The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are discovering that being the hunted in the NFL is a difficult proposition, highlighting the difficulty in delivering back-to-back Super Bowls. The Bucs have enjoyed a solid start to the campaign and are well on track to reach the playoffs in the NFC. However, the competition around Bruce Arians’ men in the conference has been taken to new heights.
Tampa Bay was also fortunate in the 2020 season to avoid serious injuries to key players. The injury bug has hit hard in the 2021 campaign, decimating the Bucs’ secondary and receiving corps outside of Chris Godwin and Mike Evans. Tom Brady’s defiance of father time continues to astound as he is on pace to lead the league in passing yards and touchdowns, with the possibility of recording career-bests in both statistics at the age of 44.
However, even the GOAT is not infallible as his late mistake against the New Orleans Saints proved, throwing a game-ending pick-six. It will take a team effort to lead the Buccaneers back to the Super Bowl, and given their situation after eight games, their odds in WSN’s NFL picks for the Vince Lombardi trophy could suffer.
Experience is Key
The experience of the Buccaneers could be vital in the postseason against their rivals, especially with Brady behind center. He provides a huge advantage over potential contenders in the NFC given his performances in the clutch over the course of his illustrious career.
The Los Angeles Rams were outstanding in their victory over the Buccaneers in their week three match-up. Matthew Stafford was on point throughout the game and put the Bucs’ defense to the sword. Stafford has been a revelation since his trade to the Rams to combine with Sean McVay.
The 33-year-old is playing at an MVP level and his connection with Cooper Kupp is arguably the most potent in the NFL. LA has loaded up on quality, acquiring Von Miller to place alongside Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey in their defense.
On talent alone, the Rams are the outstanding candidates for the Super Bowl. However, experience is not on their side, the franchise has known nothing other than disappointment since 1999 when they last won the Lombardi Trophy. They have suffered two defeats at the hands of Brady in the 2001 and 2018 seasons while Stafford has lost all three of his postseason starts.
The Arizona Cardinals are one of the other leading contenders for the Super Bowl in the NFC. Kyler Murray is also excelling in his bid to be named MVP. They brushed aside the Rams in their meeting earlier in the campaign, but are also untested under the bright lights. A.J Green’s misfire in their defeat to the Green Bay Packers perhaps proved that the pressure of the grand stage may get to Kliff Kingsbury and his team.
The Best of the Rest
The Dallas Cowboys and the Packers are also in the mix in a conference stacked with incredible teams. Dallas has been known for their chokes under pressure in the postseason, while Dak Prescott’s calf injury could be a concern considering his injury history. Green Bay appears to have put their issues with Rodgers behind them at least for now. Rodgers will be determined to get one over Brady and company after their NFC Championship defeats the last term. However, they’ve also been renowned for their lack of composure in the playoffs.
The Road Ahead
Tampa Bay still has to focus on the road ahead and beat out the Saints first for the NFC South crown. It may benefit the Buccaneers to be under-the-radar as they were last term entering the postseason. Once in their experience and guile could be the difference amid the emerging threats to their bid to go back-to-back.
