Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2012 Wins: Las Vegas Has a Number and It's Six

Too early, you say?

It's never too early in Vegas.

The numbers are out for 2012 wins, and that means over or under.

The number for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers comes as no surprise, really. And that number is six. So time to cast your lot. More than six wins? Fewer than six wins?

Certainly the Bucs are viewed once again as basement dwellers in the strong NFC South.

The Saints are once again perceived as the mack-daddys. The number is 10. Atlanta is right behind them at nine. Carolina is 7.5, and yes, like you, I'm scratching my head trying to figure out how you get half a win.

Does that mean you lead at halftime, but lose in the fourth quarter? Is that half a win?

Perhaps this can serve as some preseason motivation for our lads in Pewter and Red. Six wins would have looked marvelous last year. This year, although there is hope, there certainly is a lot of doubt. The team is full of question marks, most of them on defense.

Rookies are always question marks. Toughest thing for rookies is to simply get through 16 games. Gerald McCoy hasn't done it yet, neither has Brian Price and the same for Da'Quan Bowers—all were hit with the tag "hope." There was hope that they would help this defense.

Can Doug Martin survive 16 games getting tackled by NFL players?

Can Lavonte David really make an impact at the linebacker position?

Is Mark Barron going to help put an end to the countless rushing yards that opponents put up against the Bucs last season.

When you sit down and think long and hard about it, six sounds about right. That's the number that will attract the optimists to go for the "over." Same with the non-believers. It isn't far fetched to imagine the team winning five games if there were injuries in just a couple key positions.

So which way are you going? Over or under?

I haven't made up my mind yet. Let's see what goes in training camp.