Hey Chad, I'm thinking your Bucs will be the new Lions this year!

[shardian]

They just fired their OC a week before kickoff. That simply cannot be a good thing. Methinks it has more than a bit to do with the QB situation.

I'm still hoping Leftwich excels and they win, but I hold about as much hope for them, as I do for Leftwich's Alma Mater.

[ChadTower]

It won't be that bad but it will be ugly.  And at least they have the future franchise QB in place.

Word out of Tampa is that it had nothing to do with the QB situation - Jagodzinski was supporting Leftwich too.  Turns out the guy can't teach and can't call plays. He actually hasn't been calling plays here or at his previous job at BC.  They made a bad hire and decided to remedy that sooner than later.  Word does say that some of McCown's performance in the last game had to do with the play calling breaking down during that last game and there wasn't a thing he could do about it.

[Dartful Dodger]

Da Bears!

[orion]

The Lions are bad because the organization itself sucked. Don't they have new owners this year? Tampa won't be that bad they have a good organization behind them now. They aren't the Tampa Bay of old, which was horrible because the ownership at the time was awful. A long time ago, I was in Tampa helping my aunt shop for a car, and it turns out that one of the salesmen was a retired bucs player. He told us that nobody wanted to play for Tampa, because they could care less about the players, he claimed that they were so cheap that the players had to pay for their own drinks at practice. My team is the Panthers, but I still love the Bucs as well and I always feel a bit conflicted when the two play each other. I also have to comment that the NFC south, never gets any love.  I also believe that it's a bit early for everyone to be jumping on New Orleans bandwagon this year. Chad you might appreciate this, I have a football autographed by the entire 1979 bucs team complete with a Doug Willams signature on it (my aunt was a reporter in Tampa at the time) I keep it right next to my football that I managed to get Steve Smith of the Panthers to sign for me. 

[ChadTower]

Did Steve Smith punch you in the head before or after he signed that ball?

It's very true that the old Bucs were bottom tier because of ownership.  Unfortunately it's also true that they are returning to the bottom tier because of ownership.  The Bucs have been low priority since the day the Glazers bought Manchester United.

[shardian]

Did Steve Smith punch you in the head before or after he signed that ball?

It's very true that the old Bucs were bottom tier because of ownership.  Unfortunately it's also true that they are returning to the bottom tier because of ownership.  The Bucs have been low priority since the day the Glazers bought Manchester United.

True. I'm amazed at how fast the Bucs went from top tier to bottom tier in the last 5 years or so.

[orion]

Did Steve Smith punch you in the head before or after he signed that ball?

It's very true that the old Bucs were bottom tier because of ownership.  Unfortunately it's also true that they are returning to the bottom tier because of ownership.  The Bucs have been low priority since the day the Glazers bought Manchester United.

Good one! No actually he didn't, he punched somebody else in the head (Ken Lucas) two days after that. He was in a good mood and was quite cool about signing autographs for people the day he signed the ball for me. Smith has always had the capacity to be a hot head, but he can also be really cool as well.  I actually was impressed with him with how well he interacted with fans. He also does not usually give out his autographs for adults, as he reserves doing so only for children. He was at the conference center that I work at that day autographing footballs for Bojangles employees. Jerry Richardson also is a co owner of Bojangles and he was there that day as well along with Mike Rucker. They seemed pretty cool as well. I didn't know that the ownership of Tampa has made them a low priority lately, that's to bad. The people of Tampa deserve better of the ownership than they have gotten from them in the distant past. I hope they don't go back to being the Bucs of the 80's.

[ChadTower]

Yep.  Current ownership is operating like past ownership now.  They were always among the most profitable teams in the NFL - even when they were 1-15 every year.  They have now returned to the profitable operation but in the NFL, for a small market team, profitable = noncompetitive unless you get lucky and draft a Peyton Manning.

The owners are hemhorraging cash since buying Man U and are using the Bucs to make up the difference.  That's why Gruden and Allen are gone.  It's not about youth and rebuilding, it's about salary.

[orion]

Well, that's sad then what's happening in Tampa Bay. I do think you are over simplifying your equation a bit you say that a small profitable team= a noncompetitive team. Since you have already alluded to the Colts, let's consider their success for a moment. The Colts have two things going for them aside from Manning. They have one of the best coaches in the NFL in Dungy, who to me was the best coach Tampa Bay ever had or ever will have. Let's face it, Dungy built that team that Gruden won Super Bowl XXXVII with. Tampa canned Dungy to early believing that he could only get into the playoffs but was somehow incapable of winning the superbowl. I'm not saying that Gruden is an awful coach, he's just not in the same league as Dungy. The Colts also have Bill Polian, who built a second year expansion team with my Panthers, that was able to go as far as the NFC championship game (which they lost to Farve and the Pack at Lambo in classic Lambo freezing conditions). Polian created this team from his ability to recognize undiscovered raw talent... He did this with the likes of Wille Green and Sam Mills. I believe the man to be one of the true geniuses in the sport of football. So yes I agree, it helps to be a team like Dallas or the Giants with tons of cash who aren't afraid to max out their salary cap, but that's only a small part of the equation I think.

