Can the bucs really win the NFC South? Can they go to SB?

[Brees#1]

If the trend continues, the second best team in the south will win the division. This hasn't been the case in 2014 and 2015. However, the saints blatantly gave that division title away choking away games to Atlanta, Cleveland, Detroit, SF....Still third place has never won the division the next season but that could change like it did when Carolina repeated as south champs three years in a row. Last place has not won the NFC South since 2009. And Carolina at their best is not better than NO, TB, or Atlanta at their best. Carolina I don't see taking the south back unless TB can't get it done and NO is not improved enough.

And because of Atlanta's strong division rivalry with NO and the fact that 5-1 two years in a row is hard to come by in this division. Atlanta is looking at 3-3 or 1-5. Since 2012, it's been 1-5 or 5-1. And that can happen if TB sweeps them, as they have actually had their number recently. If the saints don't get it turned around Atlanta could possibly repeat but it is hard to see it because Brees/saints are going to always have the endgame upper hand in that rivalry. NFL had the saints and falcons play twice in three weeks as a attempt to stop the saints paying back. What this will only do is delay the saints sweeping Atlanta back one year. If the saints can't sweep Atlanta won't get two. They didn't choke a 25-point lead in the sb. In the past, division rivals who tried to one-up their once and future superior ones lost embarrassingly in SBs. Atlanta would not have lost that SB if Brees was not a saint and they were not endgame.

Back to my point, the NFC South is going to come down to NE@NO week 2 and NE@TB week 5. Whoever wins or loses that benefits. It would seem because of Brees, NO has the best chance to beat NE at home. I don't see Matt Ryan winning in Foxbourough and most definitely Carolina. Everything points to TB winning the NFC South unless they pull a 14' saints and give it away.

TB has these games though.......@Mia, @Min, NYG, NE, @Ari, @Buf......those six games are in the first seven weeks, then week 9 @NO, week 12 @Atl, week 13 @GB, week 16 @Carolina(are they going to sweep Carolina again?)........

How does TB continue the NFC South in the SB if they cannot beat NYG, NE, @Arizona, @GB, and sweep two division rivals? Will this new revamped offense(but Djac has always been a ballhog/sloppy when lacking targets and there could be power clashes) actually have the cajones to beat teams they have yet to beat? Further, they could win the NFC South if everyone is 9 wins or less but TB would most definitely have to get through that early stretch to even win 9 games themselves. If they were to have 11-12 wins and a bye could they actually get to the sb when they have no playoff experience?

 

[cdumler7]

Didn't read the entire thing but not sure why the NFC South comes down to 2 games that are both against non-divisional opponents. Those games are like the least valuable of any on the schedule. At most they are a test to see which team can best stand up to the Super Bowl Champs.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

If I trusted Winston I'd probably pick them.

 

[Balljim55]

Don't buy your logic at all @Brees#1
History and trends have little bearing on the current year. It's proven time and time again in the NFL. It comes down to the product on the field, breaks (good and bad), injuries, who you play and when you play them.
I think the Falcons are favored to repeat (Although not having Shanahan there might be interesting), and after that it's a toss-up.

 

[Hank Kingsley]

Short answer?

Nope.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

If the trend continues, the second best team in the south will win the division. This hasn't been the case in 2014 and 2015. However, the saints blatantly gave that division title away choking away games to Atlanta, Cleveland, Detroit, SF....Still third place has never won the division the next season but that could change like it did when Carolina repeated as south champs three years in a row. Last place has not won the NFC South since 2009. And Carolina at their best is not better than NO, TB, or Atlanta at their best. Carolina I don't see taking the south back unless TB can't get it done and NO is not improved enough.

