Heading into the season, the Buccaneers knew the beginning of their schedule would be a gauntlet. And coming out of that stretch with a winning record would be hard to say the least.
Besides the Saints, who always give the Bucs trouble, the combined record of the other three teams are 9-3. The Bucs aren’t just playing good teams, they are playing teams that would give any team in the NFL struggles.
The idea that losing these two games all but kills the team’s season is a bit of an overreaction. You have to look at the bigger picture.
When the Buccaneers won both of their Super Bowls they lost to the Saints twice in the regular season. It’s tough imagining them becoming the super team they’ve become without having their flaws exposed at times. In 2020, the Chiefs beat them 27-24 in the regular season. The Bucs ultimately got the final laugh in beating the Chiefs 31-9 in the Super Bowl.
Playoff Talk
The Bucs are tied for first place at 2-2 with the Atlanta Falcons. It’s hard to believe the Falcons will be there competing for the division at the end of the season. With that said, the Bucs need to handle their business starting this Sunday against the Falcons.
Down the road the Bucs will face the Rams, Ravens, Bengals, 49ers and Browns. Mix those games with another Saints game, a Steelers game and a Cardinals game, and the Bucs have a tough task and getting the one seed is most likely unreachable.
What To Watch For Now
The Buccaneers’ schedule this year isn’t an easy one. But, it also isn’t insurmountable. They still have a lot to learn and adjustments to make, this is obvious. Getting out of the regular season healthy can make it substantially easier to win in the playoffs. I wouldn’t be shocked to see some of the receivers on a snap count.
Todd Bowles has shown in his career that if you give him talent, he will create a top NFL defense. This defense is one of the most talented and is still young and getting better.
With the Bucs biggest flaws being exposed this early in the season, they have three months to fix them. With Tom Brady at the helm and a coaching staff that has proven to be one of the best in the NFL, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be fine.
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