2009 NFL season in review: Tampa Bay Buccaneers


It is kind of hard to call a 3-13 team the envy of any one, but I think if we took an informal poll of which you would rather be the Lions, Rams, of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers? I think most would say the Buccaneers, first of all because the weather in Tampa is far superior to that of the frigid North of the other two teams involved. Seriously though, the Bucs are a lot better than their 3-13 record shows. First of all they beat the Green Bay Packers and the New Orleans Saints. Second they already have their franchise QB, and third they have three picks among the top 43 picks in the coming NFL draft.

As I said they drafted their franchise QB in last year’s draft and after deciding to stick it out with him, he struggled like all rookie QB’s do. However they did only score 244 points. Playing in ten games Freeman played as most rookies do, through a lot of interceptions, not enough touchdowns, and hopefully for the Buccaneers learned what it is to be a NFL starting QB. Things on the ground were not much better as they gained only some 1,600 yards. So yes there is work to do.

The defense on the other hand, was almost as bad as the offense was. They gave up 400 points or 25pointe per game and with a point deferential of 156 points it means that the Bucs were out scored on average of almost 10 points per game. We must however remember that this team played the 2009 season in the shock of Head Coach Jon Gruden’s firing. They are a better unit than the numbers show, and I would bet on a big rebound in 2010.

Sure they need pieces, but they have all the draft picks they need to address their needs. In fact sitting where they sit right now they could wind up with DT, DE, and a Wide Receiver capable of stretching the field and being a big target for Freeman. Not to shabby for a team that underperformed in 2009, and can rebound big time in 2010.

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