In what has been such a topsy-turvy season for so many NFL teams, the Bucs now find themselves in as secure a position as they’ve been in all season.

Their 31-7 rout of Atlanta, coupled with losses by Carolina and New Orleans, puts the Bucs in control of the NFC South. At 6-4, Tampa Bay now holds a two-game lead and is unbeaten at 3-0 within the division.

Granted, a potentially rugged matchup against Washington looms at home next week, and the Bucs - who haven’t exactly torn it up on the road - then travel to New Orleans and Houston. But with six games remaining, it would appear that only a monumental collapse - or remarkable comeback by either the Panthers our the Saints - will keep the Bucs out of the playoffs.

Do you agree? Does this win lock up a playoff berth, or is there still plenty of time for another NFC South team to make a run?

There is still time for a critical injury or a team collapse. Take it one game at a time!

They’ve already taken a couple big hits on the injury front and they’re still getting it done. Something magical will have to happen with the left side of the oline if they hope to get anywhere in the playoffs.

What are the chances they go from 0-6 to 6-0 in the division? That’d be nutz. Half way home with two games at rayjay…

The refs jobbed them in the ATL game and they still whooped ‘em. Once atl’s left tackle went out it was game over. They started getting pressure with just the front four which was awesome to see.

We’re pretty darn close. A win against New Orleans in a couple of weeks ought to just about do it, especially if it comes after a win over Washington. We should keep our fingers crossed on both of them.

The Bucs can do it as long as no more serious injuries, particularly at QB.  Just think Gradkowski and you should be scared, very scared.

Playoffs are a lock. We need to concern ourselves with winning out these last few games and carrying that momentum into the playoffs. I’d go as far as to say this : If we win the division before that Carolina game and we are not playing for home field, sit Garcia and Galloway. Or at least, rest them in the second half. I think of our season this way : prom is coming and we didn’t think we’d be going, but we wanted to start looking good enough to go next year. Well we got all dressed up and looked good. Now we’ve got the girl to go to the dance we just need to get there. it looks like we’re gonna get there, but you don’t want to be content just getting there right? Now you want to dance with her and maybe ‘go farther’. Therefore, we just don’t want to say we took ____ on a date...we want to say we got in her pants. LOL.

Oh man plenty of football left to be played.  One injury and it’s game over lets start talking about the draft.

Sweet analogy!  Sure would be nice to get a home playoff game. That kind of makes those season tix worth it.

jvnootz - 20 November 2007 09:04 PM

Playoffs are a lock. We need to concern ourselves with winning out these last few games and carrying that momentum into the playoffs.

I hope you are right and that there is no injury - particularly at QB.  I guarantee they are not a lock if Gradkowski goes in the next few weeks because Garcia goes down with an injury.

what’s up with all the IF’s?  IF Garcia goes down with an injury?  The typical pessimistic Bucs fans.  IF Tom Brady gets hurt, the Pats don’t get the perfect season and Moss will fake a groin injury to avoid practicing and start rounding out his routes like he did in Oakland. If Romo gets hurt, the Cowboys are in trouble and TO will start waving a white towell yeilding another fine.  Get over the IF’s.  The Bucs are playing very well.  That in combination of a horrible Falcon team gave us a big win last week.  Unlike last year, we won a game we were expeced to win.  So we can’t stamp our ticket to Arizona yet because we still need to improve our 3rd down efficiency on defense, get a consitent pass rush from the front 4 and continue to see improvement with the O-line play.

Sorry, not being pessimistic but realistic.  Just ask fans in Carolina or Atlanta where they both lost QBs for the season.  The QB this year is an endangered species.  The Eagles, Titans, 49ers, Dolphins, Jaguars - have all lost their starting QBs for spots of time this year as well.  The results are not pretty.

I am not saying it is going to happen, I am just saying if it did happen the Bucs are in terrible shape with no one to fill the hole at QB.  It is just the reality of the situation.  Me, I hope that Garcia does last the rest of the season.  If he does, then the division is clearly quite winable this year.  Then I can look forward to next year’s schedule when Tampa will have to play Green Bay, Dallas, and potentially Seattle.  Exciting games for next year.

How important is earnest these days?  Man how ‘bout him opening up the box of moves this week?  Hello stutter step stiff arm!  Sweet!

Another loss to the oline or Earnest and I still gotta wonder if McCown can really be the answer, and the bucs are going no where. That said, if the dline can continue to improve the pass rush and Penn at LT and for that matter the oline can continue to improve I’m really liking the playoff run.  I’m starting to work my head around winning a playoff game or two.