_“I got launched after back-to-back 9-7 seasons, Todd.”_
Joe knows lots of Bucs fans want to launch something or someone.
However, this post is not about that. It’s about Bucs Super Bowl champion head coach Jon Gruden, aka Chucky, thinking the Bucs will beat the Panthers on Sunday. Gruden made that call on _[The Gruden Family Football Show](https://www.barstoolsports.com/shows/124/The-Pro-Football-Football-Show)_ for Barstool Sports.
Chucky thinks Sunday could be what he called a “launching pad” game for Tampa Bay, similar to what the Texans had after starting 0-4 and getting their first win over Tennessee, and then following it up with a huge win at Jacksonville — another division win — to now sit at 2-4.
That sounds nice, but the Texans have a starting quarterback putting up very strong numbers. The Bucs do not.
Joe thinks the Bucs could win Sunday, but there’s every reason to think their collective mental weakness and lacking killer instinct will send them tumbling to another one-score loss. Injuries to starters, including Baker Mayfield’s still-healing hand, won’t help, either.