32 in 31: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Another year of 32 in 31. Sports News on Tap takes the month of August to preview the National Football League. We spend every day of the month looking at a new team and how they will fare in 2013

Tampa Bay does not get mentioned when people talk about 'big spending teams' but the Buccaneers spent a good amount of money in an attempt to rebuild this team. They had a 10 win season in 2010, but that was not good enough to get to the playoffs, a place they have not been since 2007. Tampa Bay is looking to get back to the playoffs and prominence, but they will definitely need a couple things to click in the right direction in order for that to happen.

OFFENSE
This is a make-or-break year for Josh Freeman. After a successful sophomore campaign, Freeman struggled in the last two season. They drafted NC State's Mike Glennon to apply some pressure on him. How will Freeman respond with a little bit of heat on him?  That's a complete unknown. Some players excel in that situation and others crumble like a cookie. The biggest problem is the interceptions. In his best year, Freeman only had six interceptions and in the other three, he has had at least 17 picked off.  He has all the tools to be a solid quarterback, Freeman just needs to put it together.

Doug Martin and his offensive line should be a band. The Muscle Hamster and the Power Lifters maybe? Martin benefits from having one of the best offensive lines in the game.  Carl Nicks and Davin Joesph are probably the best guard duo in the NFL.  Donald Penn as the left tackle is not shabby either. As for Martin, I do not see a sophomore slump with an offensive line like this one. I expect some teams to get a 'book' on him and start knowing his tendencies better, but Martin seems like he can elevate his way past that. Oh yeah, did I mention his line is very good too?

DEFENSE
The Buccaneers secondary immediately got better when they traded for Darrelle Revis.  The last big name cornerback to move teams struggled mightily (First name Nnamdi), but Revis seems to be a different breed. He might miss a little time to begin the year, but Revis should be able to handle all the big receivers in the NFC South. Also the combination of Mark Barron and him is legitimately terrifying to think about for opposing teams plus add free agent Dashon Goldson and they will probably lead the league in fines. The rest of their defense has some pieces, but they are lacking the full starpower to be one of the best defenses in the league.

One of those bright spots is Lavonte David, a rookie last year playing the weakside linebacker position. He was a dynamic force having multiple games where he had 10 or more tackles. David is a player to watch this season and could really emerge as one of the better linebackers in the NFC.  He does not not have a lot around him. They added Jonathan Casillias from New Orleans, but he is nothing special. Mason Foster also does nothing for me personally.The defensive line has a ton of big names if you are familiar with college football, but none of them have played like their college football self. Gerald McCoy is the biggest fish being drafted fourth in 2010 and played his first full season in 2012. McCoy needs to keep himself healthy against this year for the Bucs to be successful because the man can play football, we just have not seen the consistency.

SPECIAL TEAMS
The Buccaneers had a kicking competition with Lawrence Tynes and Connor Barth, but Tynes along with other Buccaneer players caught MRSA, a very dangerous bacterial infection. Tynes and the Buccaneers are having an apparent falling out about the treatment.

KEY ADDITIONS
CB Darrelle Revis, LB Jonathan Casillias, S Dashon Goldson, TE Zach Miller, WR Kevin Olgetree, DE George Selvie, RB Jeff Demps - Miller might not have much in the tank, but he could provide another option for Freeman.

KEY SUBTRACTIONS
DE Michael Bennett, CB Ronde Barber, CB E.J. Biggers, TE Dallas Clark, RB LaGarrette Blount, DT Roy Miller, WR Roscoe Parrish

BUCS DRAFT PICKS
CB Jonathan Banks, QB Mike Glennon, DT Akeem Spence, DE William Gholston, DE/LB Steven Meens, RB Mike James - Gholston had some major attitude issues, but he is a first-round talent when he's playing at the highest level. Don't sleep on him.

GAME TO WATCH
Sunday December 15th vs. San Francisco 12 pm - They welcome the Niners for a cross-country journey at the end of the year. This game should matter to both teams, and it should be a fun one.

WIN TOTAL 
8-9 - Tough team to read honestly because if Freeman gets his shit together, the Bucs will be putting points up on a lot of people but their defense has a ton of questions past Revis and David.

Charlie.

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32 in 31: New York Jets

Another year of 32 for 31, Sports News on Tap takes the month of August to preview the National Football League. We spend every day of the month looking at a new team and how they will fare in 2013. 

The New York Jets are one of the laughingstocks of the National Football League after being, for a short time, the class of the AFC East. It is probably 'Put up and shut up' time for some of the Jets mainstays. Rex Ryan will likely be fired if the Jets do not have a successful season or Ryan will have a conversation with himself that he is done with the bullshit and move on to greener pastures. 

