Opposing Views: 5 Questions with Cover32 Buccaneers Managing Editor Alex Hoegler
In this week’s Opposing Views profile the Seattle Seahawks play in Tampa Bay versus the Buccaneers so I asked Cover32’s Buccaneers site managing editor Alex Hoegler five questions about the Seahawks-Buccaneers matchup.
Cover32 Seahawks: Tampa Bay is 5-5 but just a game back of the digressing Atlanta Falcons. Where is the team currently compared to where you thought they would be after 10 games and why?
Alex Hoegler: I expected the Bucs to be around 3-7 or 4-6 at this point, so the fact they’re 5-5 is a huge bonus. The Buccaneers do have a daunting schedule down the stretch, but a win against Seattle would cement them as contenders. The play has been inconsistent, but this year, they’re finding ways to hang in there and close games out.
Cover32 Seahawks: The Buccaneers have won two straight games, including beating the previously undefeated-at-home Kansas City Chiefs. The Buccaneers have a good young quarterback in Jameis Winston and a great young receiver in Mike Evans. How good can this offense be the rest of this season and into the future?
AH: The offense has been extremely mediocre at times, but elite at others. One word? Frustrating. Winston is only on his game every second week, usually. Mike Evans is emerging as a top-three receiver in the NFL. A healthy Doug Martin makes this offense much more lethal. With those three healthy, this could be a top-five unit in the NFL.
AROUND COVER32
Winners and Losers: The Giants and Dolphins are back with 5-game win streaks
Draft Preview:: Breaking down the best cornerbacks in this year’s class
Mailbag:: Is it time for everyone to go for two?
Cover32 Seahawks: Where do you see the biggest challenges for the Buccaneers in facing the Seahawks?
AH: The Legion of Boom. Mike Evans hasn’t faced a corner like Richard Sherman all season. He was lucky Marcus Peters was out for Kansas City last week, otherwise he wouldn’t have shredded that secondary so easily. Winston was shut down by Arizona and Denver’s elite secondaries, now he has to try to solve the Legion of Boom.
Cover32 Seahawks: In the next two or three drafts and seasons, where do the Buccaneers need to improve the roster the most? And what is the ceiling for this team in three years at its current pace?
AH: All over the field. Mike Evans can’t be the only guy catching passes, but he is. The defense has under-performed all over. Another safety, corner and linebacker could help this team. Their ceiling right now should be 9-7 or 10-6 max. But a weak NFC South could make that 11 wins.
Cover32 Seahawks: Prediction for this game? And what would a win mean for the psyche of the Buccaneers team?
AH: 24-16 Seahawks. The Buccaneers just don’t have enough playmakers to give the Legion of Boom a challenge. A win for the Bucs would put them right in the NFC South race. That would mean they’ve beaten three legitimate teams on the season.
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