“Winning Again Is Basically Impossible”
March 28th, 2021
Bucs coach Bucco Bruce Arians.
Not everyone is jumping on the Bucs bandwagon.
With Tampa Bay now the first team since the 1979 Steelers to bring 22 starters back from a Super Bowl championship team (and look what they did), a lot of folks are fully expecting the Bucs to succeed in the “Go for Two” quest.
Dan Graziano of BSPN is not among them.
Speaking on “Stay in Bed” last week with host Mike Greenberg, Graziano all but said he would faint if the Bucs repeated as Super Bowl champs for the 2021 season, despite Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht kicking arse and taking names this offseason.
“They might be better,” Graziano said of the Bucs. “But winning again is basically impossible. There is a reason it doesn’t happen — there are many reasons it doesn’t happen. Something always shows up to derail [a repeat]. Just ask the Kansas City Chiefs, who looked like a sure bet to win it again until the very last game.”
If you want to say the Bucs won’t win a second straight Super Bowl because your crystal ball says the Bucs will have a bunch of injuries to key personnel like the Chiefs did, well, OK. But that’s just guessing.
However, the Bucs did have injuries to key personnel. O.J. Howard was lost for the season with a blown Achilles. Vita Vea fractured his ankle in the fifth game. Alex Cappa fractured an ankle in the wild card game at Washington and was lost for the season. Ali Marpet missed three games with a concussion.
Graziano, correctly, said if the Bucs are going to make a serious run, they have the right guy in place. That would be park-violating, home-invading, NFLPA-ignoring, down-forgetting, handshake-stiffing, jet-ski-losing, biscuit-baking, tequila-shooting, waffle-grilling, trophy-throwing. Super-Bowl-winning quarterback Tom Brady, who just happens to be the last QB to win back-to-back Super Bowls. He also knows why his teams in New England didn’t finish the job in five other repeat attempts.
“When you look at Tampa Bay, this is why they brought Tom Brady in there, right?” Graziano explained. “To elevate them from a good team to a championship team. So he will be the factor that keeps them on track. He has been through this before. He knows what it is all about. That gives them a chance.
“But man, if they repeat, that would be a stunner.”
Joe will add this element — and likely repeat it a few more times until the season begins:
Two players who had significant impact in the Bucs reaching and winning the Super Bowl were rookies, right tackle Tristan Wirfs and safety Antoine Winfield. Are we to believe they have already maxed out their talents? That they won’t get better? That is a bit of a stretch.
March 28th, 2021 at 12:30 am
Well Said
March 28th, 2021 at 1:18 am
“If you want to say the Bucs won’t win a second straight Super Bowl because your crystal ball says the Bucs will have a bunch of injuries to key personnel like the Chiefs did, well, OK.”
No doubt we caught some big breaks with injuries to the Packers starting left tackle and both starting Chiefs tackles.
Speaking of a crystal ball, I’d love to know what the scores of those games would have been with those players healthy for those teams. Or what if Smith and Wirfs were out for us in the SB. Would we still have won?
You need some breaks to win it all. Hopefully we stay relatively healthy next season and even catch some breaks again in the playoffs– assuming we get there, unlike ’03.
March 28th, 2021 at 1:19 am
Sounds like a butt-hurt Chiefs fan
March 28th, 2021 at 1:21 am
Unexpected injuries can be challenging….Bucs were crazy lucky in 2020. Yet, the Bucs are so freaking loaded everywhere that outside of a Brady injury, Bucs have great odds to repeat a SB win.
If Brady gets injured, and highly unlikely, all bets are off. Avocado Brady will be healthy for the season. Bad news for NFC South, NFC and AFC……
March 28th, 2021 at 1:22 am
Yes!
March 28th, 2021 at 1:37 am
What about the PLAYBOOK?
Are you telling me a 2nd season running some of the same plays they recently mastered (or similar formations/blocking schemes) isn’t going to make this Bucs Offense even better?
What’s ‘basically impossible’ is the team not IMPROVING over last season in many areas from doing some of the same things again that worked so well.
March 28th, 2021 at 1:38 am
Brady was birthed with an upward pointing horse shoe “in in arse” for good fortune. That coupled w/his insane desire to Win and prove every doubter wrong…. as 7th pick or skinny bad QB, or lucky? Bring it on…
Ugly odds for any team competing against this insane Dude – 7 rings and counting…
March 28th, 2021 at 3:54 am
Our only need is quality backups at every position. We had that last season, and I’m confident Licht will address those needs between now and September.
March 28th, 2021 at 3:57 am
Sometimes the good breaks come your way. Sometimes.
Hope and pray all you want. I don’t believe God involves himself in human sports without crazy good reason. God is unlikely to help or hurt them.
You clowns wanna win two in a row?
