Buc 'Em

How dem Bucs think they gonna beat dem Saints?

2009-11-20T19:30:38Z

Cadillac Williams and the Buccaneer running game will play a key role if they wish to have any success against the undefeated Saints on Sunday.

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The road is long. The season is tough and the competition, fierce. And when the Saints come marching into Tampa Bay on Sunday, it won’t get any easier.

So how do you beat those Saints, anyway?

Well, we can’t ask anyone who has faced them this year, because none have succeeded. The Saints may know, but I doubt they’d share with us. And the Buccaneers have hardly drafted a foolproof formula for victory in their 2009 campaign, so I’ve called upon Captain Obvious to aid in the discussion.

"Run the football," says Obvious, "and when the play is over, get up and run it again."

Thank you, my wise friend. You are truly a cornucopia of strategical knowledge. After all, wasn’t that the plan from the beginning of the year? A three-headed rushing attack led by a resurgent Cadillac Williams with Derrick Ward and Earnest Graham not far behind to keep fresh legs in the game for a full 60 minutes?

On average, Greg Olson’s offense throws the ball 33 times per game while rushing just 24 times. Of course, this is largely the result of playing from behind more often than they would like, so we can’t hold that against them. However, ball control will play a key role in Sunday’s game if the Bucs want any shot at stealing a win.

On paper, match-ups don’t get much more lopsided than this. It’s the team with the best record against the team with the worst. The Saints are among the tops in the NFL in all major offensive categories, and the Bucs are hiding near the bottom defensively. On the NFL map, the Saints are coasting to the playoffs in the warm gulf waters while the Bucs are caught in an arctic snowstorm, far from any reasonable level of respectability.

At this time I would like to interrupt and take a moment to thank the Cleveland Browns, simply for existing. It keeps the heat off the Bucs. Thanks, boys.

The Bucs have just four rushing touchdowns this season and average just over 28 minutes of ball control each game. They also average under 100 yards on the ground. These statistics must improve to have any chance at their second win. While the passing game has shown signs of life with Josh Freeman and Kellen Winslow developing some chemistry, it’s certainly not enough to keep up with the Saints’ high-flying offense in the event of a shootout.

The Bucs have not done a great job protecting the ball, but they’ve had some success taking it away, with a turnover ration sitting at zero through nine games. They’ll need to protect the ball and keep it out of Drew Brees’s hands this Sunday to put them in a position to beat a Saints team that has had difficulty getting an early lead in recent weeks.

The road is long. It’s a tough job, this professional football gig. However, if the offense can keep the ball away from the Saints and in the hands of the Buccaneer backfield, they just might have a chance to send the Saints marching home with their first loss of the season.

Bucs Special Teams one of the NFL's best

2009-11-20T15:45:57Z

Bucs Special Teams one of the NFL's best

I've always felt a good up and coming defense has a predictor...a team with good special teams. Lets hope that holds true for our future. Check out this TBO.com piece on our best attribute this year.

Week 11 Player Profile: CB Aqib Talib

2009-11-20T01:25:35Z

More photos » by Steve Nesius - AP

Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Aqib Talib ponders how the Buccaneer defense will stop the high-powered New Orleans offense on Sunday. (AP Photo/Steve Nesius)

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Well, we certainly have Aqib Talib covered well here on Buc'Em this week!!! Talib will have a major role in the Buccaneer defensive scheme come Sunday: blanket the big, explosive go-to WR Marques Colston. So far this season, sticking to opposing #1 WRs hasn't been a problem for Aqib. He's stayed with Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, Steve Smith, and Santana Moss pretty well.

Let's take a look at some video highlights Niko put together:

Tampa Bay vs. New England: Looking first at Talib's interception against New England, I have to tip my hat to Jim Bates and the Buccaneer defense on this play. They managed to pull a fast one on the New England offense. Talib was lined up on the same side of the field as, but off the line from, Randy Moss, who ran a hitch route. With Talib naturally up the field from the hitching Moss, it appeared to be a perfect catch and run opportunity for Moss. However, Quincy Black, with an underneath zone responsibility, stepped into the passing lane, forcing Brady to look downfield for an alternate option.

At this point, Talib peeled off his responsibility by design and hustled downfield to catch up to the streaking Patriot WR Brandon Tate, who had several steps on Rhonde Barber. However, Brady underthrew the pass a tad and Talib was able to get under the pass with ease and make a leaping interception (near the highest point of reception, to boot...which shouldn't go unnoticed) ahead of Tate.

What made this play so successful is the Buccaneers knew that Brady would look first to Moss on a mid-range route, and settled in for it perfectly with underneath LB help. With Sabby stepping up to surround Moss with Black, and Tanard Jackson stepping up into the box on play action, Brady thought he had Tate open deep. However, the Bucs suckered Brady by sending Talib deep from the other side of the field, who flashed impressive speed and instinct to get down the field and meet Tate at the football. Just a great call by Bates and terrific execution by Talib and the rest of the Buccaneer defense. That's a defensive call to keep in their back pocket.

