Bucs caught a break from schedule-makers

   If the Bucs aren't doing cartwheels after viewing their schedule today, dignified somersaults are in order.

   No question the NFL schedule-makers threw the Bucs a bone or two. They don't have to sweat cold-weather road dates. They're back on national TV. The bye week is as late as possible.

   What more could you ask for? Playing in Super Bowl XLIII in Raymond James Stadium? Even that's a possibility this year.

   Below are some of the highlights of the Bucs' 2008 schedule.

   --Three of the Bucs' first five games are on the road, beginning with the regular-season opener at New Orleans. It's the fifth time in the past six years the Bucs have opened the season away from RJS. The last regular-season opener in Tampa Bay came against the Baltimore Ravens in 2006.

   If you're looking for good omens, consider this: the last time the Bucs opened the season against New Orleans was 2002 when the Saints won in overtime on an interception of an aborted punt. The Bucs went on to win the division, the NFC title and defeated the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII.

   --The Bucs got a break from the weatherman. Tampa Bay had potentially icy road dates at Chicago, Denver and Kansas City. But the Bucs visit the Windy City on Sept. 21 for a 1 p.m. game against the Bears.

   There should be no snow on the ground in Denver when the Bucs travel there Oct. 5 for a 1p.m. game. The first game at Arrowhead Stadium against the Chiefs since 1986 will be played Nov. 2 at 1 p.m.

   Speaking of breaks, Bucs fans will note the Sept. 14 home opener against Atlanta is at 4:05 p.m., a bit of a reprieve from the sweltering summer heat. It's something the Bucs have requested for years but is generally ignored by schedule-makers.

   --The price of winning the NFC South is three prime-time games. After playing all afternoon contests a year ago, the Bucs play on Monday Night Football at Carolina Dec. 8. The Bucs also have two Sunday night games at Raymond James Stadium on NBC -- Oct. 19 vs. Seattle and Dec. 21 vs. San Diego.

   The game against the Chargers could be subject to change by NBC due to flex scheduling, but don't bet on it.

   NBC is televising Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa and they undoubtedly would like a couple of dry runs from RJS. It's also a good promotional tool for the city.

   The three nationally televised games represents a welcome return to prominence. From 1998-2006, the Bucs were involved in 13 MNF telecasts.

   You can bet Jon Gruden hates an interruption in routine, so prime-time games can be disruptive to the practice schedule. But hey, they'll deal with it.

    --For the second straight year, the Bucs will enjoy its bye Week 10, the latest it can have an open date on the schedule. This can be particularly useful to allow injuries to heal before the stretch run.

   --The Bucs finish the season with two games at home against AFC west teams San Diego and Oakland. Assuming they're in a playoff hunt or haven't already clinched their seeding, it's certainly an advantage to play those games at RJS.

   

Comments

[Bill]

11-5

[shane]

i agree bill. Now on to the national television games why is it that the bucs have to wait until Dec. to get a MNF game but the Cards and 49ers play each other 3 weeks earlier. Didn't the cards and niners finish in the bottom of their division for the past 2 years yet they have been in more primetime games than the bucs? Why do they deserve to even be near a MNF game when they haven't won a division title or been in the playoffs in God knows how long? And talk about throwing bones and giving shafts to teams, how bout the steelers and patriots schedule. The steelers go 11-5 and lose in the playoffs and get thrown the toughest schedule in the league with an opp win percent of .598 but the patriots go 16-0 and lost in the super bowl and end up with the easiest schedule in the league with a opp win percent of .387 (i know they play Miami and Buffalo twice). Come on give the patriots more challenges than the colts and chargers .

[JR]

shane you do know that the schedule is made by a formula right someone doesnt actually pick those games. The pats play all of the other AFC divisional leaders, which isnt easy, and the entire nfc west division which other than the seahawks is extremely weak. Thats why the pats have such a weak strength of schedule, because they play the weak afc east and they play the weak nfc west. By the way, their strength of schedule is misleading because miami's 1-15 record is calculated twice in there.

As for the bucs schedule looks like we have a pretty favorable schedule in terms of the scheduling of the games, not the actual matchups. Dodged the cold games and we host green bay and seattle in tampa when it will still be hot so hopefully those teams will be bothered by weather and be cramping. Hopefully the sunday night game against the chargers doesnt get changed because that is going to be a great game assuming both teams play their starters.

[Nate]

It's such a shame Warren Sapp didn't stick it out for one more season. Fans and detractors alike would have undoubtedly given him one helluva sendoff back where it all began.

[Nate Dogg]

This is true, Nate, but with roster spots being so valuable (especially when injuries become an issue...remember Trotter not dressing for half of the games last year because of that?), it's best that Warren enjoys his retirement a year early.

