Is “bust” too harsh?
As self-proclaimed rational critics, we are not new to the process of holding our team to a higher standard than most people. All wins are not created equal, and every move by the front office is not a great decision for the future of the team.
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With all this being said, we do understand that categorizing an 11-win season as a failure will not come as a popular belief. Improvements have been made, and making the playoffs is great, but standards can always be higher.
If the stakes were different, a first-round loss might not sting as much, but playing against a 7-9 team like Washington would hurt in a new way. The Buccaneers have dominated their below-500 competition so far this season, and Washington is far from a complete team.
The WFT does not have the same number of quality starters, depth, or overall talent to hang with the Buccaneers on paper. The pass-rush that the media drools over is other-worldly, but the Buccaneer offensive line has also been one of the best in the NFL this season.
While the defensive line is extremely talented, the rest of their roster falls flat compared to the Bucs. Washington has used three different quarterbacks this season, their offensive line is nowhere near Tampa Bay’s, and they had very few convincing wins this season.
The Buccaneers are too good a team to lose to Washington, but this is not a game that anyone can write off. This roster’s potential is beyond the wildcard game, and the Bucs need to win this game to start meeting the expectations from the preseason.
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