Tampa Bay vs. Washington

Looking at the first of Talib's 3 interceptions against the Redskins, the Buccaneers are employed in a nickel package, man coverage, two-deep safeties. The interception was, in part, a foreseeable result of a myopic Jason Campbell, who looked at WR Kelly all the way from the snap, into his break, and across the middle. With Ruud following Cooley away from the middle, Sabby stepped up into middle underneath coverage. With help from Sabby, Ronde Barber was able to pull off his inward-bound receiver and backtrack to Talib's trailing receiver. This allowed Talib the ability to make a play on the football and, in case he missed, have help from Barber to bat the ball away or jar it loose. Simple, but effective. That said, it was an athletic play by Talib to undercut his defender and extend for the interception.

The second interception on the video was simply a great individual effort by Talib on a fast, fast wide receiver. The Bucs were stacking the box on 3rd and 2, looking for the run. With the Bucs having one safety deep, there wasn't as much deep help as usual if a player got by them. Talib jammed Kelly off the line, forcing him outside, then turned and ran with him...literally with him. He turned his shoulder into Kelly and ran with him stride for stride, effectively pinning him to the sideline. He remained with him stride for stride, while turning his head to find the football. As the ball came down, he maintained his position, stayed between the receiver and the football and made the play. He effectively limited the area in which Kelly could catch the ball by forcing him to the sideline with a good jam and stayed in (legal) contact with him down the field, not giving an inch of room to catch the ball, while giving Jason Campbell very little room to drop one in between the WR and the sideline. Great individual effort there.

Overview for Week 11: the key, in part, to ~~stopping~~ somewhat containing the Saints offense the past two weeks has been the ability of the opposition to keep WR Marques Colston down. Colston is a big boy with good speed who's very effective over the middle and on inside-breaking routes. He's the guy that, when Drew Brees needs 4, 5, 6 yards, he'll fly off the line, cut a slant route, and catch a high pass over a smaller defensive back. From the opponents 15 yd line, he'll make a head-fake and cut it towards the goalposts on a skinny post for a TD. Point is, if he gets inside position on a smaller cornerback, it's big-time trouble on a route. Talib has done a pretty nice job on opposing #1's by himself, and with the wealth of talent the Saints have at their skill positions, he's probably going to be asked to single cover Colston alot. It'll be essential for Talib to come out and, metaphorically, punch Colston in the mouth, push him around, stay with him. Let him know he'll be there all day. Tall task, but Talib just might be up to it.

What do you guys think?

Enemy Flashback Video; New Orleans Saints

2009-11-19T19:15:10Z

This series has had its share of surprises. a bit of surprise when we handled the Saints week 2 of 2007, of the brilliant last second win at the Superdome with a Jon Gruden GO FOR IT on 4th down. Last second losses to spoil Bruce Gradkowski's debut, and Brian Griese's heroics to replace Chris Simms' first start...

Relive them all Right here!

Enemy Flashback Saints from Bucs Videos on Vimeo.

Buc 'Em Weekly Caption Contest

2009-11-19T18:51:59Z

More photos » by Hans Deryk - AP

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Here we go again Bucs' fans. Thank you to all that participated in the contest last week. We had lots of funny captions to choose from, with Craig T winning by quite a large margin after all was said and done. Don't be discouraged if you didn't win. Keep trying! Once again, the prize will be the Bucs' game of the winner's choice on DVD, which will be provided by Niko.

Please enter your caption into the comments section below. If you think a caption is funny, simply "Rec" it by clicking on "actions". The top five most Rec'd comments will go to the 2nd round for poll voting on Monday. Remember, it's perfectly fine to enter more than one caption, or Rec more than one entry.

All captions must fall within the Buc'Em community guidelines. Again, we want you be funny, but not offensive. If you have a question on whether or not your caption is acceptable, please email myself or Niko and we will let you know.

Good luck!

Mike Pereira speaks about Bucs controversial call

2009-11-19T16:23:19Z

Mike Pereira speaks about Bucs controversial call

The video from NFL.com features Pereira (and an XBOX 360) discussing the Bucs call, and a few others.

As I had mentioned, I was very anxious to hear what he had to say. He references the calls earlier in the year, and notes that they have been consistent with this ruling. Doesn't make it easier to take, doesn't mean alot of people agree with it, but here's the review from one of the head honchos.

Rich Eisen asks an interesting question about the ruling concerning one vs. two feet down. Essentially, Clayton only got one foot down before being hit, thus he has to possess it longer. Both feet down and its ruled a completion.

Bucs offensive line buried at the bottom

2009-11-19T14:00:13Z

The Bucs offensive line got the first piece of good news in awhile on Tuesday. That news was that Arron Sears would be returning to the team. A key component to our young line, Sears was going to be counted on heavily in 2009. But he disappeared from the team in a story that still hasn't completely unfolded. The Bucs OL turned to Zuttah to fill the gap, who has done an admirable job, but the line as a whole has not performed well.

Some of this may be attributed to the new zone blocking scheme that has been installed. Other teams that took on this endeavour for the first time have said it takes about half a season to get comfortable with the blocking change. That would be right about now, except the Bucs have quietly moved away from the scheme. Jeff Faine has been quoted as saying they've (the OL) have moved to more of a man up system. The scheme is still split with some downs utilizing the zone scheme and others the man scheme, but all this change and lack of commitment probably won't serve the team well.

Through Week 10 (9 games), how has the OL compared to it's peers? Hit the jump and lets find out.

