Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Better overall squad and why?

I think the Brady-factor propels the latter over of the former! Yes, 2002’s defense was better, and the team’s overall regular season body-of-work more impressive, but if we’re talking about how last year’s Bucs did down-the-stretch and especially once the playoffs began, I feel the gap between both offenses (that very gap, of course, being in 2020’s favor) was greater than the gap on the other side of the ball.

2002 Bucs without a doubt ...

The rules were different and defenses could do alot more. That team dominated in the postseason, while this team slept-walked through Wash, could have lost to the Saints and allowed GB to come back in the game. How they dominated KC is crazy but it was their only great game, while the 2002 team closed the Vet before dominating the Raiders ...

Veteran's Stadium in Philly, I should say ...

People forget how tough that 2002 Bucs d was....they gave up 16 pts in the NFC playoffs....had 2 shutouts that year and gave up 10 pts or less in 9 games....under 200 for the entire season....points per game was even lower than the 85 Bears.

Fun Fact: Tom Tupa was Tampa Bay's punter in 2002....drafted in 1988!

Tom Brady vs Brad Johnson at QB though....with Evans and Godwin and Miller at receiver for Brady....kind of a tough call.....but have to go defense on this one and take the 2002 version....

Its too bad that LB Hardy Nickerson left that team before they won the 2002/03 SB. Had he stayed, he would have made the HOF but that defense will still have five eventual Hall members despite one championship ... Sapp, Brooks, Lynch, Barber and Rice. One of the best defensive championship seasons, ever ...

I still can't believe that the 2020 Bucs got past both the (NFC-leading) Green Bay Packers and the (AFC-leading) Kansas City Chiefs in the playoffs. I picked T.B. (x2!) to get past the WFT and I picked the upset over "Nawlins." But not those other two wins by the Buccaneers. I'm going to withhold further comment so as not to arouse the ire of other members.

Personally, I dont believe The NFL/Networks/Vegas will ever allow another back-to-back champion because upset games make and generate too much money. If any team was to do it, the Chiefs should have been that team, though Brady had chances after the 2015, 17, and 19 seasons. To me, it goes back to Seattle demolishing the Manning-led Broncos in 2013/14. Embarrassing to the powers that be, Seattle was also a cocky, brash team that should have easily went back to back but bad coaching and Tom Terrific wouldnt allow it. Since then, its mostly been popular veteran QBs(Brady,Manning) winning it with Foles and a young QB, Mahomes breaking the trend. Meanwhile, a great regular season QB like Rodgers, still keeps getting beaten or upset in the playoffs, with lots of people wagering on the Pack. Will Rodgers ever win that elusive second championship, join the Broncos or another team in a trade or retire ? ... Stay tuned