Thus begins the second year of Lovie Smith’s reign in Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers head coach has a few new pieces to tinker with, most notably the 2015 NFL Draft’s first overall pick Jameis Winston. Can the controversial quarterback from Florida State shine in his NFL debut? Or will he leave the Bucs with more questions than answers? Read on as we take a look at the Bucs’ 2015-16 NFL campaign.
The NFC South has a tight race to the top. Check out our preview of last year’s division winner in the Carolina Panthers.
[sc:Football ]2015-16 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Preview
Overview
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were the worst team in the entire league last season, ending with a 2-14 record. While the Bucs may have been the biggest losers of the 2014 regular season, they were also the biggest winners by taking the first overall pick of the 2015 NFL Draft. The Bucs picked wisely, choosing pro-ready rookie quarterback Jameis Winston.
[sc:NFL240banner ]The Bucs already have some viable targets for Winston in last year’s Rookie of the Year candidate Mike Evans and 11-year pro Vincent Jackson. But he’ll have to face plenty of adversity playing behind the Tampa Bay offensive line, which allowed 52 sacks last season (third-most in the league). The odds aren’t in Winston’s favor either; the Bucs are long shots to win Super Bowl 50 at +10,000.
Offseason Review
For Tampa Bay, the future starts now with Winston under center. The Bucs already used the draft to build around their franchise quarterback. They immediately drafted tackle Donovan Smith and guard Ali Marpet in the second round of the draft to give their rookie quarterback some protection. The team wants Smith to start at left tackle and Marpet at right guard. Although, Smith and Marpet still have to beat out second-year pros Kevin Pamphile and Kadeem Edwards respectively in the o-line depth chart.
The Bucs also improved on their depth in wide receiver, picking Kenny Bell and Kaelin Clay in the fifth and sixth rounds of the draft respectively. Bell set Nebraska records in his senior year in 2014 with 181 career receptions and 2,689 receiving yards, while Clay was a 2014 First-team All-Pac 12 and First-team All-American selection.
Tampa Bay’s offense seems promising with all their new additions. Adding a new offensive coordinator in Dirk Koetter takes the cake. Koetter outscored Tampa Bay by a combined 52 points last season while operating the Atlanta Falcons’ offense. If you can’t beat him, recruit him.
Key Player – Jameis Winston
The biggest offseason move for the Bucs is drafting Jameis Winston. The 2013 Heisman Trophy winner and 2013 national championship winner seems to be their quarterback of the future. He’s even already penciled-in as the Week 1 starter. The only drawback to Winston’s talent is his share of off-field issues. The former Florida State quarterback was involved in an alleged rape in 2012, shoplifting, and was even suspended for making vulgar comments in public.
If Winston’s personality matures in the pros, then he can be a phenomenal quarterback following the likes of Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers and the like. He finished his college career 26-1 as a starter, passing for 7,964 yards with 65 touchdowns and just 28 interceptions.
Key Game – vs Carolina (October 4)
The Carolina Panthers won the NFC South title last year, while the Bucs finished last with the worst record in the NFL. Yet, the Bucs lost their two games against Carolina by just a combined eight points. Tampa Bay faces the defending divisional champions in Week 4. A win over Carolina could give the Bucs the momentum they need to become competitive in NFC South.
It’s a long shot, but if everything falls into place, the Bucs pay off nicely at +600 to win NFC South.
Best/Worst Case Scenario for the Season
Best Case
Winston is the quarterback the Bucs have been waiting for. He develops amazing chemistry with his towering receivers Evans and Jackson as he plays comfortably behind a decent offensive line. Tampa Bay’s offense shows flashes of brilliance with Winston under center. The Bucs slowly rise up the ranks in NFC South and finish third in the division.
Worst Case
The national stage becomes too big for Winston. He crumbles under pressure and takes it all out off-field, resulting in some issues. The Bucs turn to back up quarterback Mike Glennon for the rest of the season. Tampa Bay once again finishes as the worst team in the league.
Complete Schedule
| Week | Date | Opponent | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sun, Sep 13 | vs Tennessee | 4:25 PM |
| 2 | Sun, Sep 20 | @ New Orleans | 1:00 PM |
| 3 | Sun, Sep 27 | @ Houston | 1:00 PM |
| 4 | Sun, Oct 4 | vs Carolina | 1:00 PM |
| 5 | Sun, Oct 11 | vs Jacksonville | 1:00 PM |
| 6 | Bye Week | ||
| 7 | Sun, Oct 25 | @ Washington | 1:00 PM |
| 8 | Sun, Nov 1 | @ Atlanta | 1:00 PM |
| 9 | Sun, Nov 8 | vs New York | 4:05 PM |
| 10 | Sun, Nov 15 | vs Dallas | 1:00 PM |
| 11 | Sun, Nov 22 | @ Philadelphia | 1:00 PM |
| 12 | Sun, Nov 29 | @ Indianapolis | 1:00 PM |
| 13 | Sun, Dec 6 | vs Atlanta | 1:00 PM |
| 14 | Sun, Dec 13 | vs New Orleans | 1:00 PM |
| 15 | Thu, Dec 17 | @ St. Louis | 8:25 PM |
| 16 | Sun, Dec 27 | vs Chicago | 1:00 PM |
| 17 | Sun, Jan 3 | @ Carolina | 1:00 PM |
Writer’s Prediction
Winston enjoys some success albeit with some growing pains. The Bucs finish with a 5-11 record. Create a betting account now and swashbuckle your way toward big wins wagering on the NFL.
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