With five games left, Bucs NFC's second seed

That's right: If the season ended today, the Bucs would be the second seed in the NFC courtesy of Carolina's loss at Atlanta today.

The 10-1 Giants currently own the top spot in the NFC, but after that, the 8-3 Bucs would be No. 2 by virtue of their head-to-head win over the Panthers. Can you say "first-round bye"?

Of course, we're getting ahead of ourselves. The Bucs visit Carolina next month, and the Bucs still have three division games remaining. But it's certainly interesting to consider what could happen if things fall into place for Tampa Bay.

The next three weeks are pretty much going to decide things: home against New Orleans, at Carolina and at Atlanta.

Hold on to your seats.

Comments

[IdahoBUCfan]

We are in a great position to win the division, and if we can continue to build we will have a super, Maybe Superbowl year! One game at a time is what our veterans keep preaching, and that of course is a recipe for success!
GO BUCS!

[noosa]

can you say baptism by fire?

[itch]

We always gotta worry about the Saints, they just seem to have our number. Let hope Colston has a headache that day. The Falcons are really looking good defensively and offensively, so that will not be an easy game in Atlanta. Carolina may be the easiest of the three but I am not holding my breath because f the come to play, they can play. But let's hope the Bucs come to play in each and every game, because when they do they are a team to reckon with. GO BUCS!!!

[itch]

I HATE MY KEYBOARD!

[Vince Author]

Wait, I thought the Bucs were supposed to lose the division because: (1) the Bucs were lucky last year and no team ever repeats; (2) we did not pick up any big name receivers; (3) Gruden alienated Garcia by inquiring about Favre (who is leading the Jets to a division title); (4) Gruden pulled Garica in favor of Griese (who won 3 out of 4) Gruden traded Michael Bennett (who is sitting on a bench in San Diego); (5) Gruden's offense sucks; (6) Gruden's teams cannot come back from a deficit; (7) everyone hates Grudens (he is as unpopular with players as some of the best coaches in the league); Gruden isn't Dungy etc. etc.

Where are all the Gruden haters that make this blog so much fun? Valrico Rick? (I guess 'Nuff said), DR? Jay? Very quiet around here when the Bucs win . . .

[Vince Author]

Stephen:

Have Romano and Stroud recently filed for short-term disability? I am sure the Bucs' recent success has them in a state of severe depression.

[Matt H]

Congratulations to Caddy for getting through the game OK with 16 carries, most of which were against 8 & 9 man fronts when they know you are not going to throw it. I liked the way he was able to convert a few short yardage 1st downs.

Congratulations to Monte Kiffin also for figuring out that Ronde should be moved to the Nickel, and Aqib should take Calvin Johnson. That worked out great for everyone after the first Qtr.

[skp]

reminds me of the superbowl, when we conquered all those "never-been-done" feats - 3 times we've matched or beaten our largest come-from-behind win, all on the road; KO & punt return for TDs by the same player; gruden's first back-to-back winning seasons here; (getting ahead of myself here, but) first repeat division champs....

how about adding our first home NFC championship game and the first home superbowl to that list? only the giants worry me in the NFC, i think we match up with everyone else nicely...a win next week and we've beaten every team in the NFC north and south!

[The LastWalshPick]

GO BUCS!!!!
You guys really have proven a lot of people wrong including all the media. Has anyone else noticed we rarely get talked about or get mentioned the last 5 minutes of any sport program. They should be gushing over us right now, we have a pretty good record. Better than most teams or teams that people thought that were gonna be explosive, fizzled out.

Garcia has beaten both the Manning bros. I know he can beat him again. He even beat the Giants when they had Kerry Collins in 2003.

Garcia and his quick moves are elusive to the Giants defense. I saw them frustrated and tired with Garcia's plays.

[CW]

I'm not putting us in the SB just yet, but I have to admit that I like the way this team doesn't get rattled when they are down early. They just play their game. It used to seem like most of the time, if the other team scored first on the Bucs you could just chalk up the L. Not anymore, even when they're down by a lot.

[Valrico Rick]

Your kidding right? Came from behind to beat a really really bad team and you guys are holding up the Super Bowl trophy already! It is nice that they are in position to win the division and get a first round bye, but is this offense ready to go toe to toe with the Giants, or the Cowboys again. Making the playoffs means nothing when you play some of the worst teams in the league during the regular season. The Bucs have had success thanks only to Monte Kiffen and his defense, and it will take a really good offense to do more than just make the playoffs! Save the "I told you so" until you really have something to rub in our faces. A most definite 'Nuff Said!!!

[Vince Author]

There you go Valrico Rick. I knew you would not let us down. I knew you wouldn't miss a chance to hate on the 8-3 Bucs. True to form, you even threw in a little dig at Gruden by claiming that Kiffin is the only reason for the Bucs success. Well done! (I guess you don't think the offense played any role in scoring those points yesterday or keeping AD off the field last week, etc.?)

