Tampa Bay Buccaneers: What if 2014 played out differently?

Playing the “what if” game in sports is always interesting. Although it can be painful at times. There are a lot of “what ifs” to consider when it comes to the history of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This time around, we consider this: what if the 2014 season had gone differently?

Heading into the 2018 season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in an odd place. Aside from defensive line coach Brentson Buckner, the whole coaching staff is on the hot seat. General manager Jason Licht shouldn’t feel too comfortable either.

Starting quarterback Jameis Winston will miss the first three games of the regular season due to suspension. He has a lot riding on this season, as does everyone else. The roster looks as talented as it has been in quite some time. The time for a turnaround has to be now, or else changes will be coming in the near future.

How did the Bucs get here? Their 2-14 record in 2014 played a big role. Nine of those 14 losses came by one possession. What if some of those games had gone differently? What if even two or three of those games went the other way? The franchise could be in a different place. Would the roster look completely different? Would the Bucs be any closer to the playoffs? Further away? We’ll never truly know.

Even still, there are quite a few interesting “what ifs” when it comes to the pivotal 2014 season. Buccaneers fans could get lost in a long list of them, but we’ll keep the limit at three. Let’s have a look, shall we?