[Nate]

Well, I meant if he'd stuck it out with Oakland, since they are our prey in Week 17. But I don't doubt Sapp could still command a starter's role with our interior D-line. Especially with Hovan there...who is twice the player Booger ever was.

Anyway, I miss him already.

[Slooter]

12-4 if they win the first two games.

[DR]

I'm predicting an 8-8 record. In fact, all 32 teams will finish 8-8, thats what the schedule means right now.

[Tim]

DR said the Bucs would finish 4-12 last year, and when they won 5 games he said they wouldn't finish better than 6-10, so don't put any stock in DR's prediction. It's sure to change after they win there first 8. he'll hide his pink Romo shirt after the Bucs spank the cowgirls.

[DR]

Tim, you predicted a 11-5 season 2 years ago after they went 11-5 and what did they do??? Oh yeah, they went 4-12. How soon we forget.
You all predicted a Bucs win in Irving that Thanksgiving day, and after spotting them 7 points, the Cowboys destroyed the Bucs. Good luck this year, you will certainly need it.
But thats all in the past. For any of you all to talk trash on any team in the NFL right now is absurd. You beat one battered playoff team last year during the season, thats not much to be boastful about. The weak positions that cost you last year have yet to be addressed this offseason. You can't expect rookies to fill those weak spots.

[shane]

yeah jr i know that its done by formula but it still kind of disappointing to see a team that is supposed to be perfect(by the way I think pats are gonna get clocked by several teams this year, dibs on chargers)get by with an easy schedule. But the bucs had an easier schedule at the end of the season and they went 1-3 at the end so hopefully the pats get it handed to them several times. Also thank God none of the Bucs games are on NFL Network!

[John Klopfer]

Don't want to moan, but how do the Browns rate 5 nationally televised games and the Bucs on 3?

[Sam]

WOW! Ricky didn't write a negative article.

[DR]

John, there are a few things to remember about what is fair. The Bucs finished 9-7 and were awarded an extra home game which brings in revenue. The Browns finished 10-6 and watched the playoffs. An 11-5 record wouldn't have gotten the Browns a home game. Yet, this years draft, the Bucs get a higher pick than the Browns (which was traded) despite playing in a home game in the playoffs.
Another thing is, the Browns are a more exciting team to watch. They score more points and have more talent.
If changing the seeding isn't going to happen, which I do agree with after looking at the scheduling, the NFL should take away national games from teams that don't play their starting players at the end of the season. The Bucs, Cowboys, and Colts should lose national games for packing it in early last year.

[mkurbo]

Tim - great call on the Dr. among others ! Last year the local press had us between 4-12 and 6-10 and then started adjusting upwards as the season went along.

I say when a media type (or commentor)throws out a 5-11 and the Bucs actually go 11-5, the fans get to stuff them in one of the Pirate cannons and we shot them through the uprights !!!

[Bo Knows]

That would mean that we would have to shoot DR though the cannons too. His prediction was 4-12 last year. I said 8-8, so I guess I'd have to take a flogging? They very easily could have fooled us all and gotten upwards of 12 wins if Jax and Seattle had gone just a wee bit differently. Then we would have had something to play for at the end of the season. Man do I have an imagination or what...

[Kurt]

I think that saying that the Browns have more talent than the Bucs as if its factual information is why you are such a tool DR. It's fine if you believe that, because we know you have no idea about talent, but the way you make it a matter of fact is infantile. It really is no stretch to believe our team was capable of 12 wins last year yet you act as though we are a bunch of hobos and misfits. You really have no clue. The Bucs are a very talented and deep football team. The Browns are also on the right track, but they were fighting for that 10th win in week 16 whereas we were resting injured players for the 3rd straight week at that point. Don't you get that? Furthermore, that division was no better than ours last year and we had ours wrapped up in week 13. What say you?

[Bo Knows]

...through the cannons...

[DR]

Is this some sick joke? Braylon Edwards is a top 5 WR, far, far better than Galloway or any of the Bucs WRs combined. Winslow is also far better than any TE Tampa has, he's a top 5 talent. It's quite obvious the NFL thinks highly of the non playoff Browns since they have more nationally televised games than most playoff teams. The big reason they didn't make the playoffs is because another playoff team packed it in the final week and gave a team a playoff spot, which is embarrassing for the NFL to have that type of situation play out.
the Bucs didn't pack it in against the 49ers. they flat out got dominated on the line in that game. Remember that? If garcia played that entire game, he might have came off the field in a body bag. For a team with a below average offense to pack it in at the end of the season is ridiculous. The Bucs offense ranked 18th last year, and yet they were cool with taking it easy at the end of the season knowing the fact that the offense has struggled all season. Don't you get that?