Alas Smith not Jones THE GOOD 1. Quality in Depth Spires, Darby, Wyms, Stecker, Jurevicius. In fact backups in general. With Marcus Jones underachieving, Simeon Rice taking time to bed in, and the ever improving Steve White leaving under free agency, it looked like the Buccaneers D line was in a state of decline. The two ends, Darby, and especially Spires have cracked the starting lineup of greatest front four in football, and looked like they’ve belonged whilst doing so. Wyms meanwhile has demonstrated the ability to anchor the middle and work the center to such a degree that the Buccaneers have felt confident enough to run a five man front with Ellis on the nose, and Warren and Booger running free from head up blocking. McFarland’s enforced absence is going to be felt, but Ellis can plug that hole. Literally. Aaron Stecker may not have been a lock to make everyone’s Buc roster this season, but the guys still around..because he can play. He’s currently averaging 4 yards a carry as a much needed change of pace to the ground game, returning kickoffs to the tune of 28 yards a pop, and even chipping in with tackles on special teams. ‘Jack of All’ doesn’t do this lad justice. Pittman or Alstott debate? If Stecker could hit the weights and gain the durable pounds, there wouldn’t even be a feature back controversy! Jurevicius’s gift of the 3rd down grab has yet to be meaningfully utilised, but as the O line’s pass blocking effectiveness increases, so will Joe’s numbers. With the Bucs using two tight end sets, and a loaded backfield in an effort to help out an overwhelmed O line, it’s no surprise that Johnson and McCardell are hogging the touches. When Jurevicius finally sees meaningful gametime, the Bucs will have themselves three of the best over-the-middle possession guys in the league. All they need now is a flyer! 2. Monte Kiffen Or rather Jon Gruden’s insistence that if something ain’t broke, you don’t try to fix it! The incoming head coach could have breezed into Tampa (ala Mike Holmgren), proclaiming his over riding authority, and clearing the decks before him as he went. Had he done so, no one would have objected, but many would have privately cringed. After all, Gruden is known to be faithful to himself, and faithful to his own. The signing of Rickey Dudley and the recent mix it up rotation at running back (Garner, Wheatley, and Crockett style), remains testament to that. Stubborn he may be, but was he ever likely to pull rank and tinker with the finest defensive set up the NFL has seen for maybe a decade? Thankfully not, because if it’s possible, Monte and his assistants have got this awesome lot performing even better than advertised. The decision to play with a three-man line on occasion, (in temporarily moving Sapp to end) proved pivotal in padding out the team’s floundering sack count of last season. What better way to free up the big man from opponent’s double-teaming than to line him up on the tackle’s outside shoulder. Cause, the Bucs wouldn’t be able to play the situational 3-4 if Quarles and Singleton hadn’t stepped up to the plate in veteran-like fashion. Talking of stepping up, big raps from your’s truly to Simeon Rice. In the past I’ve been vocal in my knocking of this underachieving defensive end, but 21 solos and 6 sacks at the mid season marker is reminiscent of his early Cardinal days form. Factor in 3 forced fumbles, an interception, and 8 passes defenced, and a Pro Bowl invite suddenly looks decidedly attainable. These are defensive back type numbers! 3. Starting Cornerbacks Ronde Barber and Brian Kelly are turning into a fine pair of cover corners. Nothing fresh there you may think, but think back to last season when Barber excelled as a big play blitzing highlight reel, and Kelly was a contract year question mark with more doubters than suitors. Playing in the Cover 2 may not require the greatest of cornerback man to man coverage skills, but it’s nice to know that when the opposition is operating the short passing game, this pair can now defend it. With 43, and 41 tackles respectively (35 solos apiece), it’s clear to see that Ronde and Brian are currently garnering equal amounts of respect from opposing QB’s. This and the fact that Kelly actually has two more interceptions than Barber at the half season stage indicates just how greatly improved the latter has become. Kelly isn’t being targeted; he’s simply upped his game. 4. The Big Show This may be my wildcard offering, but make no mistake, the Bucs are going to the Super Bowl. There can be nothing more certain. How do I know this? The San Diego kitty complete (and untouched since Bert’s 99 catch that ‘wasn’t’), your’s truly has inadvertently booked a trip to Malaysia in late January. Hmmmm! Toyed with filing this under ‘BAD’, but couldn’t bring myself to do it. THE BAD 1. Michael Pittman Warrick Dunn may have necessitated the question, but Michael Pittman was definitely not the answer. Had the question been; ‘ Who possesses the biggest arms in the NFC South’ then who’s to complain. Asked to assess the virtues of the Buccaneer’s newly acquired rb, it’s all anyone ever seems to talk about! Admittedly, they’d be hard pressed to analyse his rushing or (WCO) receiving Td’s, because, well, there hasn’t actually been any yet! Can’t say I’m surprised. The last time Pittman rushed for 100yards in a game was over two