Yes, your Bucs are in the playoffs. The question is for how long?
They have conquered the wimpy. Dominated the defenseless. The Buccaneers have proven, emphatically and enjoyably, that they will no longer wallow with the dregs of the NFL after a 44-27 thumping of the Falcons on Sunday. But is that the same thing as saying the Bucs are now elite?

They are back in the playoffs and, yes, they are entirely deserving of January games. The offense, at times, looks electric, and the defense is reliable and sturdy. In fact, this is the first time in 20 years that Tampa Bay has been in the NFL's top 10 in both points scored and allowed in the same season. But do you trust this team to go far in the playoffs?

That's the question of the coming days. There's a difference between "good" and "not bad," and the Bucs have too often straddled that line this season. Against playoff qualifiers the Bucs were 1-5. Against teams that failed to make the postseason, they were 10-0.

There's no shame in being the NFL's median line, but there's also no Lombardi Trophies in it either. That's why you must hope the lack of quality wins has more to do with timing than the level of competition. With the game plan being recalibrated for Tom Brady in a year without preseason games, it has taken the Bucs some time to find themselves on offense.

So if you squint past October and November and look only at performances in December and the first week of January, you can convince yourself that the Bucs recently have grown into a formidable team.

That's certainly the way coach Bruce Arians made it sound after Sunday's game. "Way, way more confident. Especially offensively. We've got a good grasp of what we're doing offensively," Arians said. "I'm not sure how many times we've punted since the second half of the first Atlanta game (twice) but Atlanta is a quality football team. We can't worry about who we played. All football teams can beat your ass on Sunday so you better be ready."

It is an encouraging sign that the Bucs took care of business Sunday. Even though Tampa Bay had already clinched a playoff berth, it was imperative to earn the No. 5 seed and set up a first-round game against woebegone NFC East champion Washington.

In some ways, the Bucs may be in a better position than had they won the NFC South. They may be stuck on the road for the entire postseason, but with an easier first step against a historically bad division champ.

And that could turn out to be a huge difference when you look at Tampa Bay's medical charts. With linebacker Devin White testing positive for the coronavirus last week, he has to miss the playoff opener Saturday due to league quarantine requirements. Watching receiver Mike Evans go down with a knee injury in the first half was another worrisome development.

Easing their way into the playoffs should be a good thing, especially with the prospect of a third meeting against New Orleans potentially looming. Since getting blown out 38-3 by the Saints in their second meeting, the Bucs have gone 5-2. More importantly, the two losses against the Chiefs and Rams were by a combined six points. During that seven-game stretch, Tampa Bay has averaged 34.5 points a game.

"We're starting to see the fruits of our labor, man," receiver Chris Godwin said. "I think we're getting the right play calls at the right time and we're executing so much better … I think you are starting to see just how much talent we really have."

It's been a long time since Bucs fans have needed to plan a menu for a playoff gathering, so maybe this week should be enjoyed rather than dissected. But there have been a handful of hints that this might be a special season, and it's difficult not to wonder what lies ahead.

"We obviously have to sharpen some things up, especially on defense," said linebacker Kevin Minter. "But we're going into this thing knowing that we can beat anybody."

In theory, that's true. In reality, the Bucs still have a lot to prove.

John Romano, Tampa Bay Times, published 4 January 2021