_“Bryan, why is our team misunderstood?”_
Joe sees quality bias in the latest NFL newsletter from the pay-per-read site [TheAthletic.com](https://theathletic.com), a _New York Times_ property with big-name reporters.
The Bucs have been in the playoffs the past five seasons and have won four consecutive division titles after beating the Chiefs in the Super Bowl. So it’s obvious the Bucs have been a known commodity playing high-profile games. And they’ve got a healthy share of star players.
Despite that, writers Jacob Robinson and Dianna Russini apparently surveyed hundreds of thousands of football fans to determine the Bucs roster is underrated.
Joe’s being a wiseass. Of course Robinson and Russini didn’t run around their office and nearby pizza joints asking fans about the Bucs, and they didn’t poll the masses. But they did feel compelled to share in their NFC South preview that this 2025 Bucs club “looks stronger than most realize.”
Gee, thanks.
> **Better than 2024? Yes.** Their offense remains almost fully intact, though former OC Liam Coen’s loss may be felt in the early weeks. But with their defensive upgrades, this team looks stronger than most realize, especially when you notice six of last season’s eight losses (including playoffs) came in one-score games. Having one of the 10 easiest schedules should help them get back to the postseason, where the range of outcomes feels wide for a team that beat the Commanders, Lions and Eagles last year — but also lost to the Dak Prescott-less Cowboys.
Joe wants to know who is “most” for these national reporters? It sounds to Joe like “most” means their media friends on group texts, or Boston, San Francisco and Chicago elitists who misguidedly think their local teams are on the cust of historic greatness.
Joe thinks it’s obvious that the Bucs roster is very strong. That’s common knowledge to anyone paying attention.
Can coaching get the roster over the hump and back to the postseason win column? That’s the big question.