This image stolen from someone who isn’t smart enough to put a stupid hidden banner in it.
Let’s just go ahead and call it like it is. All the pundits agree, the Bucs will be improved this year, yet they fail to understand that the schedule is not as daunting as they think. The tougher schedule is the reason the media predict the Bucs to improve yet finish with a lower record than last year. What they dont get, is the schedule is only on paper. When you look closer, that paper is not as thick as you’d think.
The Lions no doubt are a daunting task first up. But lets grab a bit of reality; the reason the Lions look tough is because they finished 4-0 in the preseason, and 4-0 in the last 4 games of last year.
Two things absolutly DO NOT MATTER in the nfl…
- What you did last year
- Preseason
When you take those away, your left with the Detroit Lions. A Quarterback with a lot of potential, IF he can stay healthy, vs a QB who showed his potential last year. A defensive Tackle who is once in a lifetime talent, yet who is still only one player.
If the Bucs fall, which is possible, it doesnt mean the season is lost, because the Pewter Pirates can find themself 3-1 or 2-2 with the next wave of games.
Minnesota is going with Donovan McNabb, but lets not just talk about names. McNabb was beaten by the Bucs 9 years ago with a much better team around him, and 8 years ago, and 5 years ago too. Now McNabb is a shadow of himself, and the Vikings other option is a guy who could not beat North Carolina. Or North Carolina State.
The Falcons will come into Raymond James, and then so too with the Indianapolis Colts featuring Kerry Collins as their QB. Peyton Manning will not get a chance to engieneer a 20+ point comeback on MNF again.
The Next wave of games finds the Bucs facing the pourous defense of the New Orleans Saints twice. They play at San Francisco against Alex Smith, and a rookie Head Coach, a daunting task for the 49ers to get ready for the new year with no offseason. The Bucs also play a Bears team that could be on the downswing too. Sure they were in the NFC Championship game last year. See one of TWO THINGS that do not matter above. Last year was so last year.
If the Bucs can go 4-4 in the first 8 games, with a split against the Saints, and a home win over Atlanta, they can set themselves up for a 6-2 second half of football a lot easier than the first.
Last year the Bucs faced a lot of lesser talent QBs, but the media isnt looking at this years opposition close enough, or they would see the Bucs facing an old McNabb/Ponder, No Manning, Alex Smith, Matt Hasslebeck, Rookie Cam Newton twice, and Blaine Gabbert or Luke McCown.
All that with rookie or interim coaching staffs that had no time to implement ANYTHING during the offseason; Minnesota, San Francisco, Tennessee, Carolina twice, and Dallas.
When you take a closer look, 10-6 seems very possible, and If New Orleans defense looks as bad as it did last night (remember, the Bucs handled the Saints in ’07 and 08 when they had a good offense but poor D), the playoffs are within reach.
So why are people saying the schedule is tougher?
The problem is, they’re looking at last years schedule based on last years results. But GOING INTO last season, the schedule was a lot tougher looking than this 2011 schedule looks.
Look at how many teams were going up against this year with rookie or over the hill QBs, and how many rookie Head Coaches were facing in a year with no offseason. The Bucs have an advantage over those teams because of the cohesiveness of the offense from last season.
Lets look at last years schedule, BEFORE it was played out.The Bucs faced TWO games against a 13-3 New Orleans Saints Superbowl winner (and won one)away game against a 10-6 division champ Cinci team. (and won)Away game against a 9-7 division champ Arizona team. ( and won)Away game against a 9-7 playoff Baltimore team (ok lost)a 9-7 Pittsburgh team, two games against a 9-7 Atlanta team, and like this year, an opening day game against a team that was red hot in the last 4 games the year before.All told, that is 8 games against teams with winning records the year prior.
This year were facing a similar 13-3 team in our division, and an 11-5 Saints team twice,but also a 2-14 division foe we swept the year before.The AFC South is FAR easier than the AFC North, with only Indianapolis as the sole winning team in that division, and they will be without Manning when we play them.jacksonville, Tennessee and Houston, we could win 3 of 4 there.
Yes we play a tougher NFC North team as opposed to the NFC West, but remember, going into last year, the NFC West was not a cupcake like it turned out to be. We again play a Super Bowl champ, but only once. Detroit is similar to Cleveland,And Minnesota is going with an over the hill McNabb if not a rookie from Florida State.People are calling Dallas a tough team, but they were 6-10 last year, with a rookie HC, we have no idea what kind of Cowboy team comes to play us late in the year.
This year, we face only 7 teams with a winning record. Some areas are tougher, but a lot of areas look weaker as compared to same time last year looking into 2010 season based on 2009 rankings.Thus, the schedule is NOT tougher at all. It only appears to be because its being judged based on last years results vs last years records.
It all starts in two days.
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