Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2009 NFL Projection:
The Tampa Buccaneers are a team in transition.
Gruden was fired, which we think was crazy to begin with.
He was a dynamite coach.
The Buccaneers promoted Raheem Morris to head coach (now the youngest head coach in the league).
Making for further headlines, the Buccaneers dismissed offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski just 10 days
before the season is set to begin.
Quarterbacks coach Greg Olson replaces him.
Tampa's new leadership wants to make the team younger. That's why they parted ways with
Jeff Garcia, Derrick Brooks, Joey Galloway, Warrick Dunn, Ike Hilliard, and Cato June.
The team
also released kicker Matt Bryant (hamstring) in favor of free agent signing Mike Nugent.
That's a head scratcher for sure given Bryant's successful track record.
Also, QB Luke McCown was traded to Jacksonville.
Key acquisitions by Tampa Bay include RB Derrick Ward, TE Kellen Winslow, and yes, QB Byron Leftwich.
Leftwich has a strong arm but lacks mobility. He can be effective if given time. And the Buccaneers
do have a solid offensive line headed by center Jeff Faine and right guard Davin Joseph.
If Leftwich is unable to get the ball downfield to TE Winslow and WR Antonio Bryant who broke out last season with Jeff Garcia at the helm,
then he will surely be pulled quickly in favor of first round draft pick QB Josh Freeman from Kansas State.
Of course Bryant is coming off surgery to repair a torn meniscus. There's no guarantee he will be the same player as last season.
At any rate, the strength of the Buccaneers offense projects to be their running game, thanks to a solid
offensive line and great depth at running back with Ward, Graham, Askew, and of course Carnell Williams
playing again.
On defense the Buccaneers expect big things out of young, fast linebackers
Quincy Black and Geno Hayes.
They'll have their work cut out for them as the Buccaneers don't have the ideal personnel
on their defensive line to play their new scheme requiring a straight on approach as opposed to lining
up in the gaps.
Tampa figures to be solid at cornerback with Ronde Barber and Aqib Talib.
But the 'Bucs are woefully thin at safety-- no thanks to Tanard Jackson's 4 game suspension.
The versatile Jermaine Phillips will likely switch from linebacker in Jackson's absence.
Schedule Analysis:
Tampa Bay plays one of the stiffest schedules in the league this season. They could potentially
be (1-6) by their bye week (through no fault of Byron Leftwich), which would certainly be reason enough to
start Josh Freeman the rest of the way (not likely to result in many wins).
Check out Tampa's first 7 games before their bye.
Record Projection:
Tampa is strong at offensive line and running back. However, they are weak at quarterback, and potentially
weak at receiver given Antonio Bryant's status.
The Buccaneers' new coaching staff has already hit some bumps. And their new defensive scheme may not fit
their players' strengths.
With a super stiff schedule in 2009, it's not easy to locate many wins on their schedule.
Overall we are projecting the 'Bucs for a dismal (2-14), a slight upgrade from our opening preseason projection.
We think Tampa is likely switch quarterbacks early in the season which probably makes them less competitive
in the short term.
Revisit this prediction page for any potential upgrades or downgrades
to the 2009 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season forecast & outlook.
This projection will be "frozen" before the '09 season officially kicks off...
Once the regular season begins, you can track rolling standings projections
here.
Get FootballLOCKS.com's Weekly NFL Game Predictions:
Receive FootballLOCKS.com's 2009 NFL predictions each week for use in your
office football betting pool,
NFL pick'em, or other purposes such as
wagering in Las Vegas.
Click here now for details.
In past seasons at FootballLOCKS.com, we posted
preseason forecasts & predictions for every game on the schedule...
FootballLOCKS.com is instead offering current, in season weekly point spread predictions and pick'em
predictions for a very small fee so affordable
that even if you're just playing in an office pool,
it may be worth your while to join...
Sign up here.
Top Ranked Plays And Football Pool Selections:
Upon subscribing you'll get picks for your football pool each week of your membership
during the regular season in all games (made two ways)
against the spread (ATS) and pick'em.
You'll also get
FootballLOCKS.com's top ranked ATS predictions of the week, plus top ranked over/unders
and weekly teasers.
If you're not absolutely 100% satisfied for any reason, FootballLOCKS.com
will extend your subscription to cover an identical amount of time absolutely free (see details
at bottom of ordering page).
Click now to view subscription options.
NFL Season Win Totals:
Naturally, one goal of the 2009 NFL team record prognostications
as seen above is to create a guide for assessing and/or betting on
2009 NFL season win totals listed by Las Vegas NFL odds makers during the preseason.
If you order a
subscription before the season begins, you'll get full access to all of
FootballLOCKS.com's
favorite regular season NFL win totals picks listed in the member area.
Otherwise if you sign up after, you still receive all of FootballLOCKS.com's
week to week NFL plays for the duration
of your subscription.
So get a pass for FootballLOCKS.com's best weekly
NFL point spread picks
and more types of plays against Las Vegas NFL latest lines than you can
shake a stick at.
It's almost like you're getting
free NFL predictions... Why? Because all you have to do is claim you weren't completely satisfied (even
if you were actually 100% satisfied with the package) and you get double time on the house, no questions
asked.
Sign up now for FootballLOCKS.com.
Team By Team Free NFL Previews Note:
When reading NFL previews & outlooks consider that much can change throughout the course of the regular
season that can affect
FootballLOCKS.com's opinion of these early NFL season previews & forecasts...
All of these pro football predictions are made
before getting an actual glimpse of what each team might have been
holding back or keeping secret during the slate of preseason games.
Beware of using any given NFL preview or outlook to make any large NFL bets on wins totals
that would be unaffordable if they were to be lost.
Remember to get your pass for
FootballLOCKS.com’s weekly NFL football picks.
As a member you also get details on sports
gambling money management tips used by sports betting pros around the world.
FootballLOCKS.com’s top rated plays are made using our exclusive
backwards odds handicapping
of Las Vegas NFL betting odds.
Browse the;
Check out more of FootballLOCKS.com's NFL team previews:
Thank you for reading the above NFL team preview from FootballLOCKS.com.
We hope you enjoyed this NFL forecast... Check the latest pro football forecasts for all
32 teams. Did you agree with the projection for this squad?
