Many are saying the Buccaneers will finish this season with an 8-8 record, and that would not be anything to cry about, considering we haven’t seen eight wins, in six seasons. But from the coaches to the players, the Bucs have made such significant improvements to the team that it seems the Bucs are in for a real upswing in the W’s column.
Since it’s any given Sunday and the talent is there for Tampa, I’m going to give the benefit of the doubt and say that the Buccaneers step it up this season and we finally make the playoffs. There is so much talent on both sides of the ball that if they click, anything is possible, and the sky’s the limit.
As far as my outlook on the season goes, I want to scream 10-6, but 9-7 is not out of the equation. We do have a tough schedule ahead of us, but it should not be too much for us to handle. I think we are going to be every bit as good as the Panthers were last season, but split wins with them and the rest of our division. A loss to the Cardinals, the Chiefs, and the Seahawks would leave us looking at my 10-6 record and hopefully a playoff spot.
The game I am up in the air about is the Rams. If we can master the difficult task of stopping Todd Gurley, that would put the game on Goff’s shoulders. Regardless of how good Goff turns out or if he even plays, he’s still going to make rookie mistakes, so a pick or two in week three should completely demoralize him. If we cannot stop Gurley and the pressure is taken off of Goff’s neck, well you know the story. That will end with an L in our column. And have us looking at 9-7. Either way, when the season ends, if Tampa goes 10-6, 9-7, or 8-8, I smell playoffs in the near future.
