ESPN Consensus Has Bucs As Clear Division Favorite
May 5th, 2026
The national hype for the 2026 Buccaneers is about the same as it was a year ago.
Tampa Bay falling on its face late last season and then losing two legends hasn’t made a dent in expectations.
Maybe a ding, but certainly not a dent.
Today, BSPN issued its first NFL power rankings since March, tapping their “power panel of more than 80 writers, editors and TV personalities.” BSPN asked these types to evaluate and rank teams from 1 through 32.
The Bucs walked away as the clear NFC South favorite.
Tampa Bay took the No. 18 overall position, one behind the Bengals and a step ahead of the Commanders. However, the Bucs were considered the ninth-best team in the 16-team NFC.
Carolina ranked second in the NFC South at a misereable No. 22 overall. The Saints and Falcons were No. 25 and No. 26, respectively. Joe loves the thought of Saints and Falcons bemoaning top-8 picks in next year’s draft!
Bottom line: the Bucs are the favorite and will be the favorite to win the NFC South for the second conescutive season. The talent is there. Now go coach it up and execute!
May 5th, 2026 at 2:40 pm
I feel like the Saints and Panthers improved during this off-season and I’m not sure if the Bucs improved enough. The Falcons are a mess though.
May 5th, 2026 at 2:43 pm
Clear favorite, comical .
May 5th, 2026 at 2:48 pm
This roster is super bowl ready! Just like last year.
May 5th, 2026 at 2:49 pm
We want more than to be Division Winners of the worst Division in the NFL. Let’s get some Nastiness back on our Defense and get that Putrid Pass Defense a thing of the past. Baker needs Help TODD!!
May 5th, 2026 at 2:52 pm
Who’s going to be WR1 and WR2? Egbuka and Hurst?
It’s a serious question.
Does anyone know?
May 5th, 2026 at 3:00 pm
Truth be Told is right. Are we supposed to be happy winning the worst division in football?
May 5th, 2026 at 3:07 pm
Joe … ‘Tampa Bay took the No. 18 overall position, one behind the Bengals and a step ahead of the Commanders. However, the Bucs were considered the ninth-best team in the 16-team NFC.’
The NFC South should be embarrassed by those team ratings (18, 22, 25, 26). So this season we’re favored (once again) to win the worst division, and to so surrounded by last season’s 6-11 Bengals on one side and the 5-12 Commanders on the other. That’s sad.
And unfortunately that says more about how bad the other 3 NFC South teams are projected to be as opposed to how talented we could potentially be. The redeeming factor in all this will HOPEFULLY be when the Bucs finish atop the NFC South then embarrass every other playoff team to win the Super Bowl.
May 5th, 2026 at 3:08 pm
Todd is destined to be first ballot NFCS Ring of Honor inductee
May 5th, 2026 at 3:13 pm
Buc 87,that’s why there’s a training camp and pre-season! And yes neelandbob its about playing meaningful games in December and if a division crown comes with it ,even better..Go Bucs!!
May 5th, 2026 at 3:17 pm
And Lefty you better hope Bowles doesn’t turn things around …open mouth insert foot
May 5th, 2026 at 3:19 pm
Last season is totally different from this season
Last season was all about individual accolades
Mike Evans breaking Jerry Rice record
Baker winning the MVP.
Bucky getting 2,000 all purpose yards
Calijah Kancey getting 12 sacks
Eneka Egbuka winning offensive rookie of the year
Yaya Diaby getting double digits sacks
There was so much off-season hype, it was ridiculous
May 5th, 2026 at 3:23 pm
“””This season is totally different from last season”””
May 5th, 2026 at 3:36 pm
Steve V. I’m a Bucs fan so why wouldn’t I hope Bowles turns things around you dork?
He’s pretty much proven that he is not capable of handling the HC/DC combo.
May 5th, 2026 at 3:36 pm
Defense Rules. Sweet Redemption! That’s what I’m thinking about!
May 5th, 2026 at 3:40 pm
We will see when the season starts but Bain is going to change this defense up for sure and we will see where that takes the bucs. One of the joes needs to get on board with this always crying about pass rusher pass rusher and we get a top pass rusher in the draft that falls to us he should be doing cartwheels it doesn’t matter who the coach is talent rises to the top. Which coach developed any of the pass rushers that the bucs drafted and moved on from id hold my breath while I wait for you to answer but I would pass out because it’s nobody most of it is on the talent and mindset of the player and the coach helps develop that.
May 5th, 2026 at 3:43 pm
Last chance for Bowles. Will he rise to the occasion? (Holding breath)
May 5th, 2026 at 3:48 pm
Buc1987 Says:
May 5th, 2026 at 2:52 pm
Who’s going to be WR1 and WR2? Egbuka and Hurst?