To look at the offensive line, we'll go back to some of the stats derived by Football Outsiders. We'll look at how the offensive line has fared in the run game and the passing game. First off, lets take on the passing game.

The easy metric to look at is number of sacks given up. But this only tells a part of the story. As we've discussed before, teams that drop back more can sway the stats. More drop backs equals more opportunity for sacks and more opportunities to dilute the results. Lets see what the numbers tell us.

	Rank	Sacks	AdjSack Rate
TB	10	19	5.20%
NFL	x	20	6.60%

Not too shabby. Ranked 10th in adjusted sack rate which, per FO is

sacks (plus intentional grounding penalties) per pass attempt adjusted for down, distance, and opponent

So just over 5% of the Bucs dropbacks end in sacks. That number has been greatly helped by Josh Johnson's ability to scramble, and Freeman's size as we witnessed Sunday against Miami. Looks like either our quarterbacks are doing a good job of avoiding sacks, our line is doing a great job in pass protection, or a combination of both.

The run numbers aren't so pretty. We've all seen Cadillac and Ward take a hand off and immediately be hit in the backfield. I've seen far too many running plays that end up with Penn, Joseph or Trueblood all standing up 2 yards in the backfield with no one around them. That's not a good sign.

Lets first look at the adjusted line yards.

		ALY	RB Yds
30	TB	3.44	3.75
x	NFL	x	4.3

Not hard to see that the Bucs are at the bottom of the league. Ranked 30th in adjusted line yards, this metric gives us the yards per run that the offensive line creates by opening up holes, moving guys off the line fo scrimmage etc. This of course is adjusted based on down, distance and defense. The RB yards, which is the standard yards per carry isn't pretty. It's more than a half yard below the NFL average. The line doesn't create much room and the running backs don't go much further than what's there. Not a good combo.

	Power	Rank
TB	64%	15
NFL	63%	x

Our power success if right in line with NFL averages, as is our rank. This is the short yardage stuff, 3rd and 2, goal line runs etc. At this point, I'll take an average ranking for our run game. For reference sake, the leader in power success if at 82%. They convert 4 out of 5 short yardage situations.

	Stuffed	Rank
TB	24%	28
NFL	19%	x

This is the most telling statistic to me. As much as it might seem that Caddy and Ward just aren't running hard or getting anywhere, this stat tells me enough to know that they are facing an uphill battle. The Bucs RB's are hit and tackled behind the line of scrimmage almost a quarter of the time. One out of every four running plays ends up with Caddy, Ward, Graham or Smith (gah) being hit in the backfield. That's unacceptable. There is no way to run the ball and make teams respect it when you are hit in the backfield so often.

Whether it be scheme, personnel, or just time together, something isn't working. I'm leaning more towards either personnel or ability based on the 2008 numbers only being slight better. There has been some drop off with Faine missing time and Sears being gone, but even with both healthy in 2008, we still ranked in the bottom half of the league in most run categories. It's time to do something about the run game and give it the time and overhaul it needs. Lets make some changes now to benefit our team. Controlling the ball on the ground will help out a young quarterback and an ill equipped defense.

Chat with Canal Street Chronicles' Dave over Bucs/Saints game.

2009-11-19T11:00:11Z

saints

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You can check out my convo with Dave over at their SB Nation blog site and see what He asked Me and what I answered, as well as checking out their comments!

Here we go...

Niko: Its pretty well accepted the Saints of 2009 are better because of improved defense. What do you think are the biggest changes on defense that have helped?

DAVE: Most of it has to do with Gregg Williams. He has completely changed the culture of this defense as a whole and gets a lot more out of the defense than former coordinator Gary Gibbs ever did. Williams' defense emphasizes blitzing, turnovers and populating the ball; all in an aggressive manner. Former defensive coordinator Gary Gibbs ran a very plain scheme but Williams has proven these guys are capable of so much more, and runs many different schemes including both the 4-3 and 3-4.

That's not to say the off-season acquisition of players like Darren Sharper and Jabari Greer haven't proved to be genius. Those two alone have made a huge difference. But I still think the coaching and culture change is the more overriding factor.

Niko: How has Reggie Bush's role changed over the last year or two?

Dave: It's been a roller coaster to say the least, even up to today, and it's a controversial subject among fans. The first two seasons he usually saw a fair number of touches on a very regular basis. I would often complain that the offense was built too much around Reggie. Earlier this season, however, his role was greatly reduced with the emergence of Mike Bell and Pierre Thomas, leading many to wonder whether he was being phased out of the offense. But he's stepped it up the last few weeks, culminating with his two touchdown performance this past Sunday. But even then, in a game when he's playing incredibly well and the Saints are in need of offense, his touches were curiously limited. He is also used as a punt returner but hasn't been as effective as in years past.

Niko: How do Saints fans feel about TE Shockey? What does he do for the team?

Dave: I think they like him. My wife loves him and he's her favorite player. I like him but I'm a Drew Brees man myself. Shockey brings great energy. I have season tickets and sit two rows behind the Saints bench. Shockey is always standing on the bench, waving a towel and trying to get the crowd pumped. After last year I think fans were a little pissed and would rather have kept the draft picks they gave up for him. Now I don't think as many fans would say that.

