Bucs QB Tom Brady – Photo by: USA Today The fact that it’s 2024 and, at four years, the Bucs have the longest playoff streak in the NFC is something that would’ve seemed like a dream at any point in that 2008-2019 stretch. That’s how down this franchise had been for such a long time. But the last four years? It’s been a different story in Tampa Bay. It started in 2020 when Tom Brady came to town and breathed new life — winning life — into the franchise. Brady and the Bucs went from 7-5 in December to 11-5 by the end of the season. That earned the organization its first playoff berth since 2007, then the first-round win over Washington marked the team’s first playoff win since that Super Bowl XXXVII victory on Jan. 26, 2003. From there, Tampa Bay won three more in a row to capture Super Bowl LV. Even better, the team hoisted its second-ever Lombardi Trophy on its home field, becoming the first team in NFL history to win a Super Bowl in its own stadium. The Bucs may not have successfully defended their title in 2021, but they went down swinging after a franchise-record 13 regular season wins and their first NFC South title since 2007. Some ill-timed injuries and an unexpected exit (you know the one) might’ve been all that stood between Tampa Bay and a repeat. A coaching change and some roster transition took place heading into 2022 and while no one will look back on the year with fond memories, it still ended with another division title — only the eighth franchise history. Brady’s retirement last offseason and another year of transition personnel-wise had expectations set pretty low for the Bucs in 2023. Even playing in a bad division, they were still being projected by many to finish with a top-five pick in the 2024 Draft. Odds were set pretty low for Tampa Bay as far as winning the NFC South. What did the Bucs do? They managed to overcome a 4-7 record at the end of November to finish 9-8 and extend their playoff streak. It’s now at four years, which officially has 2020-2024 marked as a sort of second “golden era” of Buccaneers football. This Type Of Prolonged Success Is New — And Nearly Unprecedented — For The Bucs 
Bucs WR Mike Evans – Photo by: USA Today This is just the second time in the Bucs’ 48-year history that they’ve reached the playoffs four times in a row. The other stretch was from 1999-2002, which ultimately culminated with a Super Bowl victory. Not to mention, this is the franchise’s first-ever run of three straight division titles. A fourth straight in 2024 would mean Tampa Bay’s first-ever five-year playoff streak. There’s no denying that the last two seasons have been frustrating in plenty of ways for the Bucs. It felt like Brady’s last year was squandered given the team never really found its stride, went 8-9, and was a first-round exit in the playoffs. Then, there was this year, which featured a 1-6 stretch in the middle of it and some crazy ups-and-downs. The rest of the story of 2023 is still to be written, but no one would blame you if you said these last two seasons haven’t been the most fun you’ve had watching football. That’s fair. But the reality is that this type of sustained success — four straight playoff appearances and three straight division titles — hasn’t been an all-the-time thing in Tampa Bay. That makes this run worth appreciating. As much as some might want to downplay it due to the state of the NFC South, it sure as hell beats the alternative. Plenty of guys in the locker room know the pain and frustration of that pre-2020 Bucs life. Just ask Lavonte David, Will Gholston and Mike Evans, for starters. 
Bucs HC Todd Bowles – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR Your rebuttal might be that standards have changed and simply making the playoffs isn’t enough anymore. Even that is fair. Standards should change. No one at One Buc Place wants to go back to the way things were from 2007-2019, that’s for sure. But pausing and realizing that changing standards is a privilege might just put things into perspective. Not every team and accompanying fan base can take that type of stance. Not long ago, the Bucs would’ve been one of those teams that would give anything to gain some relevancy come playoff time. Now, they’ve been a fixture in January four years in a row. This team has its challenges, and it’ll navigate them in the offseason. Todd Bowles has his own issues as a head coach and if he’s around for Year 3, he’ll have to work on those and prove that he’s the guy who can get this team back to the Super Bowl. Making it a five-year streak in 2024 is far from a given, but with this front office, it’ll be on the table. But before we get there, there’s a playoff game to be played at Raymond James Stadium this Monday night. For the fourth year in a row. How about that? The post Bucs’ Postseason Streak Is Worth Appreciating appeared first on Pewter Report. Source: https://www.pewterreport.com/bucs-posts ... reciating/
