Last Word On Pro Football is analyzing the schedules of every team in the NFL and ranking each game in order of difficulty (with one being the most difficult). This series will be split up into the eight most difficult games (ranked 1-8) and the eight easiest games (ranked 9-16) for each team. In this article, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers easiest games are the focus.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Easiest Games in 2017
9. Week 7 at Buffalo Bills
The Bills did a nice job recuperating some losses they suffered on defense and they could become elite if linebacker Reggie Ragland comes back strong. Tyrod Taylor is a top-20 quarterback in the NFL. LeSean McCoy does have some miles after eight seasons but he’s still running through a great interior line featuring Richie Incognito. Pass protection is still a question mark and wide receiver is interesting now with the addition of Anquan Boldin. But Sean McDermott is another defensive coordinator turned head coach just like Rex Ryan, who seemed to be an unfair scapegoat after just a season and a half.
10. Week 13 at Green Bay Packers
It looks like it will be the same old story for the Packers. They have improved their offense with the additions of Martellus Bennett and Jahri Evans. Aaron Rodgers still has Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb. Ty Montgomery is a risk at running back unless they incorporate the underused Aaron Ripkowski to add some physicality. The defense has some players in Nick Perry and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, but it just doesn’t look that intimidating. Clay Matthews is not the player that he used to be and he may never be that player again. The only reason this isn’t lower is because the game is in Lambeau Field.
11. Week 17 vs New Orleans Saints
The Saints still appear to have some holes in their secondary and they lack a play maker at linebacker. Another hesitation to jump on the bandwagon is the Saints have finished 7-9 in three straight seasons and four of the last five seasons. Drew Brees is also 38 and could start to decline even with an upgraded offense.
12. Week 8 vs Carolina Panthers
The weakness of the defense for the Panthers might now actually be Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis. Kuechly’s concussion history is more relevant now with the recent news about CTE and Davis has been in the league for 12 seasons. Cam Newton had off-season shoulder surgery, which could affect his performance although Derek Anderson is a quality backup. The Panthers also have a shaky offensive line and an unreliable receiving corps outside of Greg Olsen and maybe rookie running back Christian McCaffrey.
13. Week 2 vs. Chicago Bears
The Bears are a real dark horse to watch out for. They can finally put the Jay Cutler era behind them with former Tampa Bay quarterback Mike Glennon and Mitchell Trubisky. Jordan Howard is one of the best running backs and has a great backup in Jeremy Langford. The interior offensive line is great and they’ve added depth to their receiving corps. The defense will struggle but could improve as teams tend to always improve under John Fox. It’s just unlikely the Bears will peak in their second game.
14. Week 1 at Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins might be a better team, especially on defense with the additions of Lawrence Timmons and Nate Allen to go along with Ndamukong Suh and Cameron Wake. However, the team could still be reeling from the loss of their starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill to a season-ending injury. They did reach the postseason without him last season and they added Cutler. But getting the Dolphins in week one feels like a significant advantage.
15. Week 14 vs Detroit Lions
The Lions added Ricky Wagner, T.J. Lang and Cyrus Kouandjio to aid their offensive line. The defensive line could be stout but they seem to lack quality on the back end of their defense, specifically in their secondary. They didn’t bring back Boldin and now Matthew Stafford‘s only reliable weapon is Golden Tate.
16. Week 10 vs New York Jets
The Jets are commonly projected to be the worst team in the NFL this season. They may have actually improved their defense with the additions of Morris Claiborne and Jamal Adams in the secondary to go along with the defensive line. It’s just going to be a challenge for the Jets to score points, especially with the recent loss of Quincy Enunwa.
Be sure and check out the eight most difficult games of the 2017 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season.
