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Last Year
After the championship season was followed up by only seven wins, Tampa Bay was hoping that the bleeding would stop, but last season only produced five victories. The defense remained stout, but the offense was putrid as quarterback Brad Johnson struggled and the running game was absent. After the team had only one win in the first six weeks, they decided to chalk it up as a rebuilding season, so now we'll see what kind of infrastructure they really have.
What We Learned From Last Year
The Buccaneers were one of the teams on the short end of the salary cap stick heading into last season and had to make some key financial decisions.
One of the faces of the franchises, defensive tackle Warren Sapp, signed with Oakland. Wide receiver Keenan McCardell, the team's most productive wideout in 2003, held out for a contract and was traded midseason.
Without much spending cash, the Bucs were limited the Bucs in free agency.
On offense, Brad Johnson labored in the beginning of the season. His statistics were not poor, but he was unable to move the offense consistently enough. In fairness, he did not have much support.
Running the ball was an arduous task all season long. Charlie Garner tore his knee and Michael Pittman continued to prove he is nothing more than a third-down back.
Pittman led the team in rushing, but overall, the rushing offense finished with a 29th rank. The burden fell on the passing game and after a brief game of musical chairs between Brad Johnson and Chris Simms, Jon Gruden seemed to uncover a gem in Brian Griese.
He did have a knack for untimely interceptions, but still performed pretty well in his first season in Tampa Bay. He completed nearly 70% of his passes and had a rating of 97.5.
Rookie wide receiver Michael Clayton came to light once the situation at quarterback was settled and caught 80 passes in his rookie year. Joey Galloway, who was acquired in a trade for Keyshawn Johnson, flashed his blazing speed at times, but was hindered by a groin injury.
The offensive line was the biggest impediment as the group was old and ineffective. To name some names, Todd Steussie, Derrick Deese, and Matt Stinchcomb were less than impressive.
The defense remained top-notch under the tutelage of defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin and kept the Buccaneers in all of their football games. Their average margin of defeat was just over seven points, which is definitely inspiring for a 5-11 team. The total defense was ranked fifth, which marked the 10th season that they finished in the top 10.
But even so, this defense had much room for improvement. Tackle Anthony McFarland was supposed to make the loss of Warren Sapp unnoticeable, but he only played in eight games. Behind him, Ellis Wyms only played six. The loss of both players factored greatly in the run defense permitting 123.3 rushing yards per game.
On the ends, Simeon Rice and Greg Spires were a formidable duo who combined for 20 sacks. Spires' emergence meant less attention for Rice. Derrick Brooks anchored the linebackers and remained as one of the top outside linebackers in the league. He led the team in tackles along with Shelton Quarles.
The secondary was very underrated as Ronde Barber and Brian Kelly were often overlooked as a top-flight duo, but they clearly were. Rookie Will Allen also showed some promise.
The defense held its end of the bargain, but the offense was visibly old and slow. The good news is that they have hit rock-bottom and are now back on the way up.
This Year
All eyes will be on Carnell "Cadillac" Williams as the rookie running back will hold the keys to much of the offense's success.
Jon Gruden is a bright offensive mind and if he is confident in the kid, there shouldn't be much doubt amongst anyone else.
The Bucs have ranked in the basement of the NFL in rushing yards the past two seasons and the addition of Williams should change that. Michael Pittman also stands to benefit since he won't be overused. Mike Alstott doesn't seem to fit into the plans anymore.
Brian Griese returns as the team's main quarterback, but he needs to cut down the ill-timed interceptions. Gruden has worked magic with veteran signal-callers like Rich Gannon and Brad Johnson before, so look for Griese to be the next in line.
Michael Clayton figures to be the top target, but he'll have some company this year. Joey Galloway still has great deep speed, but the team needs him to stay healthy so that Clayton and veteran Ike Hilliard have room underneath. Galloway is known to be injury-prone, though. If he gets hurt, there are no downfield threats.
Tight ends Anthony Becht and Alex Smith provide the Bucs with an excellent one-two punch. Becht is reliable for short routes and is an above-average run-blocker, while Smith possesses the separating speed. Two-tight end sets could cause some problems for opponents.
But while all the extremities are sexy, the guts of the offense are unattractive. The offensive line is still a weakness.
The interior youth movement has begun and it is about time. Anthony Davis, who is in his second-year, will start at left tackle, and rookies Dan Buenning and Chris Colmer will push for time and quite possibly start at right guard and right tackle. The talent is now present, but the youth will take time to develop. Right tackle Kenyatta Walker may finally break that streak of inconsistency since this is a contract year.
As a whole, the offense looks much improved, but a shaky offensive line could throw a big kink into the plans. The line on defense will also be a crucial part of any success.
Anthony McFarland needs to play a full 16 games for the Bucs, something he has only done twice in his six seasons in the NFL.
He demands double-teams as a tackle and is a clog in the running game. Chris Hovan was signed as a free agent after the Minnesota Vikings lost interest in their former first-round pick. Monte Kiffin is a motivator and should reap some more talent out of him. With Ellis Wyms and rookie Anthony Bryant, the Bucs are fairly deep at this position.
Greg Spires and Simeon Rice return on the ends and would really profit from a full season from McFarland. Backup DeWayne White has shown a knack as a pass-rushing specialist.
Ronde Barber, Brian Kelly, Derrick Brooks, and Shelton Quarles all return to the defense, but are not spring chickens anymore. Kelly is the youngest at the age of 29. These four starters still have much to give, but age is will start to factor for Quarles (34) and Brooks (32).
Youth is on the way as second-round pick Barrett Ruud has been heavily praised ever since he was drafted. He is NFL-ready and will eventually take over for Quarles. Fourth-year linebacker Ryan Nece will start on the weak side.
Safeties Jermaine Phillips and Dexter Jackson are vital to the Bucs cover-two scheme and are a proficient tandem, even though they are not great in coverage.
The Bucs will need to find some consistency out of Matt Bryant or NFL Europe star Todd France, as place kicking was a liability for the team last year.
The top-rated defense appears to have improved and the offense will definitely be better, but it is uncertain how much. The Bucs now have a young corps of players to get excited about but the offensive line still causes too much anxiety to project a playoff appearance for this coming season.
Over/Under: 7
The schedule isn't exactly daunting for the Bucs, but there are no easy wins in their division. They play: @MIN, BUF, @GB, DET, @NYJ, MIA, @SF, WAS, CHI, and @NE. This may not be a playoff team, but this squad will not be a pushover at any point in the season.
Fantasy Sleeper
In 10 games started last season, Brian Griese threw for 2,632 yards and 20 touchdowns. Fleshed out over a full season, that is over 4,200 yards and 32 touchdowns. Just remember what Jon Gruden has done with other veteran quarterbacks like Rich Gannon and Brad Johnson.
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