The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Atlanta Falcons 44-27 today and clinched the 5th seed in the playoffs. The Buccaneers have had a strong finish to the season, winning their last four games. The team is hitting their stride at the right time, and I think they have a shot at a Super Bowl run.
The Buccaneers have flipped the script in the last month of the season, and my assessment of them has changed. The offense is finally hitting its stride, and they are becoming an unstoppable force. The Buccaneers offense scored 148 points over the last four games, which is a credit to their growth throughout the season. Tom Brady is heating up at the right time, and he is starting to click with his receivers. Over the last four games of the season, Brady averaged 333 yards with a touchdown to interception ratio of 12/1. Brady always plays his best football in December and January, and he is doing it once again.
My faith in the Buccaneers defense has grown over the last month of the season. The Buccaneers defense has been able to make key plays down the stretch in games, and I love their ability to get after the quarterback. I think that if the Buccaneer’s offense continues to score big points, the defense will benefit because teams will be forced to throw the ball.
The playoff bracket is also setting up nicely for the Buccaneers, which I think is important for a Super Bowl run. The Buccaneers will face the winner of the NFC East, which is an easy matchup because the New York Giants and Washington Football Team suck. If the Buccaneers win, they will most likely face the Green Bay Packers, who they beat by 28 points this season. The key part of the bracket is that they won’t have to face the New Orleans Saints until the NFC Championship game. This is a massive win for the Buccaneers because the Saints won both games during the regular season.
I think this Buccaneers team has a good chance to make a Super Bowl run this year because they can score a lot of points, and they play well defensively. They remind me of the 2010 Green Bay Packers who won the Super Bowl as a wild card team. I make this comparison because both teams had a hall of fame quarterback leading elite offenses. Both teams also got hot at the right time, which is important heading into the postseason. I think the Buccaneers are going to be the team that gets hot this postseason, and they will have a great shot at a Super Bowl.
Thompson's Takes 