It’s a serious question.
Does anyone know?
———————————-
Should be EE and Godwin or EE and J-mac but who knows how the offense shakes out.
Not really sure the labels (wr1 or wr2, X reciever etc) matter though – just hoping Zac has a plan to keep all our weapons involved.
May 5th, 2026 at 3:48 pm
gotta sweep the division this year!!!!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
May 5th, 2026 at 3:49 pm
Football terms or make believe (fantasy)?
Egbuka, Godwin (slot) and McMillan (X) are your top three receivers.
As for WR1,WR2 and WR3, you pick.
Thinking the Bucs will ease Ben Hurst into the lineup, specifically in the red zone. If he shows he’s up to the task, he will get more snaps.
Obviously the Bucs are not going to broadcast their plans in May.
May 5th, 2026 at 3:51 pm
Bowles don’t throw passes
Bowles don’t run the ball
Bowles don’t block anyone
Bowles don’t catch the ball
Bowles don’t cover receivers
Bowles don’t make tackles
This blame Bowles crap is getting ridiculous
This fanbase is so far out in left field
They have lost their sense of reality
May 5th, 2026 at 4:11 pm
Lakeland:
Bowles do call defensive plays
Bowles do have ultimate responsibility for the team and team’s performance
Bowles do coach the team to a 2-7 win down the stretch last season
Bowles do have one measly playoff win during his tenure as HC
Bowles do not do well at what he is supposed to do.
Ownership is letting us down.
May 5th, 2026 at 4:16 pm
Thanks Joe….we’re doomed!
May 5th, 2026 at 4:18 pm
First things first, you win your division that’s always the first and foremost goal so it guarantees you a spot in the playoffs. Then you go from there. I mean, who really cares if it is the worst division in football, if the Bucs ball out and show a steady hand that’s all the better to seed themselves, which is really like a 1A goal with the division win. They have to take care of their own business and not care what anyone else does. The key is they have to be playing their best ball at then end of the year, and they should be cause they and every other team has had the whole year to gel, injuries and not enough talent not withstanding. And I would welcome being the Bully of the South. You think New England during the Brady years cared about how weak the other teams were in their division or anywhere else for that matter.
May 5th, 2026 at 4:20 pm
McMillan isn’t an x, ee could be used as one dunno how good that would be hurst definitely is an x type receiver.
May 5th, 2026 at 4:33 pm
Bucs have the most talent in the division but the worst head coach.
May 5th, 2026 at 5:00 pm
Lefty and Ocala know.
@Lakeland… why even have a coach then if players know their jobs and just need to execute?
For every player screw up in the last couple years, I guarantee Bowles has matched it! Whether it’s poor defensive calls, poor use of timeouts, a lack of courage and urgency with playcalling, making poor use of player skill sets, positioning players in poor matchups, too many soft walk throughs, the list goes on and on.
May 5th, 2026 at 5:03 pm
Until the defense gets on the field
May 5th, 2026 at 5:03 pm
The NFC South title is less than meaningless. You don’t need a winning record to achieve it.
But once you play a team outside the division in the playoffs you get boat raced.
Only in this scenario could a Bowles lead team get so much false hype.
It’s just laughable and a complete waste of time to even care who wins the NFC Least division.
Until Todd is shown the door we are in perpetual groundhogs day.
May 5th, 2026 at 5:16 pm
You can make a strong case with the draft picks and free agents,.we got better even with the pose of Evans ( traitor) amd and David who got old and was time to pass the torch! 11-6 here we come
May 5th, 2026 at 5:31 pm
The Bucs will be playing meanfull games in December this season and baker is a big reason for it ,so when you all are stuffing wings ,beer down your pie holes remember this Dork called it! Go back to NY lefty This town isnt big enough for 2 Dorks!
May 5th, 2026 at 5:50 pm
And weren’t those two guys we lost injured most of last session? Not much help. Go Bucs
May 5th, 2026 at 5:57 pm
I heard last year at this time calling for the Bucs to win SuperBowl
But this team and Lakeland will settle for the Division
Yea
Division
Only team on football who cares about Division Win
May 5th, 2026 at 6:00 pm
“Coach it up” With Todd. That’s one of the funniest things he I’ve heard in a while.
May 5th, 2026 at 6:37 pm
lol
May 5th, 2026 at 7:04 pm
If Baker is “healthy” and can accurately throw a 4 yard pass on 4th and 4 and the game on the line, then the Bucs are certainly the best team in the NFC South. But the question, as always, is how long can Baker stay “healthy”?
