Winning (at home).
Once upon a time, not that long ago, Joe used to get killed by both fans and suits at One Buc Palace. Even though Joe wasn’t remotely the culprit.
During the Lost Decade, which was basically bookended by Chucky’s dismissal (after the 2008 season) to the arrival of Tom Brady 2020) the Bucs were a miserable home team. In fact, only one team in the league, the Browns, had a worse home record than the Bucs.
The Browns lost so much at home, Browns fans began calling their own crib the “Factory of Sadness.” Inspired by this, Joe began calling the stadium on Dale Mabry Highway the “Den of Depression.”
Many Bucs fans, especially folks who had offices at One Bucs Palace, would become enraged at Joe for that. Even just days after the Bucs won the Super Bowl win in 2020, Joe would get texts from Bucs types cussing Joe out about that, even though Joe retired that nickname when the Bucs (finally!) won five home games in 2020.
During the Lost Decade, when Joe was confronted by Bucs types about using the moniker “Den of Depression,” Joe would tell them, “Joe’s not coaching the team or picking the coaches or players.”
It would be like a burglar going after a reporter when the crook left jail. The reporter wasn’t the guy breaking into an apartment by busting through a window and making off with a TV.
Joe would tell the Bucs types, “Don’t want Joe to point out a losing record at home? Quit losing home games, simple.” Naturally, this didn’t go over so well.
Thankfully, this is all in the past. In fact, in putting together what team has the best homefield advantage, Joe Gibbs (no, not that Joe Gibbs) of Sharp Football Analysis documented, even if one factors in the final two years of the Lost Decade, the Bucs have a winning home record.
Home Record (2018-2024): 34-28 (54.5%)
And it isn’t even on the road where the Bucs have a winning record. The Bucs even have a winning record in those same seven seasons on the road.
Road Record: 34-28 (54.5%)
Even against the spread, in those seven seasons, the Bucs have a winning record.
ATS Road: 33-28-1 (54.1%)
The only area where the Bucs do not have a winning record is what gets them in trouble with our friends in the desert. The Bucs have a subpar record against the spread at home.
ATS Home: 27-32-3 (45.8%)
Again, Gibbs included the final two years of the Lost Decade. That’s how well the Bucs have played at home and on the road Since Tom Brady came to town, and Brady was succeeded by Baker Mayfield.