From an on-the-field standpoint, he does all the things you always hear the TV announcers saying. Shockey is a threat in the red zone. He's a better-than-average run blocker. He opens up the field for Drew Brees and the other receivers. All that stuff.

Niko: After the NFC Championship appearance in 2006, The Saints have been average at best. Now they are undefeated at week 10. Do you think they are more liekly to be the 07 Pats; undefeated and a trip to the Superbowl ? or 98 Vikings whos high powered offense got them a 14-1 record and homefield advantage but a loss in the Championship game?

Dave: Neither. Both of those teams failed to win a Super Bowl. The Patriots lost that 2007 Super Bowl; certainly nothing I want to see for the Saints. The one goal for every single Saints fan is to see the team win a Super Bowl. As for going undefeated the entire way, I think that would be cool but only as icing on a Super Bowl championship cake. Maybe made by Duff from Ace of Cakes or the dude from Cake Boss.

Niko: My standard no.5 q- Who on the Bucs would you like to have, and who would you be willing to trade to get him if you could?

Dave: Barrett Ruud. I know he plays the inside of a 3-4 but if he was versatile enough to play in the Saints system, I think he would really round out the defense. If I have to be serious about a player I would be willing to trade I guess it would probably be a receiver. Saints have enough talent there to afford. Choosing one is the difficult part. You can have anyone but Colston. But I'll throw in Randall Gay just to sweeten the pot.

Talib on his way to living up to his first-round potential

2009-11-18T22:21:35Z

More photos » by Alex Brandon - AP

Cornerback Aqib Talib hauls in one of his three interceptions against the Redskins. Talib is tied for third in the NFL with five picks on the season.

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There was a time when having the first overall pick in the NFL draft was a big deal. An age where first-round picks were like gold to some teams because, more often than not, it was as close to a sure thing as you could get. An era in which the focus was less on contracts and incentives than it was about the opportunity for a young man to realize his dream of playing professional football.

That was then.

Now, in an NFL focused on signing bonuses and guaranteed money, it’s getting increasingly difficult to judge talent. Just ask Raiders’ owner Al Davis. He’s stuck with JaMarcus Russell and Darrius Heyward-Bey, two top-ten draft picks who have produced only two touchdowns this season, hooking-up just six times. Combined, they will receive $55.5 million in guaranteed money from their rookie contracts, more money than the average American family will gross in their lifetime.

Meanwhile, second-year cornerback Aqib Talib is giving the Buccaneers what they bargained for when they signed him to a 5-year, $14 million contract with $8.2 million guaranteed. Quietly, Talib is showing that he has the capability of becoming an elite NFL cornerback.

He is currently tied with perennial Pro-Bowlers Asante Samuel of the Eagles and Charles Woodson of the Packers for third in the league in interceptions with five, behind Bills rookie Jairus Byrd (8) and the Saints’ Darren Sharper (7). While three of Talib's picks came against the Redskins, he has also had the difficult task of guarding some of the best receivers in the game in Randy Moss, Santana Moss and Greg Jennings. While the three combined for 12 catches and 231 yards, only one of them reached the end zone when Santana Moss scored on a 59-yard strike after Talib slipped and fell.

In a maligned secondary, Talib and safety Tanard Jackson (4th round, 2007) have been bright spots. While Talib still has a great deal of work to do before joining the conversation of elite, shut-down corners, he seems to be on the right track in just his second season.

I could say the Buccaneers have had a solid draft history of taking good players early and making the best of each of their picks, but I would be lying. The Bucs’ draft history has not been pretty, just ask Dexter Jackson. But with guys on the current roster like Jackson, Sammie Stroughter (7th round, 2009) and Talib, it’s hard not to get excited about the 2010 draft.

Talib seems to have found a home in Tamps Bay. He’s fast and physical, and he wants to be matched-up with the best receivers in the league. So far, he’s proven to be a great value as the 19th overall draft pick.

Raheem Morris fined by NFL

2009-11-18T21:28:41Z

Raheem Morris fined by NFL

The NFL fined Raheem Morris $20,000 for his actions in Sunday's game against the Dolphins, likely for his tirade after a blown call led to a Dolphin touchdown a the end of the first half. His rant drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and cost the Buccaneers 15 yards as the Dolphins scored 10 points in less than two minutes en route to a 25-23 victory.

Ronde Barber Interview for National & Regional Fox

2009-11-18T20:00:21Z

Vizio.com has a sports site that will be showing an interview with Ronde Barber all across the National and Regional Fox Sports (FSN) networks. These videos are done by Vizio Pro Football Profiles and we have a small preview here...

The full video is set to debut this Friday Nov. 20th across all the FSN regional networks, however for Bucs fans the entire episode can be seen prior to going national this Friday at www.VizioProfiles.com. I've been told by them that it should be on the site sometime today.

How the NFL is stacking up so far, Streaks & More

2009-11-18T18:00:21Z

More photos » by Jeffry M Boan - AP

Now in his 13th season with the Bucs, Ronde continues to do what he does best; make plays, and Touchdowns.

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I think the majority of Bucs fans besides myself got it right; The Bucs would stink this year. Which really doesnt explain the up in arms behavior if everyone knew it was going to happen...but other than this one blogger who has Pewter, Red, and Orange tinted sunglasses, the majority got it right when it came to the Bucs. On the otherhand, I did predict the Redskins and Seahawks would completely stink up the joint. I also predicted the end of the Colts, but that was before I found out OC Moore was coming back. Still, the Colts are as far from the 8-8 prediction as our Bucs are.