I’m think I’m sticking with the Saints for now. You can’t lose two HOF players, your best corner, and replace them with some FA scrubs and think you’re going to be OK. At the same time, the rookie class has a very good chance of being successful early, so that would help things quite a bit.
But at the end of last year, the Saints were the best team in the NFC South, and they young and were getting better. They’re going to be a lot tougher than people think. At the same time, I think the Panthers will fall off, and Atlanta with a new headcoach and scheme might get off to a slow start that knocks them out early (although I expect them to be playing well by the end of the year).
May 5th, 2026 at 8:43 pm
Sounds like a very accurate picture of what we and the division are.
We have the best roster in the division, but not anywhere near a superbowl roster.
We have the worst head coach in the division.
Likely 8 or 9 wins with 7 floor and a 10 ceiling. Highly doubtful we hit the ceiling imo.
We’ll start out hot, horrible in the middle and then we’ll see how it closes out. That’s the TB special. The division will likely come down to who has the best health and ball bounces.
May 5th, 2026 at 8:55 pm
Lynchmob says:
“Winning the NFCS less than meaningful”
Kinda like every single one of your posts.
May 5th, 2026 at 8:57 pm
Preseason rankings are about as ridiculous as grading drafts before anyone plays a game.
I think Seattle was ranked in the 20s in most pre-season rankings last year.
May 5th, 2026 at 9:16 pm
Do you guys remember the group last year that Claimed the same thing that the groups are claiming this year? For and Against. Remember that? Remember those people?
Obviously none of that “one group” are Foolish Enough to make the SAME CLAIM as they did last year. RIGHT?? They became part of and joined an AVALANCHE of a Very Very Unhappy group you hear THIS YEAR….. OR did they?
Obviously they WOULD HAVE LEARNED their lesson BY NOW! Right????
Are their some that just Never learn? Are there one or two who are STILL let’s call it “Are Expecting” a different result and don’t seem to know that? WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF CRAZY AGAIN? O…. wait.
ISN’T IT EXPECTING and SAYING THE VERY SAME THING “AGAIN” AND “AGAIN” and expecting different results? Well YES… I believe IT IS!
Do the few of you left from that ” particular group”, from last year, realize that you’re “expecting” a different result? Do YOU??? The definition of Crazy IS very interesting indeed.
May 5th, 2026 at 9:35 pm
You know…… MAN!
Some of you Just Don’t learn your lessons. You don’t like what others are saying about HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT WHATEVER “IT” IS..
So you attack a fellow fan DIRECTLY and then YOU ACTUALLY WONDER WHY YOU GET ATTACKED!
I don’t really care WHAT SIDE you’re on in the conversation, but GETTING YOURSELF Bullied “SHOULD NOT BE” a mystery to YOU… Just like I see right above.
Are you NOT smart enough to understand that? YOU literally start a fight with a fellow fan and wonder WHY YOU have Painted a Target on YOURSELF.
You should PROBABLY start to think of it as the Sword of Damocles hanging above your head when you Do THAT! AND KNOW that the chance IS THERE that “someone” might Decide to Bring it down apon YOU. Just keep THAT in mind….
May 5th, 2026 at 10:49 pm
Who the F are you talking to this time Obvious ?
Waiting for you to tell us you wield THORS HAMMER or something soon, or threaten to rain down fire and brimstone on whoever pushes your buttons next 🤣…. Cmon man – get A GRIP. You can threaten to unleash a plague of locusts or whatever BUT WE ALL KNOW all you’re going to do is type another unhinged rant.
May 5th, 2026 at 11:47 pm
It was a very good draft and I think we will be better off as a result.
May 6th, 2026 at 3:30 am
Buc1987 Says:
“Who’s going to be WR1 and WR2? Egbuka and Hurst?
It’s a serious question.
Does anyone know?”
Easy…who ever earns it.
May 6th, 2026 at 3:32 am
Steve V. ,
How are you making ads appear after all of your posts?
May 6th, 2026 at 3:35 am
I believe Jason Licht has good drafts, but everything so ofter he really nails. He had and extremely good draft this year.
Possibly as good as when Sam had his big draft.
May 6th, 2026 at 2:39 pm
The “I know you re but what am I” statements are really incisive. Deep. You Pom Pom Pollies just are so objective, and it’s intimidating. Really. Right 99slobby?
May 7th, 2026 at 12:43 am
This team has consistently performed below its talent level under this HC. Unless the rest of the division is straight trash, the Bucs aren’t winning anything.
May 7th, 2026 at 7:04 am
3.28.Evens
I now live Rent free in your head..Mission accomplished!