Last Year:
A fairy-tale season began for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when their knight in shining armor arrived from Oakland. What Jon Gruden added was toughness to a team that was clearly lacking under the coaching of Tony Dungy. The killer instinct taught the Buccaneers to hold on to big leads, and put teams away when they had the chance. After strolling through the regular season with only one speed bump, New Orleans, the Buccaneers continued to force their defensive will on their opponents in the playoffs. The maraschino cherry on top came as Jon Gruden beat his former team, the Oakland Raiders, in the Super Bowl. It?s like when you and your hot new girlfriend are out and about, and you run into your ex-girlfriend and she sees that you?re over her. In the few hours that Jon does sleep, he couldn?t have dreamt a better close to the season himself.
What we learned from Last Year:
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were a classic example of how the game of football is won. Sure you have your flashy offenses in St. Louis and KC, you have Terrell Owens and his great touchdown celebrations, and you have freak of natures like Michael Vick but this is not what last year?s Super Bowl champions were about. This team was about ball control and playing defense. More specifically, what allowed them to do this was very strong play from their defensive line, and dependable play from their offensive line. Many people often overlook the offensive line but I would like to see one Super bowl champion who didn?t have a good offensive line. This particular offense doesn?t produce a lot of big, flashy plays, but the offensive line grants Brad Johnson enough time to find open receivers and progress slowly down the field. Don?t be fooled, this offense is average at best, what makes this team so good is the defense. The offense sputtered many times last year, trying to find a way to score points. What bailed them out was a defense that gave them the ball right back.
So what is the phenomenon that makes Tampa such a strong defensive team? This defensive scheme, which Carolina is trying to copy, needs only one thing. That is an excellent defensive line. Led by Simeon Rice and Warren Sapp who were double-teamed all year long, the four front of the Buccaneers found a way to get to the quarterback time and time again. The fact that this defensive line could put extreme pressure on opposing quarterbacks without any blitzing from linebackers or defensive backs opens up a nice jar of cookies for Monty Kiffen, Tampa?s defensive coordinator. With defensive backs, safeties and linebackers all dropping back into coverage, it creates an absolute mess for anyone trying to throw the ball against them. This defensive set is efficient when you have below average cornerbacks, and below average safeties, so one can understand why this defense would stand out with guys like Ronde Barber and John Lynch in coverage.
It is very important to note that Tampa Bay?s offensive is not very good. The line did play well for the passing game, but Tampa?s running game was non-existent. They ranked 27th in the league last year, and that won?t change this year. Michael Pittman can?t stay out of trouble off the field, and he is rarely effective on the field. Thomas Jones couldn?t do very much in a stronger offense in Arizona, why will this situation be different? Mike Alstott is usually effective late in games once their opponents have tired down, can he be effective early? Can he take the wear and tear of more than twenty carries a game all season long? This team needs to pick one guy for the job, and let him carry the load. Running back by committee has seen very little success in the NFL, and it won?t be much different here.
What has changed?:
Status quo is clearly the route that last year?s champs have taken, but is it the right way to go? The first thing that most people will say is ?If it ain?t broke, why fix it?? My answer to that would be that in the NFL, the league, the teams, and the players change every year. Something that was effective one year may no longer be effective the next because teams spend a lot of time on making adjustments. How can the Patriots go from Super bowl champions to not making the playoffs? The answer is that to win a championship in the NFL, or in any sport for that matter, a lot of things have to fall in place for your franchise. For example: in a sport that is so physical, for the Buccaneers to stay as healthy as they did was very important. They had all of their key players, and they were all healthy throughout the games that mattered. Just remember how unsuccessful the Buccaneers were two years ago when Warren Sapp missed some time. Does this mean they won?t be healthy this year? No, but it was just one of the many things that went well for T-bay.
So what has changed? The team has brought back almost all of its starters from last year?s team with a few minor tinkers. I honestly think that nothing on this team has changed significantly. The offense should still be poor, and the defensive line will still be what makes or breaks this team. What the biggest question mark will be is how will Tampa play this year with a tougher schedule? Will they be able to pull out close games week in and week out? Will they be able to stay healthy? The second go around for Tampa will be tougher as teams will be gunning for them trying to knock the crown off their heads.
The Buccaneers were the first team in the NFL to start preparing for the upcoming season, which goes to show that if there?s one man who?ll have this team prepared its Jon Gruden.
O/U 10.5:
With Tampa?s unique ability to shutdown any team?s offense, they will be in a lot of close games this year. In house, they will be facing some stiff competition. Atlanta has improved, Carolina has improved, and New Orleans has already got their number. As soon as they step outside they play @Eagles, Colts, @Redskins, @49ers, Cowboys, Packers, Giants, @Jaguars, Texans, @Tennessee. With their divisional rivals being so tough, they may need about 8 wins out of division to go over 10.5. They?ll need more than 3 division if they have any hope of getting to 11 wins overall. Every team will be motivated to play the champs, and they won?t have any effortless wins. That being said I think this team will land short of 11 wins, possibly right on the number below it.
Fantasy Sleeper:
If you?re planning on picking anyone on this offense for your football pool, please let me know because I?d be glad to do a pool with you. This offense rarely lights up the scoreboard, but when this team does put up points it is usually the defense doing it. Brad Johnson, Keyshawn Johnson, and Michael Pittman have all turned into perennial busts. If you absolutely have to take someone off this team I would take Mike Alstott. If you are drafting in a league where running backs and full backs are pooled together, Mike Alstott is usually left in the later rounds. Alstott will most likely have a couple of big games this year, and will rack up some touchdowns. You can?t say that about any other player on this team.