STREAKS; The Atlanta Falcons have NEVER put together back to back winning seasons in their History. In the early part of the season, that looked smashable, but now Atlanta is sitting at 5-4 with two games to play against the Bucs.

Another crazy streak had to be slightly altered last year, but since its inception in 2002, the Celler Dweller of the NFC South has turned around the next year and made the playoffs (It used to be 'won the division' until Atlanta made the wild card last year instead of winning the division, after finishing deal last in 2007).

Of course this bodes well for Bucs fans as we are dead last and would be expected to make the playoffs next year if the streak continues. Superstitious or not, there is no denying the streak which now is 7 years old and going strong. Before you offer up the 'last place schedule' explanation you either just came up with or heard on the radio or TV, understand those 'Last Place' games consist of.......2. Thats right, the Bucs will get two games next year against the last place teams of the NFC North(Detroit?) and East (Washington?) that will be added to playing the NFC West (weak) and AFC North (not so weak) divisions next year. Stay Tuned....

CINDERELLA & her counterpart: Each year the 'Experts come out with their prediction sheets that look remarkably similar to the last years final standings!!! Only a few will pick a Cinderella team or her counterpart, the beauty team that comes down to earth. I thought that team would be the Colts, but it turns out so far, the Tennessee Titans are the biggest sinking, stinking surprise. They lost as many games as they did all last season in the first month this year. In a close second, its a cross between the NY Giants and the Carolina Panthers; Two teams that have been in the playoffs over the last few years, but are not playing dominant football. Carolina however is starting to hit stride, while the Giants looked normal to start out the year, but have looked very pedestrian of late.

As for the magic slipper-wearer, New Orleans may be on the list of some, but it should be someone who has been on the bottom for some time, as that goes to the Cincinnati Bengals who have been very poor for years since their 2005 special season. But this year? They are sweeping their division, including a completed sweep over the Steelers. Then there is the Minnesota Vikings, but they really shouldnt have surprised anyone once they picked up Brett Favre.

& More---Teams that are hard to read:

Miami- First few weeks looked like 1-15 was coming back---since then they have swept the Jets and are playing OK ball with new QB Henne.

Baltimore Ravens- Looked like they were taking off into a dominant team at the start, but since then, very average. Same with the NY Jets.

Houston Texans- Nothing says 8-8 like the Texans, always going, or coming as close to .500 as you can get. But now, this might be the year that Houston puts a playoff season together.

Denver Broncos- Just a few weeks ago, we were saying when will they lose again. Now were saying the opposite. This team can go 7-9 or 12-4.

Dallas Cowboys-and Philadelphia Eagles- Each week, you never know which team is going to show up. In the Meantime, the Giants are unable to take advantage because they are tailspinning.

Arizona Cardinals- Probably everyone expected last year to be proven a fluke, and it started out being so. But then out of nowhere, they started winning, and winning, and winning. They are 4-1 in the last 5 games and in a weak division where only the 49ers can fight them.

NOWHERE TO RUN- Last year the Raiders won a couple games and gave their fans some hope. This year, there is real hope for a lot of teams with losing records, but a few really have nothing to go on.

Cleveland Browns- They have two quarterbacks, and thus have none. They have scored 78 points this season. No really, 78 Points in 9 games. Not even 10 points a game.

Washington Redskins- The coach is a lame duck, and the owner has a lot of money to spend but a salary cap. However if its true and there is no limit next year, Snyder may try to buy a winning team. He is going to need to, because he doesnt have much on the roster now.

St. Louis Rams- They have given up 250 points already just past the halfway point of the season, which could turn into a 500 point season; on the wrong side though!

Tampa Bay- They have found the Quarterback of the future, and a long distance kicker. The Bucs get to pick 3 of the best 50 college players in the draft, maybe higher if the Bears continue to sink, and have multiple picks in other rounds as well.

BUCSHOTS! What does the country think of Raymond James? Sears for Christmas, & More!

2009-11-18T11:00:14Z

Despite a few more truthful than we like to admit negatives, the Ray Jay scored as awesome as the best stadiums out there.

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Lets get right to it, because our first Bucshot is a stadium judging site I found that gave a great but yet realistically uncomplimentary opinion about at least one criteria of going to a Bucs game.

Check it out for yourself on StadiumJourney.com, where they did a nice review of Raymond James Stadium. All the NFL sites are not complete, but the Baseball ones are. Believe it or not, they praise the Trop! Check that out and leave your opinions!!

By now you know, but here is the SP Times piece on returning Aaron Sears! Welcome back!

St. Pete Times feels Josh Freeman will feel a stiffer test from the Saints Secondary....

Pewter Report says Styles G White will be back next week....

Buccaneers.com talks about Josh Freeman being a good pressure passer...

