Reality Check

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It’s a one-game-at-a-time league, and I don’t believe any team personifies that expression more than our Bucs. We went from worrying about draft position just a few short weeks ago to fans racking their brains over possible playoff scenarios.

Time to take a breath. Let’s look at the Bucs one game at a time.

Next team we face is the Saints. Going back to the last game of the season last year, the Bucs are 2 and 0 against them as of today. It is extremely difficult for me to imagine going three straight against a team some feel are the favorites in the NFC to go to the Superbowl. Is it possible? Certainly it is. But not likely.

On a positive note, the defensive scheme we are running now is working. Running with 6 DBs takes a lot of the pressure off of the rookies and shores up the pass defense. Of course that leaves some wiggle room for teams to run the ball against us. But that all tightens up in the RedZone.

Our passing game under Winston’s visor seems to have improved drastically over the last 2 weeks. So there’s that. And our receiving corps is still top notch. Our O-line is still suspect on run downs and allows too many sacks.

The Saints are coming off a loss to the Cowboys. Is that good or bad news for the Bucs? I can’t rightly tell at the moment. What I do believe is that this game will be extremely important to both teams. Will we be able to build on the momentum of our last 2 wins and take advantage of the weakness the Saints showed against the Cowboys? Or will the Saints come in with a chip on their shoulders, not just about the Dallas game but potentially losing 3 straight to the Bucs? One thing is certain. Looking to the post season with this game looming is asking for disappointment.

When the Saints and Bucs play this coming weekend, it will be a battle with the stakes set as high as they can be. Will the Bucs succeed and finally win a meaningful game in December again? If the Bucs can somehow pull this one out, then we can start the playoff discussion. Until then let’s just enjoy this rollercoaster of a season. Go Bucs.

Written by: Johnny Dean

Don’t forget to check out Buccaneer Blake’s show on Bucs Report.

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