked in the next round be a team with a solid seasonal record, it will say a lot…
if we get thru those 2 rounds with wins, and then go down after that…hold your heads up bucs fans – better is to come in 2021…
i’d like to see at least 2 rounds of playoff wins
January 2nd, 2021 at 4:12 pm
@Alton, can’t take you seriously with that user name.
The bigger Q, does it really take two hands to shove a finger up ones arse ? I think it would be harder to do with two hands then just one. Maybe that’s the problem from the start ?
January 2nd, 2021 at 4:19 pm
Well, the Chiefs only have 5 wins against teams with winning records (from
a quick count). There’s only so many teams on the schedule that’ll finish with winning records. Granted most of our losses should end up being to playoff teams.
January 2nd, 2021 at 4:26 pm
Peaking at the end is best.
January 2nd, 2021 at 4:32 pm
They beat the Raiders and the Vikings before they folded up shop. They also barely lost to the Rams and Chiefs.
The Packers have only be two teams over .500.
I don’t think it matters a lot, it’s a mindset.
They will go as far as the O-line and D-line take them
January 2nd, 2021 at 4:53 pm
It’s absurd that people question the last 3 opponents the Bucs have beaten. Rodgers plays 2 out of those 3 opponents twice a year and nobody is holding that over his head. Anybody can beat anybody in this league.
January 2nd, 2021 at 5:14 pm
Reminds me of an old McKay quote
“We have them right where they want us”
I suspect a little gamesmanship afoot and anticipate a deep dive into the playoffs
January 2nd, 2021 at 5:15 pm
I’m pretty sure the saints only have one win against playoff teams also but you dont hear that narrative.
January 2nd, 2021 at 5:16 pm
Meant to say best one playoff team(the bucs)
January 2nd, 2021 at 5:40 pm
BUX, thats a good one!! In my 6 decades of watching, i learned a long time ago “anything is possible” Also as a career fan of Tompa, sometimes i feel like reminding the younger pups that Tom was drafted 199th in the 6th round!!!! The man has ice in his veins
January 2nd, 2021 at 5:43 pm
Bucs have steadily improved every week, I’d love for them to get a rematch against the slimy Saints in the playoffs. If we can’t beat them, we don’t deserve to be on the Super Bowl anyhow
January 2nd, 2021 at 5:44 pm
The Buccaneers are not the same team they were Week 1. This was expected when the Bucs installed the new QB Brady. It was expected that they would be a much better team as the season progressed. When you peak is important. The arrow is pointing up my friends, pointing up!
January 2nd, 2021 at 5:45 pm
I’d love a rematch against the Saints, Bucs are light years ahead of where they were earlier in the season.
January 2nd, 2021 at 6:16 pm
When the Bucs beat the NFC East winner, as they should, this question will remain, as it should. Kick the ‘aints, who for us are this years’ version of the 2002 Eagles, then let’s talk respect.
January 2nd, 2021 at 6:44 pm
I felt like the Packers were sleeping on the Bucs. Should have lost to the Giants, and barely beat other below average clubs. The issue isn’t the talent, most everyone knows what the issue is. Some are in denial, some just don’t see it but more and more are seeing the light each week.
Fire Leftwich!!!! He will put this team in a hole in the first half, and as much as I like Todd Bowles I fear he may deploy zone defense against a top offense again like he did against the Chiefs and fail to make an adjustment prior to going into the locker room.
January 2nd, 2021 at 7:10 pm
At least they haven’t lost to a weak team like most have.
January 2nd, 2021 at 8:23 pm
Only 1 team in the playoffs wins their last game. All the stats, wether good or bad, go out the window for the other 13 teams that do not win the Super Bowl. The “ugly betty Bucs makeover” is still ongoing. If the Bucs figure out protection for Tom, then the Bucs can beat anyone. If they do not figure that out then they will get beat. As I have said before, even with a secondary that has been exposed badly at times, if they protect Brady, then they still can play toe to toe with any team. GO BUCS!!!!
January 2nd, 2021 at 9:38 pm
if we don’t get that pick 6 vs packers then it would have been like the saints game… over quick. Thats what scares me !!!!!!!
January 2nd, 2021 at 10:17 pm
As a Bucs fan we should first want them to beat ATL tomorrow. Besides that we like the Rams to lose if we don’t win. Then Philly to beat the Washington FB team. That case we would play NYG, correct? 2nd best is Bucs win or Rams lose and Washington win and we play Washington FBT. Right?
January 2nd, 2021 at 10:21 pm
I have more faith in Brady than I have had of any QB Tampa has ever had.
I think he played games to get us to a place where he can create chaos. The Packers game was a teaser of what the Playoffs could look like.
Did he sandbag the Falcons two weeks ago, dam good maybe. He knew he would be playing tomorrow, why not, it gave the team a belief that they can come back.
Tomorrow he will be playing BIG. That Falcons are in trouble, as are whoever wins the NFC Least. It is time to se a fully focused Brady. Previous records will be blasted to ash. I can’t wait.
January 3rd, 2021 at 12:57 am
Eh, the Saints have only beat 2 teams with a winning record…
It’s is what it is.
Fact is we lost to the Bears, Chiefs and Rams by a TOTAL of 7 points. We made multiple big mistakes in all those games as well. I like our chances in a rematch against any of them. Packers and Saints concern me the most.
January 3rd, 2021 at 7:20 am
Raiders play Broncos this week. If they win, it could be said that we helped prevent them from having a winning record. They had some good wins up to that point.