Tampa Bay Buccaneers Have Already Equaled Last Season's Win Total

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ offense was resilient and productive in Cincinnati for Game 4 of the 2010 NFL season, securing a 24-21 win with only seconds to spare. Quarterback Josh Freeman had 280 passing yards. Wide receiver Mike Williams and tight end Kellen Winslow had 99 and 75 yards receiving, respectively.

The defense shifted momentum with three key interceptions from safety Cody Grimm, safety Sabby Piscitelli, and cornerback Aqib Talib. Solid play by rookie Gerald McCoy continues to be a plus for the defensive line, but improvement is still requisite for postseason goals.

The young team has matched its total wins in 2009 at three with 12 games to go. Many experts had the team accruing around three wins this year as well. Perhaps some of these experts were using broken crystal balls.

This energetic young team is not likely to stop winning for the season. 

Head Coach Raheem Morris described his team, which has 30 players under 25, to www.buccaneers.com. "They’re a resilient football team,” Morris said. “They’re young and they keep getting better and better.”

For their efforts against Cincinnati, Freeman was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week, and wide receiver Mike Williams has his third NFL Rookie of the Week nomination in just four games.

Offensive coordinator Greg Olson spoke glowingly about the team to  www.buccaneers.com as well. "The encouraging thing about this team is that we've got a number of young players and they are ascending,” Olson said. “They should continue to grow and get better throughout the season."

If the defense can improve by holding rushing to 100 yards or less per game and continue to limit passing to 200 yards or less per game, and the offense averages at least 120 yards rushing and 230 yards passing, playoffs can definitely be on the horizon.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers NFL rankings, from www.NFL.com

Offense

Rushing 18th = 103.5 yards per game
Passing 19th = 210.2 yards per game
Total 21st = 313.8 yards per game

Defense

Rushing 30th = 143.2 yards per game
Passing 9th = 197.5 yards per game
Total 18th = 340.8 yards per game

At this point, the top 12 teams average about 350 yards per game, rushing about 120 yards and passing about 230 yards. Wins count the most, of course, but yards produced on the ground and in the air cause wins. 

A record-matching number of NFL teams, 20, have records of .500 or better thus far. That indicates parity, and will make for close division and Wild Card races if it continues.

To keep pace with this winning trend, the Bucs will have to improve on rushing defense, especially against the Atlanta Falcons, the second-ranked rushing team in the NFL.

Up next for the Buccaneers are the champion New Orleans Saints, and not long after it’s the Atlanta Falcons. 

This young team has plenty to work on. 

Photo credit: Dwight Drum @ Racetake.com