TAMPA, Fla. — One more win, and perceptions change.
One more win, and records fall. One more win, and the story of 2022 is rewritten.
So, do you think the Bucs have it in them?
Because Sunday’s NFC South showdown against the Panthers is setting up as the most monumental regular-season game Tampa Bay has played in years.
Beat Carolina, and the Bucs are in the playoffs. Fall to Carolina, and Tampa Bay will finish with a losing record in one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history.
But that’s just the start of the dominos. Consider the potential implications:
— Does a division title and a postseason appearance guarantee Todd Bowles will be back as the head coach in 2023 after an inconsistent and uninspired first season? The Glazers once fired Tony Dungy after a third consecutive playoff berth so there are no guarantees, but you gotta think Bowles’ chances are a lot better with a January postseason game at Raymond James Stadium.
— Does a strong finish change the calculation for Tom Brady in 2023? I find it hard to believe he’ll be back in a Bucs uniform next season, but even that slim chance is likely predicated on what would be a record 20th playoff appearance. If the Bucs lose to Carolina and are watching the postseason on TV, you can immediately start looking for the Brady retirement and/or free-agency rumors on Google alerts.
— Does the lure of the postseason convince Rob Gronkowksi that he really is bored? Can you imagine how his future legend will be shaped if he comes off the couch and helps the Bucs beat the Cowboys in January?
— Does a home playoff game mean all is forgiven? The Bucs began the season as one of the NFC favorites for the Super Bowl so it’s hard to scrub away the disillusionment of a 7-8 record in late December, but winning back-to-back division titles should not be easily dismissed. This franchise has been around for nearly half a century and has never won consecutive division titles.
So, yeah, not your typical stakes for a game between one team limping in at 7-8 and the other team incongruously hot at 6-9.
The question is, after watching four months of a flat, lifeless offense, do you believe the Bucs can win a game they absolutely, positively, no-doubt-about-it need to win?
Because, I’ve got to say, this offense (minus Gronkowski) is not going to suddenly rise from the dread. The combination of a weakened offensive line and an immobile quarterback means the Bucs are limited to the same short passing routes that every defensive coordinator has seen over and over again.
No one in the NFL threw more completions of 20-plus yards than Brady during his first two seasons in a Tampa Bay uniform. And yet, this year, he is 12th in that category, despite leading the league in pass attempts.
The bottom line is the Bucs are 1-4 against teams that currently have a winning record. You need to go back to the season opener against Dallas to find a Tampa Bay victory against a quality opponent.
And, believe it or not, the Panthers might be a quality opponent.
They fired their coach, they jettisoned their quarterback, they traded their best player midseason and, somehow, they’ve gotten better. After losing by an average score of 24-17 through the first six weeks of the season, Carolina has outscored opponents 23-21 the past nine games.
That, of course, includes the 21-3 beating they gave the Bucs in October.
So what is Tampa Bay’s destiny?
Will the 2022 Bucs be the team that ended Brady’s remarkable run of 21 consecutive seasons with a winning record, or will they be the team that overcame injuries and retirements and walked away with a division title?
Because there is some cachet in perseverance. Every Tampa Bay win since October has been a chore. Most have come down to the final minutes.
By now, it’s evident the Bucs are not sturdy enough to roll over opponents. If they finish atop the NFC South, it will be because they hung on to the cliff by their fingernails for several months.
And now, one game could define their season. One game with both history and the future potentially in the balance.
So, I’ll ask again, do you think the Bucs have it in them?
