Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2008 NFL Projection:
The Buccaneers enter 2008 on the heels of a home playoff loss to the Giants.
While Tampa’s record was just (9-7), the Bucs surrendered the fewest points in the NFC.
If Tampa Bay’s offense can improve in 2008 their record might do the same.
Of course their defense needs to continue with its stout ways
if the Bucs are to contend with the likes of the Giants and Cowboys in the NFC.
Overall Tampa Bay’s defensive line is solid against the run and pass, with a nice
mix of experience and youth.
At linebacker,
Tampa Bay fields a top notch group with Brooks, Ruud, and June.
In the secondary, the Buccaneers parted ways with Brian Kelly,
but picked up New England’s Eugene Wilson. Either way it’s a solid
group. Barring injury, the Bucs should field another
top notch defense in 2008.
On offense, Warrick Dunn has returned to
Tampa
to round out what should be a solid running back group
with Graham and Bennett.
Of greater impact should be the pick-up
of center John Faine formerly of the Saints.
In preseason you could see the positive
effect
Faine had on the line. Unfortunately, just when their o-line was looking formidable,
right guard Davin Joseph broke a bone in his right foot and will miss a handful of games to start the season.
The quarterback position is solid enough with Jeff Garcia and Brian Griese.
Looking at the season as a whole (assuming Joseph is back for 3/4 of their games), Garcia’s mobility in tandem with what should be an improved
pass blocking o-line thanks to the addition of Faine could offset the aging of starting receivers
Joey Galloway and Ike Hilliard.
Schedule Analysis:
Tampa Bay will play just 4 games against teams that made the playoffs in 07.
Record Projection:
With one of the easier schedules
drawn by a returning playoff team,
and the rest of the AFC South fielding what on paper appear to be
mediocre to low grade defenses, the Buccaneers should literally be able to
run over their competition en route to another AFC South title.
Due to the injury to Joseph, we’re going to scale back our record prediction a bit before the season starts, downgrading
from a previously upgraded (12-4) to (11-5) for the 2008
Tampa Bay Buccaneers… Those are the ups and downs of preseason injuries.
Of course projections on this page will be frozen when the season kicks off.
To track rolling standings projections throughout the season visit the
projected standings
area.
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2008, remember to
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Free 2008 NFL Predictions Note:
Remember
these now archived 2008 NFL forecasts were made
during the 2008 preseason.
Of course many team components can alter throughout the yearly
football campaign which may have affected
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