With the Bucs 2-2 through the first quarter of their season, we asked the Tampa Bay Times' coverage team for their bold predictions. Their responses:
Greg Auman: Bold? Still feel like Bucs can go 9-7 if not 10-6, though the wild-card challengers aren't teams we expected. Still feels like a playoff team.
Thomas Bassinger: The Bucs won't miss a field goal inside 40 yards the rest of the season. Yep, that's qualifies as "bold" these days.
Martin Fennelly: Jason Licht phone call: "Yes, Mr. Stenerud? Sorry to bother you at home. Just wanted to see if you had any grandchildren."
Ernest Hooper: I'll stand by my season-ending four-game winning streak, even though it looks more improbable than it did in the preseason.
Tom Jones: I stick with my prediction that Bucs will go 9-7 and, not only make the postseason, but win one playoff game.
Rick Stroud: Bucs will win the NFC South with a win over New Orleans on New Year's Eve and finish 9-7.