Buccaneers Among Two 'True Contenders' in NFC

According to PFF, it's Rams and Bucs in the NFC, then everybody else is following behind.

After years of winning the offseason and not much after, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are expected to win plenty in the upcoming regular season with aspirations of hoisting trophies next February. 

In fact, according to Pro Football Focus, the Bucs are the No. 2 ranked team in their most recent power rankings and one of just two teams in the NFC considered "true contenders", joining the Rams who rank third. 

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"Until we see real evidence of Tom Brady‘s decline, we have to assume that he will remain as one of the truly elite quarterbacks in the game," says PFF. "Which makes the Bucs immediate contenders every year he is at the helm...Adding a receiver such as Russell Gage, who was an underrated weapon in Atlanta and averaged 1.96 yards per route run last season, could make a real impact on the offense."

Coming in first is the Buffalo Bills (my predicted AFC Champion in 2021) who have become a trendy favorite to come out on top of the AFC in 2022. 

Five teams make up the top tier of NFL teams after the bulk of the offseason, and three of those belong to the AFC with the Los Angeles Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs joining the Bills. 

The next tier, dubbed the "Could Be Their Year" teams, has two NFC teams on the list with the Green Bay Packers (6th) and San Francisco 49ers (9th) being one of just four teams in the conference making the top 10. 

As expected, the next NFC South team on the list is the New Orleans Saints. Perhaps unexpected is the 20th overall ranking. 

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"So much of the Saints' success over the last 15 years was built on Drew Brees and Sean Payton's shoulders, neither of whom are now in the building," PFF says. "However, the roster is still in pretty good shape. Jameis Winston is a real unknown factor."

While the AFC has experienced a sudden influx of talent, the NFC's top squads are still well established, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are firmly planted near the top of the league. Giving fans of the Buccaneers at least one more opportunity to enjoy a season full of expectations. 

For more on this and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers check out James Yarcho and David Harrison on the Locked On Bucs Podcast!