Closing the Book on Week 10: A Clear-Headed Look Back

2009-11-18T05:58:25Z

More photos » by Hans Deryk - AP

5 days ago: Tampa Bay Buccaneers kicker Connor Barth (10) kicks a field goal against the Miami Dolphins during the second quarter of NFL football action in Miami, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2009. (AP Photo/Hans Deryk)

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After going through what we in the legal field call a "cooling off period", its a little bit easier to get over the BS officiating at the end of the first half and the sting of the late-game defensive collapse. Emotions aside, as usual, there are some things to take away from Sunday's game that left me nodding my head and grinning. Likewise, there are some things to look at that had me ready to chuck something at the TV. With a cooler head, let's take a look at some of those things.

3 things to take with us into Week 11:

1. Connor Barth. Need I say more? The cat booted THREE field goals of 50+ yards and launched some deep kickoffs, putting 2 of 3 second-half KO's from the 30 yd line into the end zone. His FG's carried straight through the middle of the uprights into the net, with plenty of leg to spare. Also, after kicking off from the 15 on the final drive after Winslow's boneheaded penalty, he punched a hard, knuckling line drive that streaked past Ginn, pinning the Dolphins inside the 20 with just over one minute to play. Game ball, sir, because Sunday you were the spark that set up...

2. A solid game by the Buccaneer special teams. The Buccaneers succeeded on one of the main factors I identified as a key coming into Sunday's game: contain Ted Ginn, Jr. On the strength of the deep kicks from Barth, the success the Buccaneers had in getting penetration in the initial Dolphin wedge, and the discipline to stay in their assigned lanes, the Buccaneer kick coverage team was as sound Sunday as in any game they played this year for certain. Miami averaged 18 yards per KO return and returned 3 punts for a total of 3 yards. Conversely, our weapon X, Clifton Smith, continued to provide a spark for the offense, finding a crease and returning a kick for 36 yards. He averaged 28.5 YPRet. Edge to our disciplined Buccaneer special teams unit.

3. Maybe, just maybe, this offensive scheme has some promise with Josh Freeman leading the way. Two weeks, two herculean comebacks by the rookie and a suddenly resurgent Buccaneer offense that has found a growing heartbeat in Olson's shotgun, multiple WR 60/40 pass/run offense. The offensive line (now even better with the return of Arron Sears) has actually done a pretty nice job protecting Josh Freeman, who has made plays mainly with his arm, but has also shown the ability to tuck and run... pretty darn well, actually... certainly better than I gave him credit for in my draft preview back in March. At one point, I recall him fighting through what appeared to be a sure sack and picking up positive yardage in a very Jared Lorenzen-like manner. Freeman gave double-digit targets to Kellen Winslow, who just can't be covered by anyone right now except good cover CBs and FSs. So far (and yes, it's early), you just have that feeling that when Freeman drops back and he has time, he's going to find an open receiver and make a play. We'll see what happens in the coming weeks, and it's of course possible he puts up a stinker, but his poise and level of play gives you a heckuva lot more confidence that he's got what it takes to succeed in this league than any other young quarterback this team has tried out in recent years.

3 things to leave behind at Landshark Stadium:

1. The continuing mental mistakes. As Paul aptly noted in his well-written piece today, good teams make plays and find ways to win games, and bad teams make mistakes and cost themselves chances to win games. The defensive breakdown on the final drive is obvious, but there were other mistakes during the game that contributed to the loss. FOUR fumbles by QB Josh Freeman, one of which was lost, another of which killed a potential TD drive in which Bucs had to settle for a long FG. Kellen Winslow had a big drop that hit him in the hands in the 2nd half, stalling a drive. He also had a selfish, look-at-me penalty after Caddy's go-ahead TD, setting the Bucs back to the 15 yard line. Think of your team, Soldja, and check yourself. Party on the sidelines after the extra point, guy. No, it may not have ultimately mattered in the end, but it could have if not for Barth's pick-me-up on the kickoff. Mo Stovall dropped a huge pass inside the Fins' 10 yard line, killing a drive late in the 4th quarter.

2. An anemic rush from the front 7. And I say "rush" to identify not just rushing on passing downs, but run blitzing off the edges on obvious rushing downs. As UNFNole and Buc Wild discussed before the game, the advantage gained through the extra blocker by the Dolphins' wildcat formation is suspect in some degree to a pass rush off the edge. My problem was not per se with the passing down situations, because I thought the secondary had a solid game, limiting the opportunities for passes over 15 yards by the pedestrian Dolphin receivers. Henne only completed 17 of 31 passes for a paltry 5.5 yards per attempt, the same ypc as the Dolphin rushing attack. It would have been even less if the defense had not gone into 'ole! mode on the final drive. As such, I don't think the lack of pass rush killed them as much today as it might when facing a much more potent passing attack.

Pretty conservative plan, alot of 4 and 5 man rushes. Not gonna get away with that next week against a strong Saints offense and all-world QB like Brees. Gonna have to take some chances.

3. More suspect tackling. This might upset me the most. This wasn't Week-2-in-Buffalo-debacle bad, but still... Forget the fact the Dolphins ran for 199 yards at a hearty 5.5 ypc gallop. The Buccaneer defense whiffed on some tackles that just simply had to be made. Good defenses have defenders who make plays in the open field when it counts. Unfortunately, the Buccaneer defense has some players who can't get it done play in and play out. Sabby not only lost his jock on Miami's first drive of the game, allowing Ronnie Brown to scamper from Dolphin territory into the Buccaneer red zone, but he took a terrible angle on the play. Instead of breaking down and at least forcing the outside-running Brown to cut it back towards the line of scrimmage and fellow defenders, he froze and let Brown get outside and into the open field. With the game in the balance, Ricky Williams ran right through an arm tackle from 300+ lb DT Ryan Sims on the final drive that sent the Dolphins from the fringe of field goal range to chip shot territory. Those two plays were game-changing plays at two important points of the game that set the Bucs back. No doubt there were more, but those two stuck out to me.