And because of Atlanta's strong division rivalry with NO and the fact that 5-1 two years in a row is hard to come by in this division. Atlanta is looking at 3-3 or 1-5. Since 2012, it's been 1-5 or 5-1. And that can happen if TB sweeps them, as they have actually had their number recently. If the saints don't get it turned around Atlanta could possibly repeat but it is hard to see it because Brees/saints are going to always have the endgame upper hand in that rivalry. NFL had the saints and falcons play twice in three weeks as a attempt to stop the saints paying back. What this will only do is delay the saints sweeping Atlanta back one year. If the saints can't sweep Atlanta won't get two. They didn't choke a 25-point lead in the sb. In the past, division rivals who tried to one-up their once and future superior ones lost embarrassingly in SBs. Atlanta would not have lost that SB if Brees was not a saint and they were not endgame.

Back to my point, the NFC South is going to come down to NE@NO week 2 and NE@TB week 5. Whoever wins or loses that benefits. It would seem because of Brees, NO has the best chance to beat NE at home. I don't see Matt Ryan winning in Foxbourough and most definitely Carolina. Everything points to TB winning the NFC South unless they pull a 14' saints and give it away.

TB has these games though.......@Mia, @Min, NYG, NE, @Ari, @Buf......those six games are in the first seven weeks, then week 9 @NO, week 12 @Atl, week 13 @GB, week 16 @Carolina(are they going to sweep Carolina again?)........

How does TB continue the NFC South in the SB if they cannot beat NYG, NE, @Arizona, @GB, and sweep two division rivals? Will this new revamped offense(but Djac has always been a ballhog/sloppy when lacking targets and there could be power clashes) actually have the cajones to beat teams they have yet to beat? Further, they could win the NFC South if everyone is 9 wins or less but TB would most definitely have to get through that early stretch to even win 9 games themselves. If they were to have 11-12 wins and a bye could they actually get to the sb when they have no playoff experience?

You said an awful lot there for me not to know what you're really trying to say...but just going off your thread title I'll respond with the following.

My NFCS preseason breakdown.

ATL...10-6...split the DIV, L @ NE, @ SEA, and they slip up vs either DAL at home or DET on the rd

CAR...9-7, split the DIV, L @ NE, @ DET, GB, maybe PHI...

NO...9-7, split the DIV, L NE, GB, BUF, MIA

TB...9-7, split the DIV, L @ MIA, AZ, GB, home to NYG

I think the Bucs have some very solid pcs on both sides of the ball, improved WR2 and TE from FA & the draft, but I'm not sold on their CBs outside of Grimes and the backend of the DEF in general. Maybe they go one better than I'm thinking and go 10-6...this team can definitely make the playoffs, but not ready to win a SB.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Don't buy your logic at all @Brees#1
History and trends have little bearing on the current year. It's proven time and time again in the NFL. It comes down to the product on the field, breaks (good and bad), injuries, who you play and when you play them.
I think the Falcons are favored to repeat (Although not having Shanahan there might be interesting), and after that it's a toss-up.

This ^^^.

If the Falcons make any strides on DEF, they should repeat. That said, I do expect the OFC to come back to the pack some.

 

[tducey]

I think Atlanta wins the division but Tampa will give them a run for their money and could end up being a wild card team.

 

[rmilia1]

Tampa will have a great offense and a middling D. I think they are a playoff team for sure

 

[DirtDirtDirt]

As long as America isnt subjected to Matt Ryan and the Falcons again on that Sacred Sunday

 

[SJ76]

Jameis has some weapons now. Does he have the Oline tho?

 

[Brees#1]

Didn't read the entire thing but not sure why the NFC South comes down to 2 games that are both against non-divisional opponents. Those games are like the least valuable of any on the schedule. At most they are a test to see which team can best stand up to the Super Bowl Champs.

That's the point. The only time a division winner did not beat the best teams in the other divisions was Carolina in 2014. In fact, saints won against both steelers and packer and blew them both out, one until the fourth at least, while Carolina got blown out by both of them. carolina won the division with a -.500 record. All the more frustrating. If bucs or saints beat NE and Atlanta and Carolina don't, it will speak volumes as when it especially comes to TB, who really has had no home advantage and that would be taking the next step.

