A’Shawn Robinson isn’t ready to bury the Buccaneers just because the calendar says 0-4.
After Tampa Bay’s loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, the veteran defensive tackle pushed back on the idea that the season is already done, even with the Bucs staring at a brutal hole and a pile of injuries.
“The season isn't over," Robinson said after Sunday's loss to the Green Bay Packers via Pewter Report. "You can’t lose and be out (of) the playoffs in four games. We're just focusing on what we need to do now.”
That message lands against a rough backdrop. Tampa Bay sits two games behind the Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons, who are tied atop the NFC South, and the team will be without quarterback Baker Mayfield for at least the next two games. Former All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr. could also be sidelined for the next four.
The math is obviously ugly, but Robinson is right about one thing: the Buccaneers are not eliminated yet. The problem is that the path forward is almost impossibly narrow. Only one team in NFL history has ever climbed out of an 0-4 start and reached the playoffs - the 1992 San Diego Chargers.
That Chargers team ripped off 11 wins in its final 12 games, finished 11-5, and took the AFC West. Tampa Bay does not necessarily need that exact kind of sprint to sneak into the postseason, but the precedent shows just how rare this kind of recovery is.
PlayoffStatus.com currently gives the Buccaneers a postseason probability of less than 1%, and seven other teams are sitting in that same range.
The strange part is that this franchise was in the opposite position a year ago. Tampa Bay opened 6-2 and looked like a strong bet to win the NFC South, with even bigger goals not feeling out of reach. Instead, the Bucs unraveled, losing seven of their final nine games and missing out on the division for the first time since 2020.
Robinson, who won the NFC South with the Panthers last season, knows a division comeback can happen. That doesn’t make Tampa Bay’s current situation any less daunting, but it does explain why he wasn’t willing to declare the year dead after four games.
For the Buccaneers, the season is still alive. Barely.
In Other News...
Bucs Legend Warren Sapp Draws Heat For Another Off-Field Controversy
Warren Sapp has spent decades as one of the most recognizable figures in Buccaneers history, a Hall of Fame defensive tackle whose playing career and later coaching stops have kept him in the football conversation long after his retirement. But a viral video that surfaced this week has shifted the attention back to something far less flattering, adding another uncomfortable chapter to the public image of one of Tampa Bays most celebrated legends.
The clip reignited scrutiny over Sapps conduct off the field, coming after another widely circulated run-in earlier this year drew a different kind of attention. For a player whose football rsum still carries real weight in Tampa Bay circles, the latest controversy only deepens the sense that his post-playing legacy keeps getting complicated by incidents that have nothing to do with the game itself. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs Suddenly Need Help At One Position Before Panthers Game
The Buccaneers are heading into their matchup with the Panthers with another roster shuffle on their hands, and this one hits a spot where depth already mattered. Christian Rozeboom had been a useful piece at inside linebacker, giving Tampa Bay some stability behind the starters, but the team moved him to injured reserve as it adjusts for the stretch run.
In the same transaction window, the Bucs brought David Sills V back from injured reserve, giving them an extra body at receiver at a time when that group is taking hits of its own. The timing matters because Tampa Bay may need him sooner rather than later, which leaves the defense to sort out how it replaces Rozeboom while the offense keeps bracing for more attrition before Sunday. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs Get Encouraging Injury News With Sunday Still In Doubt
The Buccaneers got a little healthier on the practice field this week, with several players back after dealing with illnesses. Bucky Irving and Zyon McCollum were both limited participants, while Calijah Kancey was able to log a full workout, giving Tampa Bay at least some encouraging signs as it prepares for a divisional matchup with Carolina.
Emeka Egbukas status remains one of the bigger questions hanging over the week, and right tackle Luke Goedekes availability is also still unclear. With both sides releasing full injury reports, the Bucs have some positives to work with, but the final picture for Sunday still feels far from settled. [Read more 🡒]