years ago. The time before that just happened to coincide with his first ever game as a Pro! Warrick’s having a bad year in Atlanta, but he’s still averaging more yards a carry, and five more Td’s than the man who replaced him. Michael may be edging the two by 90 receiving yards, but remember, one of the pair plays with a QB who ‘takes off’ rather than ‘dump off’, and the other plays with a an immobile QB who stands in the pocket, is getting knocked around by defenders, and is forced to use the ‘flat’ out of necessity. One was never going to be re-signed – the writing had been on the wall long enough to suggest that the other never should have been. 2. Roman Oben The more things change, the poor things stay the same. This guy is quite simply a liability, and proof positive of the fact that it takes more than sheer size and an intimidating demeanour to overpower your opponent in the NFL. Recently departed defensive end Marcus Jones can testify to that! Oben displays the kind of static that would have made a retired 103-year veteran Randall McDaniel look fleet of foot. There have been long sought after positive manoeuvrings on the O line this year, with the hiring of Bill Muir, the signing of Kerry Jenkins, and the progression of backup Cornell Green heading the list. Given that someone in authority clearly knows and understands which way this group of guys ought to be headed, Roman can consider himself a very lucky man indeed. I could wait a lifetime to say this, but ‘bring back Pete Pierson’. Ouch, that hurt! 3. Derrick Brooks Or should that perhaps read ‘Linebacker involved in failure to score debacle’. Brooks’s inability to cross the goaline in the week 8 matchup with Carolina damn near cost his team a victory, and heaped further pressure upon ‘already under the spotlight’ kicker Martin Gramatica ..to boot. That the Buc’s leading TD scorer was unable to pick Randy Fasini (a third string quarterback making his first ever NFL start), or strip Lamar Smith (a journeyman back keeping the starting role warm for injured DeShaun Foster) will, on reflection, be recognised as a true lowlight of the current campaign. NFL Player of the Month for October award? I’d be embarrassed to collect it – the rock that really should be ‘returned’ from whence it came! 4. Equipment Manager Tim Sain When a dose of Mike Alstott fumblitis made an unwelcome reappearance during the recent road game in Philly, Bucs fans on both sides of the Atlantic will have justifiably feared the worst. After all, if symptoms persist, this particular affliction can lead to; a place in the doghouse, a seat on the bench, and God forbid, more game time for Michael Pittman. It’s catchy too. Aaron Stecker can attest to that, as he fumbled away the kickoff on the following possession. It’s perhaps no co-incidence that Alstott remains one of only two first team players (save for Brad Johnson and Warren Sapp) not to wear tackified gloves. Tim Sain may be playing it safe during his first year as the team’s equipment manager, but it’s perhaps time for him to bite the bullet, and pop a pair into no.40’s locker come game day. The other player not wearing gloves that day? Aaron Stecker. THE AVERAGE 1. Gruden Ok, woow, hold your horses there. Let me explain. Not so much bad, as average (after all, the Bucs are a flattering 7-2), but when you gave up as much as you did to jumpstart this Offense, average just isn’t nearly good enough. At time of writing, you’d be forgiven for thinking you were watching 2001 Bucball. Everything’s relative, and in this case it’s all about raised stakes. Gruden’s achievements will remain ‘average’ until he brings home the Championship. It’s the only thing he was brought here to do. Mute subject I know, but with this defense, and this soft division, these Buccaneers would also have been 7-2 under ‘the other guy’. Fact. The Bucs have only played two bona fide playoff bound teams in New Orleans and Philadelphia, and lost to them both. But for a Steve Smith fumble late in the week 8 game, they would have lost to a decimated Panthers team, and been outplayed in doing so. Jon may be hearing big raps through the media from the vocal guys on his team, but respect and production can be achieved in many different ways. Being rah-rah and possessing the ability to fix a steely stare doesn’t necessarily make you an All-World coach. The 50% of the lockerroom that respond best to constructive criticism and encouragement will quietly confirm that. Would Keyshawn have got into it on the sidelines with ‘the other guy’ in the ‘just f###### bullshit’ way that he did with coach Gruden? Probably not. Would ‘the other guy’ have benched Kenyatta Walker in an attempt (successfully) to shame the young tackle into upping his game? Probably not. Expensive rides on swings and roundabouts. Average. THE UGLY 1. Ricky Dudley Ugly tree. Hit every branch on the way down didn’t he. From the editor - Ricky, if you want Tony's address, I'll be happy to supply it! 2. Joe Senser (Vikings color announcer) Referring to Warren Sapp during his team’s week 9 loss to the Bucs. ‘He did nothing, absolutely nothing, yet the fat man needs oxygen as he roles off the field. I can name eighteen defensive tackles in the NFL better than him.’ Greg Coleman; ‘Go on then, name them’. Senser; ’I don’t want to get into that right now’. Erm, yes! Tony Smith October 2002