Are the Bucs Going to Win the Super Bowl Again?

A quick look at the latest odds to win Super Bowl XLVI would lead one to answer the title question with a resounding, “Maybe.” The Bucs are given +550 odds at top rated sportsbooks to win a second consecutive Super Bowl and become the first team to repeat as champions since the New England Patriots. That’s no surprise as Tom Brady quarterbacked the Patriots to consecutive Lombardi Trophies and he now serves as the Bucs signal-caller.

So, can Brady and the rest of the Bucs get back to the Super Bowl and win it all? It is surely possible. Here are the opposing viewpoints on whether or not Tampa Bay can collect another Lombardi Trophy this coming February.

YES 

The Bucs became the first NFL team in the Super Bowl era to return all 22 starters on offense and defense. The best and most important of those, of course, is Brady who is now 44 years of age but continues to show no signs. In fact, at the ripe of age of 44, Brady leads the NFL in passing yards after eight games. Brady has 2,650 yards and 25 touchdowns so far. Should Brady play in all 17 games this season, he’s on pace to hit over 5,600 yards and over 50 touchdowns.

Brady isn’t the only key to an offense that is second in the NFL in scoring averaging 32.5 points per game. He has a lineup of capable receiving targets starting with wide receivers Chris Godwin and Mike Evans. Godwin leads the team in receptions (50) and yards (660) while Evans has 39 catches and a team-high eight touchdowns. Antonio Brown has five touchdown catches and Rob Gronkowski has only played in four games but also has four scoring receptions.

The running game is in capable hands with Leonard Fournette rushing for 439 yards and four touchdowns. The defense is solid though they did give up 36 points in the Bucs most recent loss to NFC South rival New Orleans. Shaq Barrett has 5.5 sacks and the Bucs once again lead the NFL in run defense allowing opponents just 78 rushing yards per game.

The Bucs are 6-2 so far this season with the recent loss to New Orleans and a 34-24 defeat at the hands of the 7-1 Los Angeles Rams. That game was on the road too. In short, yes, the Bucs have all the ingredients for another Super Bowl run.

NO

In the season-opener, CB Sean Murphy-Bunting got his arm tangled up with a Dallas receiver in the end zone. The resulting dislocated elbow landed the Bucs corner on injured reserve. He will return at some point, but one reason why the Bucs will not win a second consecutive Super Bowl is injuries. 

In addition to Murphy-Bunting, Gronkowski and Brown have missed games with injuries and it is difficult staying healthy for what is now an 18-week NFL regular season. The Bucs have nine games remaining this season and there will undoubtedly be more injuries that head coach Bruce Arians will have to deal with.

Hopefully, Arians does not have to deal with injury issues with Brady. Even if the Bucs quarterback had to miss even part of a game, Tampa Bay is not well-equipped to deal with that. The backup quarterback in Tampa is former Jaguars starter Blaine Gabbert. The former first-round draft pick hasn’t started an NFL game since 2018 and has only appeared in seven games over the past two seasons.

The other problem the Bucs have – it will have to be addressed this offseason – is an aging defensive line. Tampa Bay has just 17 sacks through eight games this season. Ndamukong Suh is 34, Jason Pierre-Paul is 32, and William Gholston is 30. Vita Vea is the youngster at 26.  If the Bucs can’t generate a pass rush, they are going to have trouble with teams like … the Rams, who already beat Tampa Bay. 

While the Bucs are certainly capable of winning another Super Bowl title, injuries and a lack of depth in certain positions may prevent them from doing so.