You, and only you hold the key..
It is remotely possible, but it is unlikely.
It’s up to you.
March 28th, 2021 at 4:00 am
And only you … collectively.
Go do it.
March 28th, 2021 at 5:24 am
i will bet you a whole 7-11 pizza that we win the friggin’ supper bowl again
#SupperBowlFiddySixxx
March 28th, 2021 at 6:04 am
“from good team to champion team”
What games has he been watching for the last 15 years?? I would have gladly taken “good”
March 28th, 2021 at 6:28 am
It has taken me all this time to come to grips with my poor judgement !! I was reallly hurt when fameis got released and was basically pissed all last season ,well now I believe and I will say it now Tom Brady is a football GOD!We will repeat!! So -LETS GO!!!
March 28th, 2021 at 6:50 am
We have the last QB who did it. We have a chance. Enjoy the journey
March 28th, 2021 at 6:52 am
Sure if you are looking at odds, I would take the field over the Buc’s. Easy choice. But ask Dan Graziano why it is basically impossible?
In his own segment he failed in his argument because he did point out that Kansas City got to the game. Who know’s on another day with some other tackles that KC might have won that game.
A silly BSPN take again really showing that even last season it was not “basically impossible”.
March 28th, 2021 at 6:55 am
Let’s not forget the incredible amount of timely penalties being called against the other teams.
All the chips fell into place for us.
I hope it happens again.
March 28th, 2021 at 7:36 am
We were fortunate with injuries…..we had some but had capable backups.
OJ;;;;;;Gronk/Brate
Vea……Nacho, Mclemdon
Cappa….Stinnie
Marpet…Shipley, Jensen
WRs……..AB
This was a very well stocked roster….
March 28th, 2021 at 7:51 am
Doo…how about all the D back holding penalties never called on the Chiefs all year? Some justify it as “just how they are allowed to play”.
Or the O line holding penalties almost never called on the Packers?
Is that because they generally don’t make as many and they aren’t as expected? And therefore have some inherent unintentional benefit of the doubt? Don’t know…
March 28th, 2021 at 8:07 am
Done once in 54 years, so there’s your odds, 1 in 54. I wish the Bucs luck in the coming season, but it should be just what we want in football, interesting and entertaining.
March 28th, 2021 at 8:33 am
Joe, great point in that last paragraph. Add continued development of D White (whose coverage skills seemingly took leaps and bounds in the playoffs), the rest of the secondary growing further, RJ3 learning to catch in a contract year, VV (if healthy) mastering his skills and not simply just being a beast, and whoever the rookies the Bucs add to the team this year.
So much development still to come to fruition to marry with the seasoned vets.
March 28th, 2021 at 8:34 am
It is hard to repeat. Every opponent tends to step up their game like it’s a playoff game. They may not be more talented than the Bucs, but you can’t count on them bringing their A game. And unless BA and staff and ALL the players see each game the same way it will be hard. In fact they might as well replace the pirate flag on the helmet with a bullseye.
March 28th, 2021 at 8:35 am
* can count on them
March 28th, 2021 at 8:53 am
“1-2-3 DOMINATE” It is a Bucs World in the 2021 season.
GO BUCS!!!!!!
March 28th, 2021 at 8:54 am
Predicting injuries because you can’t find flaws anywhere else is a chump-haters way out. It means you can’t find a legit “talent” reason to rule against a team and make an informed opinion.
But this is Disney – the company that wants you to wear your COVID mask between bites of food.
March 28th, 2021 at 9:01 am
Teams that have repeated Super Bowl Champions: Green Bay, Miami, Pittsburgh, and Pittsburgh again, 49’s, Dallas, Denver, NE. So here we go, the Bucs have a realistic chance to repeat, and now we will see what actually happens. GO BUCS!!!!!
March 28th, 2021 at 9:06 am
Let us also remember that if and when we defeat the sickness , our stands at RayJay will be packed and we will enjoy that 12th man advantage that Seattle has every home game.
The chemistry on our D will only be better. Defense will be dominant like none before. Offense will be better with OJ back and look for a huge year from ROJO.
No reason to expect anything less than another Super Bowl appearance barring a long term Brady injury.
March 28th, 2021 at 9:08 am
I only worry about injury, especially to JPP and Carlton. The pass rush is crucial to defensive success, and there is no depth until the draft (for which I pray). The pass defense would be in trouble without Carlton, so maybe we need to draft a CB too. What do we hear about Ross Cockrell?
March 28th, 2021 at 9:16 am
…”host Mike Greenberg, Graziano all but said he would faint if the Bucs repeated as Super Bowl champs for the 2021 season…” He better have someone standing by with smelling salts.
March 28th, 2021 at 9:45 am
A Brady injury would derail the repeat.
