So, 1-1 Whilst the world and his dog (a very large one I’d assume) are jumping on board the Buccaneers Bandwagon (in saying they’re not actually crap, much like I claimed last week in fact), can we hold the front page for a second? Yes, we beat the Saints, quite easily in fact, just one week after losing, quite easily in fact, to the Seahawks. Which is an accurate representation? I’ve always felt that week two gives a better indication, as the slow starters in week one tend to show up the following week. That said, I don’t think the Bucs are in a position to win the division. Week 1 we didn’t kill off the Seahawks when we could, and Week 2 saw us succeed in killing off the Saints. When you look at the game itself though, an accurate picture is drawn: our offensive line isn’t gelling – Gruden and Galloway have said as much – at least one guy is losing his block, meaning Caddy can’t hit the hole – because there is no hole! NFL Watch Can we just turn off the Patriots? They’re the new Raiders but infinitely more irritating, particularly with Randy “Employee of the month” (Well it’s not likely to be McBellicheat) Moss not being his ‘entertaining’ (read controversial) self. Byron Leftwich is the new 3rd QB at Atlanta. That’s nice. Brian Billick called the Jets cheats, and then partially retracted the statement. He alleged that Jets defensive players had been shouting cadences to draw his O-Line into a false start. Because that NEVER happens Bill. And for goodness sake, you won! The Malicious Penguins are 0-2. In positive news, Kevin Everett has been told not only may he walk, but shortly. Tom Coughlin should just be fired and dumped into the Hudson. What, the hell, happened in Ohio last week? 96 points, with almost half coming from DEREK ANDERSON? Exactly, who? To all those people who said that David Carr was to blame for the 468 sacks a season he received, good job – Schaub’s pretty solid – not only on his feet either. And finally, Donovan McNabb AGAIN makes comments about black QBs being given a raw deal. Let’s see, Mike Vick? Dog-Killer. You? Injury prone, and have done nothing this season. Ok, Charlie Frye has been the worst QB of the season, but Donovan, Vince Young is a media darling, and on the cover of Madden! But then again, I’m sure that’s because ‘they’ want him to get injured. Surely it’s not a surprise that his two TDs came when he went off left-tackle – Petitgout is the most experienced, and obviously is trusted more than Trueblood. We can’t rely on the left sweep for Caddy constantly – there are only so many knockouts Michael Clayton can deliver – so as said last week, they need to start playing together for each other. Garcia went 10 of 16 – decent, respectable figures, and the majority of them were more than dinky west coast gains – Galloway, Hilliard and Smith all had gains of over 20 yards, and the one-yard dump to BJ Askew to prevent a five-yard sack was the only pass Garcia threw that didn’t cover 10 yards. Our defense? In the words of Gene, good golly! Barrett Ruud has proven to be a complete machine – NFC Defensive Player of the Week, two forced fumbles, nine solo tackles and two joint – I’ve a feeling Mr Trotter might just not see the field. Tackles were made and not missed, the longest gain was a 58 yarder, with 22 being their next best, and maybe, just maybe, now Kiffin has seen sense on passing downs (June for Brooks), we could break back into the Top 10. And Jermaine Phillips is a man possessed. This weekend against the Rams? Who knows? If Steven Jackson has adapted to the O-Line changes, and Bulger gains confidence in the new left-tackle, we’re in trouble. I don’t see it happening though, and after they’ve been burned twice now, I fancy us to nick it, 24-23 with a late charge from the Rams. Richard Lowe, September 2007