Season Recap - 2010 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Final Record: 10-6

Finished: 3rd Place in the NFC South

2011 Draft Position: 20^th

Preseason Ranking:   31
Preseason Letter of Misfortune:

2009 couldn’t have gone much worse for the Bucs. Had it been 1989, nobody would have thought twice about their continued ineptness, but just a handful of years removed from the dominate defenses of Tony Dungy and the Super Bowl championship under the lead of Jon Gruden, Tampa Bay’s fall from grace is surprising. A team chock full of youth and talent, with little veteran support in key roles, Tampa Bay doesn’t look to end their tailspin of futility anytime soon.

Inexperience and youth lead the team at the quarterback position. No quarterback on the roster has more than three years of experience and all of them combined have only started 13 games in the NFL. Growing pains will be the expected norm for the offense. Not only is experience lacking at quarterback, but the receiving corps is also a hotbed of raw, inexperienced talent. The running game, keyed by Cadillac Williams, shows some signs of life, but will not be much of a factor as Tampa Bay will spend most of the season trying to come back from large deficits.

Realistically, nobody expects any kind of breakout year for Tampa Bay. They might improve on their three wins from a year ago, but six wins seems to be the upper limit of what this team can accomplish unless their opponents completely fall apart and make the mental mistakes the Buccaneers of yesteryear were famous for making. Tampa Bay is playing this year to determine what additional steps will need to be made during the offseason to end their tailspin in 2011.

Week 1: Defeated the Cleveland Browns, 17-14

Ranked – 20

This ranking probably won't last once you square off against teams better than Cleveland, but for one week enjoy being listed among the Remarkably Average. You've earned it.

Week 2: Defeated the Carolina Panthers, 20-7

Ranked – 11

Getting fat off the bottom feeders in the league may not help you once you face off against New Orleans and Atlanta, but with those matchups still a few weeks away, you'll have to face the Steel Curtain this week. Get to 3-0 against that defense and we'll know you are for real.

Week 3: Lost to Pittsburgh Steelers, 38-13

Ranked – 20

In a battle of unbeatens you were clearly beaten. Pittsburgh destroyed you in all aspects of the game and showed you how much more difficult it is to beat Creative Elite teams than those counted among Forked Few.

Week 4: BYE WEEK

Ranked – 12

It's not that the Bucs are good, it's just so many teams lost so badly over the weekend, how can they be penalized for being idle.

Week 5: Defeated the Cincinnati Bengals, 24-21

Ranked – 12

It's always difficult to win on the road, even against bad teams. Tampa Bay is still playing better than most people expected.

Week 6: Lost to New Orleans Saints, 31-6

Ranked – 18

The Saints demonstrated just how much farther this young team has to go before they are done rebuilding.

Week 7: Defeated the St. Louis Rams, 18-17

Ranked – 12

Even though it was against the Rams, rallying from 14 down late to win is always good.

Week 8: Defeated the Arizona Cardinals, 38-35

Ranked – 12

The wins say a lot, but only a victory in Atlanta this weekend will shatter the myth that this team's record is nothing but smoke and mirrors.

Week 9: Lost at Atlanta Falcons, 27-21

Ranked – 15

Another valiant effort falls just short. Better than they have been, the Bucs still need to improve to truly challenge Atlanta and New Orleans for supremacy in the South. 

Week 10: Defeated the Carolina Panthers, 31-16

Ranked – 12

Carolina is little better than a bye week, but any division win is a good one.

Week 11: Defeated the San Francisco 49ers, 21-0

Ranked – 12

Doubts still plague the Bucs' 7-3 record, but the next two weeks (at Baltimore, vs Atlanta) will go a long way to proving whether or not Tampa Bay is for real.

Week 12: Lost at Baltimore Ravens, 17-10

Ranked – 12

The Bucs haven't beaten a single team above .500 yet this season - but a 10-6 finish with all 10 wins against sub-.500 teams is still quite possible.

Week 13: Lost to Atlanta Falcons, 28-24

Ranked – 12 (ROCKY WEEK!)

Whatever losing team we play, we destroy!

Week 14: Defeated the Washington Redskins, 17-16

Ranked – 11

10-6, with all 10 wins against losing teams, is not out of the question. The Bucs can truly say they are the best of the worst and the lousiest of the best.

Week 15: Lost to Detroit Lions, 23-20

Ranked – 17

The Buccaneers ruined their chance at a perfect, 10-0 season against teams with losing records. I guess they'll just have to focus on trying to win a Wild Card spot now.

Week 16: Defeated the Seattle Seahawks, 38-15

Ranked – 13

Tampa Bay still has a chance if they can knock off the defending champions and get help from the Bears and Redskins. Yes, it's a long shot, but if things go right, the Bucs could be in. Can you imagine both Seattle and Tampa Bay in the playoffs?

Week 17: Defeated the New Orleans Saints, 23-13

Final Rank - 14

Tomorrow, recaps of the playoff teams begin with the 2010 Kansas City Chiefs…