The Bucs Are Where They Want To Be
December 13th, 2021
“We can win, brother.”
Flashback to a little over a year a go. The similarities are eerie.
With five games remaining in their regular season, the Bucs lost a close game at home to the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs. The Bucs never lost another game.
Now, it’s 2021. And with a 9-3 record and five gams to play, the Bucs won an overtime game against another AFC power, the Bills.
Last year the Bucs, trailing 17-0, rallied and damn near caught the Chiefs. This year the Bills, down 24-3, rallied and took the game into overtime.
Seeing how last year and this year are mirroring each other, Clark Judge of SI.com thinks Tampa Bay once again has the NFL where the Bucs want it.
… The schedule’s in their favor, their quarterback is the MVP favorite, they’re getting injured starters back and history is on their side. I know, only one defending Super Bowl champion repeated in this century, and that was back in 2004.
But the quarterback was Tom Brady.
The only thing between the Bucs (10-3) and homefield advantage is, of course, the Cardinals (10-2) and the Packers (10-3), who own the conference tiebreaker with the Bucs. But Arizona has a stiff schedule in its final five games (they play the Rams tonight). Even the Packers, tied with the Bucs at 10-3, Joe isn’t worried about. Why? The Packers find a way to choke in the playoffs every year.
Every year. Death, taxes and Aaron Rodgers gagging in January. It’s a Wisconsin tradition.
The Bucs cannot control the Cardinals or the Packers. They can only control their own fate. So the Bucs just need to take care of three losing teams (the Bucs face the Stinking Panthers twice).
Who knows, maybe the Bucs don’t get the No. 1 seed but the No. 2 seed isn’t all that shabby.
December 13th, 2021 at 5:54 am
At this point now we are waiting on the returns of the suspended duo AB & Mike Edwards, both should be boosts on both sides of the field.
Obviously, they are remaining on the team if they haven’t been cut by now.
December 13th, 2021 at 6:09 am
Cutting AB or Edwards for the Covid thing would be stupid.
December 13th, 2021 at 8:05 am
Twitter was going nuts today, with many Buffalo Fans calling for the termination of their Coach!
We beat them by isolating Perriman on a Linebacker. No way any NFL Linebacker can hang with Perriman for long.
December 13th, 2021 at 8:10 am
Who should we root for tonight: Rams or Cardinals? I see advantages and disadvantages to both.
December 13th, 2021 at 8:13 am
Whitehead, Edwards & AB….that will help……Does OJ still play for us?
Right now, I’m expecting us to have the 3 seed & no bye….but we play our first game at home…..maybe the second if the 2 seed loses……
December 13th, 2021 at 8:44 am
Thank God for Brady, if it were up to BA the Bucs would be looking up at Carolina.
December 13th, 2021 at 8:46 am
The Packers…much more than the Cardinals…concern me a lot. Rodgers is playing lights out…and has survived (insert vac joke here) the media/public opinion onslaught of the “Covid Calamity/Cover Up”. The Bucs were pretty fortunate to win in Lambeau last year…hope they don’t have to go there again unless it’s for the right to go to the Super Bowl.
December 13th, 2021 at 11:14 am
The sad part of being the No.2 seed is you no longer get a bye. However, you are guaranteed of at least two home games (whereas the No. 3 seed is only guaranteed one home game) and then have to go to face the No. 1 seed at their home field, provided the No. 2 and No. 1 seeds win their playoff games. The No. 1 seed is really where you want to be (than you Captain Obvious), and I think it’s a long shot at this point. So how do you feel about facing the Cardinals in Arizona?
December 13th, 2021 at 11:52 am
With 7 teams in the playoffs this year how do they work that? Does only the conference champs get a buy week? That is the only way I could figure it out to work the odd number of teams correctly!?!
December 13th, 2021 at 11:53 am
Well psl Bob I think just answered my question!! Lol
December 13th, 2021 at 2:07 pm
Kaaron Rodgers.
December 13th, 2021 at 4:29 pm
go rams!!! i know we dont match up well with them as a potential playoff matchup, but homefield advantage would be great.
December 13th, 2021 at 5:44 pm
Definitely rooting for the Rams win tonight!
December 13th, 2021 at 7:34 pm
Dr Stroud I’m going to root for the Rams. I haven’t given up on home field for the whole playoffs. GO BUCS!