Ever since Tom Brady retired before the 2023 football season, the national media has not shown the Tampa Bay Buccaneers any respect.
The New Orleans Saints were unanimously picked to win the NFC South last year thanks to the addition of quarterback Derek Carr, which coincided with Tampa Bay signing Baker Mayfield, who went from being the face of Cleveland’s franchise to a journeyman quarterback on his fourth team in just one year.
But Mayfield surprised non-fans by leading the Buccaneers to a 9-8 record and their third straight division title. Mayfield proved he was capable of filling in for Brady, and as a result, he earned himself a huge three-year, $100 million contract this offseason.
Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield – Photo courtesy of USA Today
But this year, national media pundits are projecting the Atlanta Falcons as the favorites to win the division, after three straight seasons with a 7-10 record and losing head coach Arthur Smith, who will be replaced by Raheem Morris in 2024. But the biggest reason Atlanta is the favorite is because the team signed Pro Bowl quarterback Kirk Cousins this offseason.
Despite reaching the NFC Divisional Round in last year’s playoffs, the Buccaneers are once again not getting the respect they deserve. Las Vegas projects Tampa Bay to finish second or third in the NFC South depending on the sportsbook, and the over/under odds for the 2024 team are set at 7.5 wins.
But there is one national media outlet that has confidence in Tampa Bay.
actually, A great deal of faith At Buccaneers.
Pro Football Talk ranked the Buccaneers No. 9 in its NFL Power Rankings.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk said the Bucks will open the season 9th Place Team In his 2024 preseason power rankings, Florio said this about Tampa Bay:
9. Buccaneers: For some reason, they still aren’t taken seriously. They should be.
Buccaneers RG Cody Mouch and RB Rachad White – Photo courtesy of USA Today
Florio listed last year’s top four teams — Kansas City, San Francisco, Detroit and Baltimore — as his picks for the start of the 2024 season, with Philadelphia ranked fifth.
The next three teams ahead of Tampa Bay are Green Bay, Buffalo and Cincinnati.
Even more impressive is the fact that Florio rates the Buccaneers as the top team in the NFC South. Here’s how Florio ranks Tampa Bay’s division rivals:
19. Falcons: If they had used the No. 8 overall pick on someone other than a replacement for Kirk Cousins, they would have ranked even higher.
24. Saints: This year has felt like a lucky lose for both Derek Carr and Dennis Allen.
32. Panthers: If you plan on sitting near the owner’s box this year, bring a raincoat.
This is the first time the national media has rated Tampa Bay that highly this year: No other national pundits have ranked the team in the top 10 in their preseason power rankings to date.
Tampa Bay General Manager Jason Licht loves keeping receipts That’s how they are viewed by Buccaneers skeptics in the media, but Florio and Pro Football Talk’s high ratings don’t mean the media should be classified as one of them.
If anything, Florio and PFT seem to believe in the Buccaneers.
