In 2002 The Buccaneers won their first Super Bowl while riding the back of a historic defense that surrendered only 37 points in three playoff games.
In 2020 the Tom Brady led offense got hot at just the right time. They scored 30+ points in each of their four playoff games. Going on to win the team’s second Super Bowl.
It’s very rare that a team is dominant on both sides of the ball. As free agency has come and gone, teams now are focused on the draft. That isn’t to say that the Bucs are finished adding to their team BUT I’d say they have 85-90 % of their roster complete.
Impact players typically are found in the first 3 to 4 rounds but with the Bucs drafting towards the bottom, maybe they find one starter and one or two back up players.
So, as it stands now, are the Bucs better on offense or defense? Both sides have deficiencies which haven’t been fully addressed, yet.
Are they more likely to score 25 points or give up 17? If I had to pick one side, I’m going with defense but only slightly. They should be much better up the middle as Calijah Kancey enters year two but I’m worried about their outside pass rush and the defensive backs.
On offense, their running game was terrible and they need better interior push along the offensive line. Baker Mayfield should be better in year two, but he’s at his best when he has a strong running game.
This may be the rare occasion when both offense and defense are slightly above average. The good news is that above average should still be enough to win their division.