Chime in kiddos. What else did you guys and gals take as a positive from this game? What else do you want to leave behind at Landshark Stadium?

Sports Books for the Holidays

2009-11-18T02:03:47Z

More photos » by Jason DeCrow - AP

Don't get blind sided, take care of your holday shopping early, Michael Oher.

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Well, the Josh Freeman excitement continues to build in Tampa and extended communities. I’m officially all in for the Josh Freeman era after two great games. Yes, he had some ball control issues, but his crunch time poise is exceptional thus far. Defensively, we need some playmakers. As we head into the holiday crunch, you may be wondering what to put on your holiday shopping list. Since Target will not be stocking run-stuffing, All-Pro defensive tackles, I thought I’d give you my five favorite sports books to add to your holiday wish list. Check them out after the jump:

1. Next Man Up by John Feinstein. Feinstein spent a year with the Baltimore Ravens and takes you inside the draft room, the roster selection process, and the toughness and contradictions of an NFL locker room. Readers learn the back stories of backup offensive linemen, as well as famous faces like Ray Lewis. I especially enjoyed the stories of nondescript players. With age, I’ve learned that the NFL is not always a dream come true for all players. The game grinds up their bodies as they play through broken arms, back surgery, and other ailments. I have tremendous respect for all players, even the 53^rd man on the roster. This book is a great read for all football fans.

2. The Blind Side by Michael Lewis. Now, I haven’t seen it, but I probably won’t like the big screen adaption. Michael Lewis asserts that the Lawrence Taylor sack that broke Joe Theismann’s leg made premium left tackles the second most important position on the football team, behind quarterback. Highlighting the search by coaches and scouting staffs for players with enough size, power, and athleticism to protect the quarterback’s blind side, Lewis comes across the story of Ole Miss sophomore (at the time) Michael Oher. Oher was essentially homeless, the 14^th child of a crack addicted mother, who’d never played organized football. His story is quite amazing and illustrates not only the gifts required to be an NFL player, but that in life, we need parents or adults to be advocates and driving forces in the lives of children. I’m not sure this will translate well with Sandra Bullock.

3. The Education of a Coach by David Halberstam. Halberstam gives you the life story of Bill Belichick, often considered the best coach in the NFL. The fascinating portrait of Belichick details his childhood around the game of football, as his dad was a scout for the Naval Academy, his first unpaid coaching internship, and his mysterious association with Ernie Adams. Of note, the book basically says that Belichick did not win the Super Bowl versus the Rams as much as Mike Martz’s stubbornness lost it. Well written, insightful, and engrossing, this book is a great read for those arm chair coaches.

4. Boys Will Be Boys by Jeff Pearlman. The dynasty of the 1990’s, the Dallas Cowboys were a band of brash characters. From Michael Irvin stabbing a teammate with scissors to Charles Haley’s constant displays of his manhood in team meetings, Jimmy Johnson built a team of colorful, but talented players. The book outlines the rise of the team from a 1-15 disaster with young Troy Aikman to three-time Super Bowl Champions. The book is a great study of the double-edged sword of talent and fame, where the attributes that bring you money and adulation lead to the excess and hubris that take it all away. Great story.

5. Tales from Q School by John Feinstein. I’ve never been a big golfer, it takes too much time and I lose patience by the ninth hole. For professional golfers, the game is both a passion and a tormenter. A very small gap in talent separates the chosen few with PGA tour cards from those struggling to make a living at the game. Feinstein brings you the story of old professionals and young hopefuls playing the Q course tournament to make the PGA tour. The book is a great story about persistence, failure, ultimate success, and the torture of watching your dream fall away.

What books top your list?

Sears reinstated to team

2009-11-17T22:42:17Z

Sears reinstated to team

The Buccaneers announced today that they have reinstated G Arron Sears to the team.
Under the terms of his reinstatement, the team will have a two-week exemption in which Sears will not count towards the Buccaneers 53-man active roster. He is eligible to practice with the team and attend all team activities. Sears was placed on the Reserve/Did Not Report list on July 31, 2009.
"We welcome Arron back to the team," said Buccaneers General Manager Mark Dominik. "Throughout this process we have remained in close contact with Arron and his agent, and this is a good opportunity for him to integrate himself back into our football team."

Today’s struggles breed tomorrow’s success

2009-11-17T20:10:23Z

Raheem Morris takes the blame for the loss to Miami, and vows to come back tomorrow as a better coach for the young Buccaneers.

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It’s the defining characteristic of a championship team. It’s a tribute to preparation and result of execution. It’s what separates the men from the boys, and it’s how perennial playoff teams roll.

Winning close games.

The Colts do it. Just ask Bill Belichick. The Rams will tell you the Saints can do it. Heck, even the Dolphins, an up-and-coming franchise looking to become a playoff contender, found a way to do it on Sunday.