I do agree with one of your comments. Certainly not the time to talk Super Bowl. But, it may be time for you and all the haters to at least get a grip and stop trashing everything the Bucs do. This season may not have been perfect up to this point, but those happless, poorly-coached Bucs are in the lead (for now). I think you were one of those people that said they would never have a chance, right?

[skp]

valrico rick-

i could right a novella about all the things you've gotten wrong in that one post, but i'll stick to 3 points.

1) forget about "came from behind". 38-20 with a run of 35 unanswered points from offense, defense, an special teams is something you take any sunday, no matter what sequence you score the points in...when the browns can beat the giants by 3 TDs, the term "bad team" is pretty meaningless, especially on the road. if the team was wearing different jerseys than that of the team that you seem to have a fetish for putting down, you'd probably classify it as a good team doing what it was supposed to do to a lesser team.

2) "Making the playoffs means nothing when you play some of the worst teams in the league during the regular season." that is some ignorance right there....we swept the NFC north, and have beaten - CONVINCINGLY - the top 2 contenders for the division. take away the losses we hung on each team and you'll see some pretty eye opening records. our 8 wins consist of 5 teams who are .500 or better, 2 beatdowns of bad teams, and other win comprising of the biggest comeback in team history in one of the toughest places in the NFL to play.

3) success only because of monte? all 3 phases have chipped in points and big plays in every win, especially recently. is monte the secret mastermind behind the whole team? when the chiefs were driving all over us in KC and scoring at will in the first half, who bailed the team out to make the defense's 2nd half dominance meaningful? who kept peterson off the field in a close game in the 4th quarter? the defense has had no major letdowns this year, which is great for us, but that doesn't render the rest of the team irrelevant...we've had worse teams with similarly dominant defenses in the past.

i respect your right to an opinion, but you're definitely abusing that right by having a baseless point of view that ignores many obvious facts.

[Matt H]

Also, lets look at the 17 points that Detroit got in front of us...

Long bombs from Culpepper to Calvin Johnson - 7 pts which would work against most teams, and if Detroit did it more often maybe they'd win a game. Also, note on that 41 yrd catch if Phillips was playing instead of Sabby, Calvin Johnson may have been hit so hard he would have landed in the first row seats.

Caddy, sacks Garcia - 7pts: Yeah the skill of Detroit really got us with that one.

36 yard drive - 3pts. Impressive.

[Dave]

SKP, thanks for your points, you said exactly what I wanted to say to Valrico Rick! I hate when people bash Gruden. If you're a fan of the team, that includes the whole team, top to bottom, including the ownership, head coach and his assistants, players, front office personnel, etc. I know everyone is entitled to their opinion, but seriously enough is enough with the Gruden bashing, and all that 'Nuff said nonsense! I doubt any other head coach could have this type of success with this group of players and the injury bug we've had here the past several years. Gruden knows what he's doing, some of you are just to ignorant to understand or see the big picture. Enough said.

[IdahoBUCfan]

Valrico must hate living these days! :)
The thought of having to find something negative and stupid to say when the BUCs are scoring more points than at any time in the Dungy years, or that we are being quite creative with personel in the face of devistating injuries, or that Barber has a standout game after hearing all the idiots like Vrick bust be extremely difficult! I am Loving this Team, and Coach Gruden! One more thing, Vrick likes to talk about what players who are cut have to say about our Coach, try asking some of the Coaches who have worked with him, or players who have played for him in Oakland, or players who play for him now! Ask Caddy what he thinks of a Guy who has continued to encourage him to make the come back and has saved a place in his heart and on this team for him. Ask Derick Brooks, Ronde Barber, Barrett Ruud, ask the Coaches who have to coach against Jon Gruden what THEY think of him, not some player with an attitude problem, or someone who couldn't renegotiate a contract a year or two into it! GO BUCS! Thank You Coach Gruden!

[shane]

great point Idahobucfan here's what some of the players have said about him, "great football mind","passionate"(okay anyone can tell just by watching JG from the sidelines when Fox decides,almost at the perfect time, to cut to the bench and JG drops the "F" bomb 4-6 times in one sentence and then the next sentence he drops in F.O.S, S.O.B, B.S), and "he knows how to come from behind to win, how to crawl back"

[shane]

hey the thing got my name right! I am no longer noosa!

[BBFan10]

I am a lifelong Buc fan and I am very happy that they are 8-3, but guys, did you see New Orleans offense last night? Talk about dynamics, man that was amazing. I am very concerned, but I will say this: if we hold New Orleans to 21 points or less, then we really do have a great defense. The problem is, can we score TD's against good teams?

[WS]

'Nuff said! Duh. Duh. Duhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Fry cook! Duhhhhh. Duhhhhhhh. Duhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. A B C D E F G H J O W X Duhhhhh, Duh, Duhhhhhhh