Play-off Bonus Gives Us All Bucs Boost After the 16 week grind that is the NFL’s regular Season, our very own NFC South Division Champion Buccaneers (feels good to write that) receive their pay-off this week with a homefield play-off game that probably none of us would honestly dare to have predicted at the outset. It’s the Redskins rematch and a chance to once and for all put an end to their continuous whinging over our last meeting two months ago – roll on Saturday afternoon, or evening if your exiled in the UK like Bucs UK members. How did we get here? Simple; for large portions of the season we ran the ball effectively, didn’t make too many dumb turnovers and played decent opportunistic defense, that’s how. Though we are in the play-offs the recipe for success hasn’t changed, and if we are able to stick to this mantra we can win again this Saturday. A few things I think 1) I think I wonder how The Saints manage to play us so tough all the time, when they wither against the other 30 teams in the NFL. Did we offend them somewhere in the past? 2) Hey Sean Mahan – cut out the damn penalties. How many was that last Sunday? By the middle of the final quarter you alone had minus 50 yards of offense. Your not very good at holding or illegal use of the hands so cut it out and improved your technique. Thanks, Lee (worried), UK 3) I see the Atlanta Falcons donned a new uniform last Sunday - Hawaiian shirt Bermuda shorts and flip flops – for their game against the Twits. Pathetic; previously I considered the Falcons so non-descript they weren’t worthy of an opinion, now they’ve moved up to laughable on my radar. 4) Message to The Twits – That’s the Bucs name on the NFC South Division title and that makes two since re-alignment, compared to your paltry one. In addition check out the Vince Lombardi trophy already tucked away here in Tampa as well, if you behave we might let you look at it next time your in these parts as you sadly don’t have one of you own. 5) I think a few years from now Jon Gruden will hark back to his 2005 Buccaneer squad that won it’s division with an 11-5 record, and think “How the hell did we do that?” Heck of a job coach. 6) I think the first four match-ups in the play-offs this week are really close calls, save for the Patriots game. Here’s my tips which will no doubt jinx those involved – Pats, Steelers, Bucs and Giants to advance. Homefield advantage in the play-offs is huge, whatever garbage the American media writes about The Redskins being on a streak – we have won four of the past five games the last I checked - and we can cash it in on Sunday if we stick with this formula. Granted The Skins have a good back in Clinton Portis, and we will need to handle him better than we did in November if we are to be successful but we can do this. Having 65,000 screaming Buccaneer maniacs in the stands, each armed with a battle flag will certainly suit us as well as the local flag manufacturer, and the crowd can also play a part in this one. It’s been nice to see this week that the consensus amongst the experts is for a Skins victory – good stuff, being underdog on our own turf suits us down to the ground. Before we reach the Superbowl there will be 10 play-off games to decide it’s participants; I’ll wager here that the home team is successful in at least seven of these, and more likely eight or nine of them – I like those odds and our chances this weekend. Last Sunday’s game was a little closer than it needed to be but it wouldn’t be The Bucs if they didn’t make you sweat a little would it? Gruden’s key replay challenge victory and our subsequent drive which added three to our score and killed most of the clock settled many a nerve, and the Dagger, as Gene lacks to call it, came courtesy of Mr Big Play Dwayne White with his one man stat line of sack-forced fumble-fumble recovery-return for TD. Once he reached the end zone we could finally relax and to see us hammer home our hard earned divisional advantage and take the crown was mightily impressive. All the plot lines are now set for this weekend - Mr Laissez Fare’s play-off debut, Bucs/Skins rematch, Joe Gibbs first play-off game since colour television was invented etc etc. My advice? Sift through all the hype and BS and as a Bucs fan sit back and enjoy; we are on a heck of ride this season, and one no sane person though possible outside of One Buc place. How can you not be proud of this team and what it’s already done with an offense powered by a rookie back, and previously considered washed-up wide receiver, and a defense full of kids and veterans long thought to have passed their sell by dates! Lets get behind them, cheer them on and hope it brings us victory – for what it’s worth I think it will 24-20, but we do fall this weekend, this team has nothing whatsoever to be ashamed about. Go Bucs – you’ve brought back the pride, now bring back the play-off marbles. Nod of Acknowledgement to….Joey Galloway. What a season, what a comeback. The Bucs team MVP this season without any doubt – take a bow Joey, you made a believer out of a doubter in me. Get in the Real World Award….Keyshawn Johnson – well look who’s out of the play-offs again? This nutcase thinks he’s on the way to The Hall of Fame – coming from the guy who’s not even the number 1 receiver on his own team, at a time when he’s considered in his prime, it really is pitiful to watch. Keyshawn’s peak came in 2002 in Tampa, he’s just too knuckleheaded to realise it at this point…..maybe the penny will drop when he’s a pensioner.