 

[Brees#1]

Don't buy your logic at all @Brees#1
History and trends have little bearing on the current year. It's proven time and time again in the NFL. It comes down to the product on the field, breaks (good and bad), injuries, who you play and when you play them.
I think the Falcons are favored to repeat (Although not having Shanahan there might be interesting), and after that it's a toss-up.

Carolina was also favored to repeat. How did that work out? Had Atlanta not swept NO or Carolina last year they would be 9-7 and TB would have had that tie-breaker and Atlanta would have been going to GB in wild card round, where they most likely would not have won. Two wins against the saints and panthers decided the NFC South last year. I would not be surprised if Atlanta lost at home to Miami, Green Bay, and Minnesota next year. None of them will be easy home games.

 

[USCDoom]

Once the games actually start, Then is when everyone else will realize how good the Bucs are. This is not a comparison but an analogy. The 2017 Bucs will be like the 1999 Rams.

First off the Bucs schedule is tailor made for a great season, especially a fast start. The Bucs will only leave the State of Florida Twice from the Start of Training Camp to October 14th (at Cincinnati week 1 of Preseason, At Minnesota Week 3 of Regular Season). Bucs do not play a Division game until week 8. Bucs play only 2 Division games in the first 11 week.

Second, Last Year the Bucs lost their #1,#2, #3 RBs, #2, #3, #4 WRs, #2 TE, #1 RT to Injuries for good portions of the season. While Injuries will happen again, the chance of this kind of decimation is unlikely. Add in the replacements are much more talented and now Deeper and maybe if it does happen again they can improve by One Game and finish 10-6.

Third, Not to say the game was close, but If the Bucs had beaten the Falcons in Tampa, Tampa would have been Division Champs. So for as good as the Falcons were last year they were just one game better than the Bucs. Add in they were also one of the youngest team and improvement is almost expected.

Fourth, the OLine is a Strength, not a Weakness. Most people who Judge OLinemen are Morons. They have no concept of Line Assignments and other Factors that put pressure on the OLine.

Last Year the Bucs had one of the slowest Offenses, proven by the fact they had Not One Play go longer than 45 yards. Think about that.

Now If your WRs are Slow and struggle to get open(or you only have one that can), then the QB HAS TO HOLD ON TO THE BALL LONGER. That is NO Reflection in the Oline, NONE. So Hits on the QB are NOT only on the OLine, and in some case Not At ALL On the OLine.

Now with Speed Balance and Options in the Passing Game, I expect those same Morons who said these SAME PLAYERS suck today, will call them Really Good at the end of the year, Like Morons are want to do...

That said, OLine is the one area the Bucs cannot afford Injury, When Dotson went down last year the RT position became the Biggest Liability on the team, go watch the Cowboys game...

 

[ArlingtonCowboys100]

No and no to both questions

 

[NWPATSFAN]

No and no to both questions

^^This & This ^^

 

[DirtDirtDirt]

Once the games actually start, Then is when everyone else will realize how good the Bucs are. This is not a comparison but an analogy. The 2017 Bucs will be like the 1999 Rams.

First off the Bucs schedule is tailor made for a great season, especially a fast start. The Bucs will only leave the State of Florida Twice from the Start of Training Camp to October 14th (at Cincinnati week 1 of Preseason, At Minnesota Week 3 of Regular Season). Bucs do not play a Division game until week 8. Bucs play only 2 Division games in the first 11 week.

Second, Last Year the Bucs lost their #1,#2, #3 RBs, #2, #3, #4 WRs, #2 TE, #1 RT to Injuries for good portions of the season. While Injuries will happen again, the chance of this kind of decimation is unlikely. Add in the replacements are much more talented and now Deeper and maybe if it does happen again they can improve by One Game and finish 10-6.

Third, Not to say the game was close, but If the Bucs had beaten the Falcons in Tampa, Tampa would have been Division Champs. So for as good as the Falcons were last year they were just one game better than the Bucs. Add in they were also one of the youngest team and improvement is almost expected.