A fairy-tale season began for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when their knight in shining armor arrived from Oakland. What Jon Gruden added was toughness to a team that was clearly lacking under the coaching of Tony Dungy. The killer instinct taught the Buccaneers to hold on to big leads, and put teams away when they had the chance. After strolling through the regular season with only one speed bump, New Orleans, the Buccaneers continued to force their defensive will on their opponents in the playoffs. The maraschino cherry on top came as Jon Gruden beat his former team, the Oakland Raiders, in the Super Bowl. It?s like when you and your hot new girlfriend are out and about, and you run into your ex-girlfriend and she sees that you?re over her. In the few hours that Jon does sleep, he couldn?t have dreamt a better close to the season himself.
What we learned from Last Year:
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were a classic example of how the game of football is won. Sure you have your flashy offenses in St. Louis and KC, you have Terrell Owens and his great touchdown celebrations, and you have freak of natures like Michael Vick but this is not what last year?s Super Bowl champions were about. This team was about ball control and playing defense. More specifically, what allowed them to do this was very strong play from their defensive line, and dependable play from their offensive line. Many people often overlook the offensive line but I would like to see one Super bowl champion who didn?t have a good offensive line. This particular offense doesn?t produce a lot of big, flashy plays, but the offensive line grants Brad Johnson enough time to find open receivers and progress slowly down the field. Don?t be fooled, this offense is average at best, what makes this team so good is the defense. The offense sputtered many times last year, trying to find a way to score points. What bailed them out was a defense that gave them the ball right back.
So what is the phenomenon that makes Tampa such a strong defensive team? This defensive scheme, which Carolina is trying to copy, needs only one thing. That is an excellent defensive line. Led by Simeon Rice and Warren Sapp who were double-teamed all year long, the four front of the Buccaneers found a way to get to the quarterback time and time again. The fact that this defensive line could put extreme pressure on opposing quarterbacks without any blitzing from linebackers or defensive backs opens up a nice jar of cookies for Monty Kiffen, Tampa?s defensive coordinator. With defensive backs, safeties and linebackers all dropping back into coverage, it creates an absolute mess for anyone trying to throw the ball against them. This defensive set is efficient when you have below average cornerbacks, and below average safeties, so one can understand why this defense would stand out with guys like Ronde Barber and John Lynch in coverage.
It is very important to note that Tampa Bay?s offensive is not very good. The line did play well for the passing game, but Tampa?s running game was non-existent. They ranked 27th in the league last year, and that won?t change this year. Michael Pittman can?t stay out of trouble off the field, and he is rarely effective on the field. Thomas Jones couldn?t do very much in a stronger offense in Arizona, why will this situation be different? Mike Alstott is usually effective late in games once their opponents have tired down, can he be effective early? Can he take the wear and tear of more than twenty carries a game all season long? This team needs to pick one guy for the job, and let him carry the load. Running back by committee has seen very little success in the NFL, and it won?t be much different here.
What has changed?:
Status quo is clearly the route that last year?s champs have taken, but is it the right way to go? The first thing that most people will say is ?If it ain?t broke, why fix it?? My answer to that would be that in the NFL, the league, the teams, and the players change every year. Something that was effective one year may no longer be effective the next because teams spend a lot of time on making adjustments. How can the Patriots go from Super bowl champions to not making the playoffs? The answer is that to win a championship in the NFL, or in any sport for that matter, a lot of things have to fall in place for your franchise. For example: in a sport that is so physical, for the Buccaneers to stay as healthy as they did was very important. They had all of their key players, and they were all healthy throughout the games that mattered. Just remember how unsuccessful the Buccaneers were two years ago when Warren Sapp missed some time. Does this mean they won?t be healthy this year? No, but it was just one of the many things that went well for T-bay.
So what has changed? The team has brought back almost all of its starters from last year?s team with a few minor tinkers. I honestly think that nothing on this team has changed significantly. The offense should still be poor, and the defensive line will still be what makes or breaks this team. What the biggest question mark will be is how will Tampa play this year with a tougher schedule? Will they be able to pull out close games week in and week out? Will they be able to stay healthy? The second go around for Tampa will be tougher as teams will be gunning for them trying to knock the crown off their heads.
The Buccaneers were the first team in the NFL to start preparing for the upcoming season, which goes to show that if there?s one man who?ll have this team prepared its Jon Gruden.
O/U 10.5:
With Tampa?s unique ability to shutdown any team?s offense, they will be in a lot of close games this year. In house, they will be facing some stiff competition. Atlanta has improved, Carolina has improved, and New Orleans has already got their number. As soon as they step outside they play @Eagles, Colts, @Redskins, @49ers, Cowboys, Packers, Giants, @Jaguars, Texans, @Tennessee. With their divisional rivals being so tough, they may need about 8 wins out of division to go over 10.5. They?ll need more than 3 division if they have any hope of getting to 11 wins overall. Every team will be motivated to play the champs, and they won?t have any effortless wins. That being said I think this team will land short of 11 wins, possibly right on the number below it.
Fantasy Sleeper:
If you?re planning on picking anyone on this offense for your football pool, please let me know because I?d be glad to do a pool with you. This offense rarely lights up the scoreboard, but when this team does put up points it is usually the defense doing it. Brad Johnson, Keyshawn Johnson, and Michael Pittman have all turned into perennial busts. If you absolutely have to take someone off this team I would take Mike Alstott. If you are drafting in a league where running backs and full backs are pooled together, Mike Alstott is usually left in the later rounds. Alstott will most likely have a couple of big games this year, and will rack up some touchdowns. You can?t say that about any other player on this team.
