“Just one playoff win?”
In the words of veteran NFL scribe Ralph Vacchiano, the NFC South collectively smells like a Porta-Potty outside one of the NFC South stadiums after fans have gone home following a 1 p.m. September game.
In other words, the division stinks out loud and Vacchiano thinks the Bucs only need to find a way to be less rank than the others.
However, Vacchiano, typing for FOX Sports, thinks that’s the ceiling for the Bucs. Maybe the Bucs may squeak out a playoff win, tops.
(This really isn’t much of a surprise as Vacchiano recently had the Bucs as the No. 22 team in the league.)
Vacchiano has the entire NFC South, along with the Cowboys, Vikings and Chargers, in “Tier 5” of playoff hopefuls who will be fortunate enough just to play an 18th game.
Tier 5: Playoff contenders, but nothing more
Los Angeles Chargers (+1700)
Dallas Cowboys (+2500)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+5000)
Atlanta Falcons (+12000)
Carolina Panthers (+8000)
Minnesota Vikings (+5000)
This group comprises the teams on the playoff bubble who’ll need some help along the way to get in. Also, if they do get in, don’t expect them to win more than one game, if that. These are not Super Bowl contenders. …
[T]he Buccaneers, the Falcons, and the Panthers, who won the worst division in football last season via a tie-breaker after all three of these teams finished 8-9. They all have more questions than answers at the moment. The Bucs can be prolific, but they lost their best receiver to free agency. The Falcons seem loaded at every offensive position except quarterback. And the Panthers probably have the most promise, but are still waiting for QB Bryce Young to play like the No. 1 pick he once was.
Joe sort of agrees with Vacchiano. Sort of.
The Bucs’ offense can be prolific, no doubt. Yes, it has question marks. How will Zac Robinson do running the offense? Which Baker Mayfield shows up, the MVP contender before last year’s bye, or the quarterback who looked washed after the bye?
And of course, how will the Bucs play without Mike Evans?
The Bucs have the pieces, no question. On offense.
The defense is a major question mark for Joe. It’s cool to holler in June. But does that win games in September… or even December?
The Bucs have the same defensive coordinator and they’re banking on three rookies to help carry them. That’s not exactly reassuring to Joe.
And let’s be real: How many defenses get better the season immediately after they let their best corner walk?
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