Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Why 7-5 is not a record to celebrate

Wins don’t matter when losses are so bad

The number one argument against almost any critique of the team is that the team is winning games, and often by a large margin. This would be true if the Buccaneers were doing this against consistent competition.

More from The Pewter Plank

• Devin White posts cryptic message to Lavonte David on Twitter
• ESPN predicts surprising outcome to Devin White trade saga
• Updated Buccaneers depth chart after signing two players from rookie minicamp
• Todd Bowles sends clear message about Baker Mayfield’s role with Bucs
• The Athletic is wrong about Bucs one ‘must-watch’ game in 2023

To be fair, the blowout win versus Green Bay was one of the most fun games in recent memory, and it did show what the ceiling is for this roster, but it does lead to greater disappointment when the Bucs don’t play at that level versus different competition.

Tampa Bay beat a backup quarterback with the Broncos, a rookie against the Chargers, and came down to the wire against Giants. The Bucs have won against the bad teams, but the good teams are where they start to struggle.

The opponents that the Buccaneers have beaten are a combined 29-38 (.432). The teams that the Bucs have lost to are 31-13 (.705). So yes, the Buccaneers are winning games, but not all wins are equal.

Save one, the Bucs have faltered against every above-average team they have faced, and that should not be the legacy of one of the most talented rosters in franchise history. Seven and five is a great step in the right direction for this group, but the gap between wins and losses has closed at a rapid pace.