Week 10 in the NFL kicked off tonight on Thursday Night Football. RG3 and the Redskins took on Adrian Peterson and the Vikings.
Buccaneers fans will have to wait until Monday Night Football to see their struggling 0-8 team play the imploding Miami Dolphins. Will this be the week the Bucs capture their first win and get the 0-16 monkey of their back?
I think it’s possible. The Bucs are coming off arguably their best and most heartbreaking game of the year against the Seattle Seahawks. While the Dolphins find themselves in the middle of a growing scandal that has poured out of the sports pages and onto the national stage, bringing to the forefront discussions of race and bullying.
The following voice message as reported by ESPN, is a message left my Richie Incognito to fellow Dolphins player Jonathan Martin. The message was left in April 2013:
“Hey, wassup, you half n—– piece of s—. I saw you on Twitter, you been training 10 weeks. [I want to] s— in your f—ing mouth. [I’m going to] slap your f—ing mouth. [I’m going to] slap your real mother across the face [laughter]. F— you, you’re still a rookie. I’ll kill you.”
I suspect more light will be shone on this situation in the coming weeks. Quite possibly the careers of both men in the NFL may be over – along with coaches and staff of the Dolphins.
Back to the Monday night game.
I think with the growing dysfunction and turmoil in Miami, the Bucs can pull of the unthinkable – a WIN.
Look I’ve said it before and ill say it again, I don’t think Greg Schiano will, nor should he be the head coach of Tampa Bay Buccaneers next season. But others disagree, some believe he will remain for at least one more season. If the team goes 0-16, I can all but guarantee he will lose his job. So it would seem if he were to keep his job he would need to win the majority if not all the Bucs remaining games. I don’t think it’s reasonable or smart to say they can win out – actually it’s stupid. However, I strongly believe they can win Monday night.
The Bucs offense scored a season high 24 points last week. That alone should not excite you, but the fact that it was at Seattle should. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think it will be a pretty or overwhelming win against Miami. But in the NFL a win is a win and for the win-less Bucs and their fans one win will feel like a Superbowl.
It will be interesting to see how the rookie, Mike James, plays Monday after a breakout game against Seattle. In a twist of fate, the Bucs offense has fallen into the hands on two rookies. The Bucs will need the rookies Mike Glennon, James along with veterans Tim Wright, Tiquan Underwood, Vincent Jackson to finally fall into sync for four full quarters and finish a game for the first time this year. The defense needs to start forcing more turnovers. There is no reason for a defense this talented to fail to get two turnovers during this game.
My advice to the Bucs coaching staff, don’t play not to lose. Play to win. The team will not be going anywhere. After week 16 they won’t play again until next season. So play to win, used trick plays like last week. Open the Playbook and move the ball. This coaching staff should no longer fear losing because they’ve already lost. Let the team play, play for themselves, each other, the fans, there job’s, their pride. Just get the win. One win won’t change anything. But it will feel a lot better then another lost.
It’s a shame for this game to even be played on Monday night. The fact that two teams in week 10 with a combined four wins will be seen on national television during prime time is a failure by the NFL schedule makers.
As a Bucs fan I apologize that this is your Monday Night Football game.
Lastly, I would regret leaving you without theses final words: be conscious of what you say to others. You and you alone are responsible for your words and actions. Help stop bullying in this country and in the rest of the world. #FireSchiano #ItsABucsLife
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