Friday, December 4, 2020

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Week 13 NFL Power Rankings Roundup

Throughout the 2020 NFL season, we will compile a consensus NFL Power Rankings that averages the rankings of all 32 NFL teams.

Here is where the Tampa Bay Buccaneers rank in terms of average, best and worst:

  • Average ranking: 9.0 (9th)
  • Best ranking: 8th (Multiple)
  • Worst ranking: 11th (CBS Sports)

Below you will find a Week 13 roundup for the Bucs in our consensus 2020 NFL Power Rankings.

The Athletic -- Rank: 8

Meeting expectations: It feels like the Tom Brady experiment with Bruce Arians is being viewed to some degree as a disaster or a lost cause. That seems like a case of recency bias. The Buccaneers are 7-5, and their plus-64 point differential is third-best in the NFC. Tony Romo mentioned during Sunday's broadcast that Tampa could still make a Super Bowl run, and I agree with him. They are still trying to find their way in terms of meshing what Arians and offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich want to do with what makes Brady comfortable. Arians struggles with game management, and at times his team lacks discipline. But the Bucs still have time to figure things out and make a playoff run.

CBS Sports -- Rank: 11

They head to their bye off two straight losses. It's amazing how their season has turned so quickly.

USA Today -- Rank: 9

Week 13 bye probably right on time for reeling team that must refresh and recalibrate now that NFC South crown is virtually out of reach.

ESPN -- Rank: 8

Most important game remaining: Week 14 vs. Minnesota

At 7-5 after back-to-back losses to the Rams and Chiefs, the Bucs are drifting further from contender status and closer to pretender, which means they need to come out of the bye week with a statement win. Every game will matter, but they need a tone-setter. Coach Bruce Arians said they'll spend this time going over everything, which should include adjustments in philosophy and playcalling. The offense has been stagnant much of the time. There has been no play-action or motion and Tom Brady's deep ball has been far too inconsistent. Further, they need to finally establish an offensive identity, as changing it week to week isn't helping with consistency. -- Jenna Laine

NFL.com -- Rank: 9

Poor Carlton Davis. Defensive coordinator Todd Bowles had so much faith in his young corner that he cooked up a game plan that left Davis one-on-one with Tyreek Hill. It did not work out. Davis was torched on a historic level, as Hill had surpassed 200 yards receiving with two touchdowns by the end of the first quarter. The Bucs mounted an admirable fourth-quarter comeback, but the 27-24 loss showed a considerable gap between Tampa Bay and the defending Super Bowl champions. Back-to-back losses to the Rams and Chiefs make you wonder where the Bucs truly stand amongst the league's elite teams, but a favorable schedule keeps a path to the postseason open. After the bye, Tampa Bay faces four sub-.500 opponents with a combined record of 17-27.

Previous update: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Week 12 NFL Power Rankings Roundup

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