The same can be said for Mark Sanchez.  The so-called Sanchize defined the term 'Game Manager' when the Jets had an unstoppable defense and Sanchez had to do only a little bit to ensure New York would win. As the defense left, Sanchez started a downward spiral of terrible football.  In 2012, Sanchez's passing yards careened off a cliff going from nearly 3,500 to a measly 2,900 (Give or take a few yards); now some of that has to do with his lack of receiving talent.  Everyone still laughs at the butt fumble, but Sanchez had eight fumbles last year, his highest total since his rookie year. It is fair to say the 2013 NFL season is the biggest of Sanchez's young career.    

OFFENSE 

Let's start  with a quarterback battle because that's everyone's favorite.  Geno Smith versus Sanchez with it looking like the fifth year veteran will at least take the reigns for the first game of the season. Apparently, Smith is out-of-shape which is not a good thing and the Jets already talking about using him in a 'Wildcat' formation. This is funny because West Virginia's offense did not require Smith to run the ball very much if at all. It is truly weird. No matter who starts, they will not have much help in the passing game. Santonio Holmes is coming off a season-ending foot injury and saw his numbers decline in his last full season. Jeremy Kerley could be their best threat, but if that's the case, it says a lot about the state of the team. Stephen Hill is one to watch. He has not done much for his career, but skill/size could mean a breakout year in his third season.

The Jets absolutely have to be committed to running the football. Their best part of their team might be their offensive line with D'Brickshaw Ferguson, Nick Manigold (Returning from season-ending injury) and the surprising play of Austin Howard. The Jets have the horses up front to run the ball and having Chris Ivory in the backfield should help them out. Ivory finally gets his chance to be a starter after excelling in a minor role with the New Orleans Saints. Bilal Powell is another player to watch.

DEFENSE 

Life after Darrelle Revis started in 2012 when he went down with the knee injury, but what surprised many people was the re-emergence of Antonio Cromartie being a lockdown cornerback. Who knows if Cro' can repeat it in 2013 and he will have Dee Milliner on the opposite side of them. The Jets will be physical in the secondary without question.  Muhammad Wilkerson will be great for them again this season, same goes for David Harris, but the rest of the front seven is a question mark. Quinton Coples had zero impact last season for his rookie year at defensive end and he will be moving to linebacker this year which should be an experience.  I personally liked Sheldon Richardson and believed the Packers could have benefited if they drafted him.  The Jets defense carried this team to two AFC Championship games and they will have to carry this team again if they hope to win more than six games this year. The play of the linebackers will be key.  

SPECIAL TEAMS

While everything else is chaotic with the Jets, they do have a nice return with Joe McKnight returning kicks and Kerely handling the punts. Both broke touchdowns last year. Nick Folk will make you pull your hair a couple times if you're a Jets fan, but most of the time, he is reliable. Their first year punter Robert Malone set a franchise record for his 45.8 yards per punt so at least they have that going for them.  

KEY ADDITIONS 

LB Antwan Barnes, G Willie Colon, NT Antonio Garay, QB David Gerrard, RB Mike Goodson, RB Chris Ivory, S Dawan Landry, WR Braylon Edwards, G Stephen Peterman - We did not give Gerrard much love, but I highly doubt a 35-year-old would beat out Sanchez/Smith. Some solid additions here though. Edwards will probably have a meltdown by Week 4.  

KEY DEPARTURES 

CB Darrelle Revis, S Yeremiah Bell, DE Mike DeVito, RB Shonn Greene, TE Dustin Keller, S LaRon Landry, G Brandon Moore, NT Sione Po'uha, LB Bart Scott, G Matt Slauson

JETS DRAFT PICKS 

CB Dee Milliner, DT Sheldon Richardson, QB Geno Smith, G Brian Winters, T Oday Aboushi, OL William Campbell, FB Tommy Bohanon - We touched on the first three draft picks and Winters might start on the line as well.  

GAME TO WATCH

September 8th - vs. Tampa Bay 12 pm - I thought about doing some different since we went with the 'Wes Welker Bowl' in our last 32 in 31, but let's be honest, I want to see how the Jets fans treat Revis. I assume it will not be pleasant. There is a 105 percent chance Revis picks one off and takes to the house, right?   

PREDICTION 

4 to 6 wins - The Jets have a BRUTAL October where they play on the road against Atlanta (Monday night to add to equation) and Cincinnati with home games against Pittsburgh and New England, good luck, all could be playoff teams. The Jets could win six games with aid from their weak division plus a couple other games, but six wins is the ceiling meaning Ryan and Sanchez are both out. 

Charlie.  

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