Cakewalk ending to season.
One of the reasons why Joe enjoys reading Warren Sharp’s work is that he often takes a very detailed, if not unique look into otherwise misleading information.
Take the strength of schedules. Sharp, a handicapper turned statgeek, thinks the common way people look at strength of schedules is off base.
Most people look at opposing teams’ records from the previous season to determine how strong (or weak) a schedule is. Sharp people with so much roster turnover, that’s an inaccurate way to determine the strength of schedule.
Also, Sharp heavily favors teams that have more rest. In other words, he calculates the most days between games, amount of travel and when teams have byes as factors for their strength of schedule.
Regarding the Bucs, typing for his site, _Sharp Football Analysis_, Sharp has [found two oddities](https://www.sharpfootballanalysis.com/analysis/nfl-schedule-grid-regular-season/).
The first is, the Bucs are one of just four teams to start the season on the road.
> First two games on the road:
>
> Carolina Panthers New York Giants San Francisco 49ers
>
> Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Additionally, Sharp believes if the Bucs can keep their heads above water until Week 12, the home stretch greatly favors the Bucs. Sharp has determined that from Week 12-18, the Bucs have the fourth-easiest schedule in the league.
> What NFL teams have the easiest schedules from Week 12 to Week 18:
>
> San Francisco 49ers Jacksonville Jaguars New Orleans Saints Tampa Bay Buccaneers
>
> Atlanta Falcons
Yeah, Joe noticed the Dixie Chicks also have a cakewalk ending to the season. So in Joe’s eyes, it is imperative the Bucs win the season opener in Billy Sherman’s summer home to open the season and even better to sweep the Dixie Chicks like they did to the Bucs last season.
Overall, Sharp has the Bucs with the No. 9 toughest strength of schedule.