Three things Buccaneers fans can be thankful for this year

The defense of the Buccaneers is something to be thankful for.

The Buccaneers don’t exactly have a GREAT history, but when they do have extended periods of success, the defense is always the biggest unit to thank. In the late 1970s – early 1980s, Hall of Famer Lee Roy Selmon lead a criminally slept-on unit that gave Bucs fans their first taste of success. In the late 1990s – early 2000s, a legendarily destructive and devastating defense gave the Bucs their greatest extended run of success (so far) and time will tell how many Hall of Famers that unit will end up with. That run of course culminated in a victory in Super Bowl XXXVII.

Fast forward to Super Bowl LV, and that Bucs defense lived in the nightmares of Patrick Mahomes in the Kansas City Chiefs, and catapulted the Buccaneers to their second title. In 2022, the defense looks to be back to its old ways.

The defense has been solid all year, but in the last couple of weeks, they’ve been flying around the ball with the same reckless abandon that helped them win the Super Bowl in 2020. Even with the limitations of the offense to this point, the defense has kept them in games.

When the Bucs are good, the defense is good, if history is any indication. With how the defense of the Buccaneers is currently playing, it’s certainly a reason for fans to be thankful. It isn’t the biggest reason though…