Things have gotten a little bit weird for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2022.
Over 47 seasons, the Buccaneers have had years when they’ve been way better than expected (1979, 2005); they’ve had campaigns that didn’t come close to living up to expectations (1998, 2003); they’ve had weird blips of success amid a run of tough seasons (2010); and they’ve had seasons that seemed destined for something big only to fizzle (2008).
However, I’m pretty sure they’ve never had a year in which they were expected to be Super Bowl contenders and, after 11 games, were both under .500 and still in the driver’s seat for a playoff spot. Welcome to 2022!
Tampa Bay lost a heartbreaker in overtime in Cleveland last Sunday, dropping the team to 5-6 but not knocking them out of first place in the NFC South. That’s because the Atlanta Falcons also lost to the Washington Commanders to fall to 5-7, which is, as you…
