Checklist to help Bucs swagger into the postseason

TAMPA — How exactly do the Bucs become the "badass" team Dirk Koetter wants them to be? It's both easy and difficult at the same time, but here are five things Tampa Bay can do to meet their head coach's challenge for 2017. Don't ask for all five — even two or three would bode well for the Bucs' postseason chances.

1. Open up strong: Last year's Bucs came out of the gates 1-3, losing to three non-playoff teams, including lopsided setbacks by a combined 53 points against the Cardinals and Broncos. If the Bucs expect to be a playoff team, they need to build momentum early in the year, which won't be easy with September road games at Miami and Minnesota, who won 18 games between them last season.

If they can be 3-1 going into a Thursday night showdown against the Patriots, they'll be taken more seriously on a national platform. If they're 2-2 or worse, they'll be seen as heavy underdogs in their first big spotlight of the season.

Jim Damaske | Times

The Broncos' Derek Wolfe (95) howls after sacking Bucs Jameis Winston (3) in the fourth quarter during the Bucs' home game last year.

Jim Damaske | Times

The Broncos' Derek Wolfe (95) howls after sacking Bucs Jameis Winston (3) in the fourth quarter during the Bucs' home game last year.

2. Beat Brady, Belichick: File this under "difficult." But if you're looking to change your national perception in a hurry, a win like this on national TV with a prime-time audience will do the trick.

The defending Super Bowl champs haven't lost more than four games in any season since 2009, but the Bucs got a road win last year against a Falcons team that was up 28-3 on the same Patriots before … well, you know what happened.

GOOD TO BE BAD?: Dirk Koetter's call for bold, brash Bucs.

3. Bring back homefield advantage: How easily you forget that Mike Evans lost the first 10 home games he played with the Bucs, or that last year's Bucs — last year! — lost their first four home games before closing the year with four home wins.

How good can the Bucs be at home? Would 6-2 be possible in 2017? Both Super Bowl teams come to Tampa, but a 2-1 mark in the division, combined with, conservatively, 3-2 against the Patriots, Giants, Bears, Jets and Lions, would get them to 5-3, which would still be their best home mark since 2008! Tampa Bay is 7-17 at home in the last three years, so 6-2 would be a huge reversal.

MEDIA'S PICK: Baddest of them all? Steelers LB James Harrison.

4. Split with the Falcons again: Can the Bucs go 4-2 in division play as they did last season? To pull that off, they likely need to beat the Falcons at least once — something they did last year, albeit in Week 1 before Atlanta got going.

The Bucs don't face Atlanta until after Thanksgiving — Nov. 26 in Atlanta, then a huge Monday night game in Tampa on Dec. 18. The latter obviously would among the biggest possible wins of the season, but either will keep them in contention for the NFC South, providing they can fare similarly against the Panthers and Saints.

Loren Elliott | Times

Tampa Bay Bucs running back Charles Sims (34) muscles his way into the end zone following a reception to take the lead in the second quarter against Atlanta at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Ga., on Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016.

Stay updated on Tampa Bay’s sports scene

Subscribe to our free Sports Today newsletter

We’ll send you news and analysis on the Bucs, Lightning, Rays and Florida’s college football teams every day.

Loading...

You’re all signed up!

Want more of our free, weekly newsletters in your inbox? Let’s get started.

Explore all your options

Loren Elliott | Times

Tampa Bay Bucs running back Charles Sims (34) muscles his way into the end zone following a reception to take the lead in the second quarter against Atlanta at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Ga., on Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016.

5. Go into Lambeau in December and win: Again, sounds difficult because it is difficult. Green Bay, at home after Dec. 1, is 18-3 in the regular season since Aaron Rodgers took over as quarterback in 2008. And one of those losses had Matt Flynn at quarterback.

So just once since 2009 — against the Vikings in 2015 — has a team gone into Green Bay in December and beat Rodgers. It's certainly a game that will be penciled in as a loss for the Bucs, but you probably would say the same about the Chiefs and Seahawks last season.

Contact Greg Auman at gauman@tampabay.com and (813) 310-2690. Follow @gregauman.