Fourth, the OLine is a Strength, not a Weakness. Most people who Judge OLinemen are Morons. They have no concept of Line Assignments and other Factors that put pressure on the OLine.

Last Year the Bucs had one of the slowest Offenses, proven by the fact they had Not One Play go longer than 45 yards. Think about that.

Now If your WRs are Slow and struggle to get open(or you only have one that can), then the QB HAS TO HOLD ON TO THE BALL LONGER. That is NO Reflection in the Oline, NONE. So Hits on the QB are NOT only on the OLine, and in some case Not At ALL On the OLine.

Now with Speed Balance and Options in the Passing Game, I expect those same Morons who said these SAME PLAYERS suck today, will call them Really Good at the end of the year, Like Morons are want to do...

That said, OLine is the one area the Bucs cannot afford Injury, When Dotson went down last year the RT position became the Biggest Liability on the team, go watch the Cowboys game...

2 Words

Jameis Winston

His play will dictate how far the team goes

 

[richig07]

IMO, the Bucs will win the South.

If the trend continues, the second best team in the south will win the division. This hasn't been the case in 2014 and 2015. However, the saints blatantly gave that division title away choking away games to Atlanta, Cleveland, Detroit, SF....Still third place has never won the division the next season but that could change like it did when Carolina repeated as south champs three years in a row. Last place has not won the NFC South since 2009. And Carolina at their best is not better than NO, TB, or Atlanta at their best. Carolina I don't see taking the south back unless TB can't get it done and NO is not improved enough.

And because of Atlanta's strong division rivalry with NO and the fact that 5-1 two years in a row is hard to come by in this division. Atlanta is looking at 3-3 or 1-5. Since 2012, it's been 1-5 or 5-1. And that can happen if TB sweeps them, as they have actually had their number recently. If the saints don't get it turned around Atlanta could possibly repeat but it is hard to see it because Brees/saints are going to always have the endgame upper hand in that rivalry. NFL had the saints and falcons play twice in three weeks as a attempt to stop the saints paying back. What this will only do is delay the saints sweeping Atlanta back one year. If the saints can't sweep Atlanta won't get two. They didn't choke a 25-point lead in the sb. In the past, division rivals who tried to one-up their once and future superior ones lost embarrassingly in SBs. Atlanta would not have lost that SB if Brees was not a saint and they were not endgame.

Back to my point, the NFC South is going to come down to NE@NO week 2 and NE@TB week 5. Whoever wins or loses that benefits. It would seem because of Brees, NO has the best chance to beat NE at home. I don't see Matt Ryan winning in Foxbourough and most definitely Carolina. Everything points to TB winning the NFC South unless they pull a 14' saints and give it away.

TB has these games though.......@Mia, @Min, NYG, NE, @Ari, @Buf......those six games are in the first seven weeks, then week 9 @NO, week 12 @Atl, week 13 @GB, week 16 @Carolina(are they going to sweep Carolina again?)........

How does TB continue the NFC South in the SB if they cannot beat NYG, NE, @Arizona, @GB, and sweep two division rivals? Will this new revamped offense(but Djac has always been a ballhog/sloppy when lacking targets and there could be power clashes) actually have the cajones to beat teams they have yet to beat? Further, they could win the NFC South if everyone is 9 wins or less but TB would most definitely have to get through that early stretch to even win 9 games themselves. If they were to have 11-12 wins and a bye could they actually get to the sb when they have no playoff experience?

Are you WillJ... from the PSR forums? Just curious. He's a poster I knew from a different board, and he made posts like this.

 

[richig07]

I think the Bucs will win the South this year, and that ATL will miss the playoffs. SB hangover upcoming after that choke job.

 

[richig07]

2 Words

Jameis Winston

His play will dictate how far the team goes

Obviously. You can say that about any NFL team and their QB.

The Bucs do have young talent outside of Jameis though.