And the Buccaneers just didn’t have enough to go around. Not enough playmakers. Not enough experience. You can point the finger at the offense, the defense, the coaches or at the officiating, but the fact remains: When the game was on the line, the Bucs simply didn’t get it done.

"We did a lot of good things to get us back into it," linebacker Barrett Ruud said. "Our offense and defense made some good plays down the stretch. Defensively, when you get a chance to finish a team off on a two minute drill you have to do that. You have to relish those opportunities. We didn’t get it done."

The ability to close teams out is what typifies a feared team in the NFL. It’s what makes Belichick go for it on fourth-and-two on his own 28. It’s why practice ends each day with the two-minute drill. It’s why Steelers wide receiver Santonio Holmes caught that touchdown pass against the Cardinals last season after dropping a sure touchdown a play before.

The Bucs, however, have lost their last five games decided by seven points or less, dating back to last season. At 1-8, it’s a difficult time to be a Bucs fan. But it’s also an exciting time.

Josh Freeman showed against the Packers that he has the capability of being a feared quarterback. Cadillac Williams has proven he can close games and Kellen Winslow seems to be a changed man in Tampa Bay, becoming a go-to option at tight end. The pieces are there, they are simply not ready. Yet. And while Clifton Smith and Sammie Stroughter become two of the most exciting young players in the league, we get a front row seat to watch them all grow alongside their rookie head coach, Raheem Morris.

"We’ve got to finish off games," Morris said, "and it’s my job to get the right people out there on the field and we got to do that. (The Dolphins) went 85 yards in whatever time was left, again put it on myself, my staff, we didn’t make plays to stop. It’s a group effort. We all go out, we all practice, we all play together, and I’m not in the business of pointing fingers. I’m in the business of standing up and taking what I did wrong and then evaluating so I can come back and be a better coach tomorrow.

"These losses right here are the ones that break apart teams that are not together, or don’t have great leadership. I’m a leader right now and I’m going to go lead this team to stay together. That’s my job; we’re going to get them together because we got to get ready to play our division these next couple of weeks."

Encouraging words from a young head coach.

It’s easy to dawn the paper bags and spray the internet with angry blogs in 2009. However, as we watch the Bucs trudge through the rest of an otherwise forgettable season, we don’t have to look too close to find indications that 2010 will be an exciting year for Tampa Bay and for the young Buccaneers. We can find them in the loss to the Dolphins, and we’ll find them in the games to come.

Insert personal bias here: I love where this franchise is going, and I cannot wait to see where the current players take us in the future. Fighting through the hard times today is what’s going to make it that much sweeter when they finally turn this thing around and get back to the playoffs.

Congratulations to Craig T

2009-11-16T21:57:35Z

More photos » by Brian Blanco - AP

Guys wait -- oh no! The Glazers are going to be so mad we're wasting this Gatorade.

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Thanks to all the Buc'Em readers that participated in the caption contest this week. We had nearly fifty entries on our 2nd go around. After a day of polling it looks like Craig T takes home the prize with his caption that garnered 54% of the votes. The new photo will be up Thursday for you to try your hand at writing next week's funniest caption.

Poll

The funniest caption is...?

Morris takes blame for penalty, loss

2009-11-16T18:35:59Z

In light of controversial call, Raheem Morris stepped onto the playing field and jawed with the officials. Morris obviously felt the call was incorrect, and given them time remaining (under 2 minutes in first half) and field position (inside the 20), wanted to make sure his voice was heard by the referees.

Morris has since taken ownership of those comments, and while he didn't explicitly detail what he said, he had this to say in response to the penalty.

This loss is solely on me. At the end of the half, getting a personal foul is totally unacceptable. I’m taking those points, that’s on me, that’s how much we lost by. I should be given all the blame for that. That’s a discipline issue on my part and I didn’t do the right thing. That’s a great lesson for me as a young coach, that’s a great lesson for my team

Without knowing what he said, it's tough to say if he went over the line. The officials obviously thought he did, but I can't think it was just a few "F" bombs, as we've seen just about every coach outside of Dungy drop some of those.

Morris did go on to say this.

He was trying to tell it to me. I didn’t want to hear it at that point. I didn’t matter what the explanation was, I really didn’t care. I thought it was the wrong call, he disagreed and he’s the official. I gave them an extra (seven) yards to make it an easier touchdown. Put that on me.'

I certainly was not thrilled about the penalty on Morris and would like to know the justification, but at the time, I don't know how else he would have reacted. This wasn't a case of a bad luck type of play, but of an interpretation that was not favorable for the Bucs.

Would the Fins have scored a touchdown if they hadn't gotten those free 7 yards? Who knows.

This may be biased speculation on my part, but with Morris' penalty at the end of the first half and Winslow's at the end of the second half, it seemed like we saw the brunt of these touchy calls.

What do you think? Should Morris have gotten the penalty? Did that cost us the game?

Did Referees blow the call? See for yourself... in SLOW Slow Motion

2009-11-16T11:07:15Z

We slowMo-ed the slo Mo! Not that it matters what speed you play the tape, the ball was caught by Michael Clayton as came down to the ground, and in fact the ball did not come loose until it was stripped out after he rolled on the ground.

Take a look for yourself Buc'em readers, and tell us what you think.