March 28th, 2021 at 9:48 am
I keep posting: This team had it’s season cut short by a Super Bowl; was still peaking. What they need to watch out (and have a remedy) for is peaking in the mid-season. Bottom line: who’s peaking and healthy in January. One milestone should be set: get a playoff bye…gotta earn that. From there, it’s all about no downs/games off.
March 28th, 2021 at 9:53 am
Typical naysayers like Graziano focus only on the negative. Naysayers are self indulged by their stinking negativity. T B uplifts everyone – keeps everyone focused, gets everyone believing that when everyone does their job to the best of their ability, the BUCS can win 2 Super Bowl’s in a row. He’s been there – done that. So just follow the yellow brick road…to the Super Bowl.
March 28th, 2021 at 9:54 am
No one knows who’s going to win the Super Bowl, but I might bet on the Bucs even if I wasn’t a fan. Not 2020 KC. The GOAT with this totally stacked team? GOAT don’t take time out of preparation to do commercials and coast.
March 28th, 2021 at 10:43 am
All I have to say is that Brady did it before with a weaker Nee England team the our present Bucs.
And yes it would be a stunner to those who keep looking at the Bucs like the 1976 Bucs. They seem to give all the praise to just Brady. They are oblivious of our great offense and defense.
To rely on history is to always be guessing. Specially when the team is totally different now.
But you know I can play the history game too. History shows all those team that did not repeat lost starters to free agency the year after winning. That makes us a high favorite to repeat.
Go For Two!!!!!!
March 28th, 2021 at 10:45 am
^winning the Super Bowl.
March 28th, 2021 at 10:56 am
Why do we continue to listen to whinny people bitching about the Cheifs injuries? Our secondary was held together by super glue, White didn’t play in Washington, AB left in NO and didn’t play in GB, JPP bad knee, Vea missed 3/4 of the season and two 1/2 PO games. Rojo, Evan’s banged up and Godwin finger. Do these injuries count for anything? It didn’t matter who the tackles were for KC in SB. Once they got behind they had to go into straight pass mode leaving our front 7 to tee off on Mahomes. Enough with the excuses already, if it were today Bucs would beat them again, after Bucs sign AB!
March 28th, 2021 at 12:21 pm
one game at a time
March 28th, 2021 at 12:55 pm
2021-2022 NFL Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers 19-0
March 28th, 2021 at 2:08 pm
The Bucs do all the weird stuff. This year they will not only repeat, they will be undefeated the entire season.
March 28th, 2021 at 3:23 pm
Bucs went to the SB, played in their stadium and won it decisively. When will that happen again? They repeat fine, if not, it’s still fine. Worse to historical first ain’t too shabby IMO.
March 28th, 2021 at 3:24 pm
Lazy take. One of the reasons teams don’t repeat is they don’t retain their players. We did that. And historically speaking how do you account for the Tom Brady effect?
March 28th, 2021 at 4:08 pm
The naysayers have come out of their holes early. I wonder if some folks are going to be saying that getting Brady and dumping Jameis won’t be worth it unless we win two super bowls in a row? 😜
March 28th, 2021 at 10:11 pm
Now hear this…I will say it first. The Buccaneers will win two more dominating championships and Super Bowls. Just watch and see. I was right last March I am right again. Remember I told you.
March 28th, 2021 at 11:24 pm
That was really lame analysis. It won’t happen because, like, see… it doesn’t happen much. People are paid for these opinions?
March 29th, 2021 at 1:04 am
Evidently the media for the most part has not simply looked at how many teams have repeated. They just trumpet the consensus view. Here is one statement, made ” Well we know the Bucs will not win because nobody repeats. That is simply lazy analysis like a bunch of lemmings running off a cliff.
So I will list the teams again. BTW Pittsburgh did it twice.
Teams that have repeated Super Bowl Champions: Green Bay, Miami, Pittsburgh, and Pittsburgh again, 49’s, Dallas, Denver, NE.
So here we go, the Bucs have a realistic chance to repeat, and now we will see what actually happens. “1-2-3 DOMINATE” GO BUCS!!!!!
March 29th, 2021 at 8:04 am
Hey Adam from NY GTFOH!! with this kind of talk. “i will bet you a whole 7-11 pizza that we win the friggin’ supper bowl again” . ?? With all the great Pizza places in NY and you want to bet a very bad 7-11 pizza? Come on man. Quick Trip has way bet5pizza than 7-11 anyway. If you get a chance try it. The breakfast pizza is incredibly delicious.
March 29th, 2021 at 5:33 pm
Not only are the Bucs returning 22 starters but the biggest thing overlooked is that nearly the entire coaching staff is also returning. That’s some serious continuity. That gives the Bucs a real shot for a repeat !