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Cowboys-Celtics-Chisox said 01/06, 04:32 PM
The only reason the Bucs made it this year was playing in the worst division in the NFC. They were 5-1 against the NFC South this year 4-7 against non-NFC South teams.

Now, you can make the argument that division won't be any better next year, but that's short sighted. The Saints had a rough start and underachieved all year, due in part to untimely injuries. The Panthers are also a quality team that had multiple injury hits at the most important position, even having to resort to using a 43 year old has been and undrafted rookie at the position after their backup (himself a cast off from a bad team) went down, and still finished just 2 games behind the Bucs. That is an entirely different team with Jake Delhomme under center. Personnel wise, both of those teams are better than Tampa.

Cowboys-Celtics-Chisox said 01/06, 04:46 PM
That's your argument? Do you have something to base that assumption on? Are you sending them a box of fairy dust, or something? Is Garcia going to find the fountain of youth in his back yard? Are they bringing back Keyshawn? ;-)

Tampa is a mediocre team playing in a bad division and still only managed a 9-7 record along with a one and done post season. In order for them to "play better" they are going to need better players at key positions. This isn't a team that is one or two guys away from making a deep playoff run. It's a team that is going to have to improve just to match this years record because the rest of their division will almost certainly not be as bad as they were this year. (with the possible exception of the Falcons, of course).

Cowboys-Celtics-Chisox said 01/06, 04:54 PM
That one was even better than the first two.

By my count you used all of 35 words in your ENTIRE argument, and you expect me to accept a draw? No thanks.

The Bucs are still a long way from being a serious contender as the Giants showed today, going into their house and soundly beating them. That combined with the fact they they are probably only the 3rd best team in their own division if everything was equal injury wise, and that the NFC East has a stranglehold on the Wild cards of late, the Odds of the Bucs improving enough to make the playoffs next year doesn't look good right now.