[ChadTower]

That's all true, but without Manning, they are just another small market team that is mostly irrelevant.  Nobody outside of those small markets really cares about those small market teams until they have a TV friendly superstar.  Ask Jacksonville about that and all the TV blackouts they get.

[orion]

Yea, I see your point. The national media would probably consider them irrelevant without Manning. I hate that about NFL coverage, and that goes back to the NFC south not getting any love... ever. That also goes a long way as to why I absolutely hate Dallas. Speaking of which whats up with that new scoreboard thingy they have? Aside from starting to prove itself to be their best punt blocker what exactly is that thing supposed to be? I know that Dallas being "God's team" and all had to go out and top that retractable God's view roof that they had, but seriously don't you think that some smart architect somewhere in Dallas could have seen this as being a problem. I guess having the retractable roof so that God could see them play wasn't good enough for them.... so they had to go out and build a "Jesustron" so that Jesus could catch their instant replays or something. Did I mention I hate Dallas???

Edit: No offence to Cowboys fans, I just get tired of the Cowboy hype.... New England too, but those guys actually went out and earned it by winning a bunch of Super Bowls.

[Cakemeister]

I enjoyed that 90 yard pass from Grossman tonight. 

[hypernova]

I'm sure the Bengals fans here in Cincy would be happy to let anyone take Mike Brown.  We're mired in mediocrity.  I stand by my belief that Palmer will never be the same ever since that hit, because so far, he hasn't even been close.

[ChadTower]

Palmer never was as good as people seem to remember.  He had a lot of talent around him to exploit.

[LLUncoolJ]

Did Steve Smith punch you in the head before or after he signed that ball?

It's very true that the old Bucs were bottom tier because of ownership.  Unfortunately it's also true that they are returning to the bottom tier because of ownership.  The Bucs have been low priority since the day the Glazers bought Manchester United.

True. I'm amazed at how fast the Bucs went from top tier to bottom tier in the last 5 years or so.

Rams accomplished that feat before it was fashionable (2 Superbowls in 3 years, 3 MVPs in 3 years, Greatest Show on Turf primetime games...to NFL laughing stock). The recipe is for the owner to fall asleep on the job, let front office bickering and backstabbing ensue, give too much power to unproven head coaches and let them draft worse than my 3yo little girl. Next thing you know, you're trading your 2006 first round pick for a 7th round pick next year and cutting your second round pick after winning 5 games in 2 years. Feel free to pass this recipe along to the Patriots.

[ChadTower]

If you've ever seen Patriot Place, the massive complex Kraft just built around Gillette Stadium, you'd know he's not falling asleep at the wheel any time soon.  Dude has well over a billion dollars sitting here not counting Tom Brady's nuts.

[Flake]

Rams accomplished that feat before it was fashionable (2 Superbowls in 3 years, 3 MVPs in 3 years, Greatest Show on Turf primetime games...to NFL laughing stock). The recipe is for the owner to fall asleep on the job, let front office bickering and backstabbing ensue, give too much power to unproven head coaches and let them draft worse than my 3yo little girl. Next thing you know, you're trading your 2006 first round pick for a 7th round pick next year and cutting your second round pick after winning 5 games in 2 years. Feel free to pass this recipe along to the Patriots.

Sorry but I believe it was the Niners that started that trend (but am happy to see the Rams follow suit).  We went from an every year powerhouse to having a losing record every year since 2003.  Ownership of this franchise post Debartelo has been about as bad as it gets.  There are finally rays of hope shining through now that John has stepped down as "Front-man", replaced by his son Jed, who appears more like his uncle Eddie than his father John.

BTW - ---fudgesicle--- Patriot Place and ---fudgesicle--- the Patriots and ---fudgesicle--- Tom Brady.  I hope he gets pummeled all year like he did in the 2007 SB.

Oh, and the Bucs ARE going to be as bad as predicted. 

[ChadTower]

BTW - ---fudgesicle--- Patriot Place and ---fudgesicle--- the Patriots and ---fudgesicle--- Tom Brady.  I hope he gets pummeled all year like he did in the 2007 SB.

Heh.  I'm not complaining.  The movie theater is top notch and Bass Pro is effin awesome.  3 minutes drive away.   

[LLUncoolJ]

Man, I was just going to post a smart-ass remark about I can't wait for the  ----- vs Tampa matchup. But I checked their schedule and there are no other blood donors on there. They really have a brutal schedule that has potential to net them a 0-16 season. Check it:

Dallas
@ Buf (maybe the most winnable, but on the road)
NYG
@ WAS
@ PHI
CAR
NE
GB
@ MIA
NO
@ATL
@CAR
NYJ
@ SEA
@NO
ATL

[ChadTower]

Yeah it ain't pretty.  I have the potential wins pegged as Buffalo, Washington, Green Bay, Miami, Seattle, and Atlanta.  I figure they'll get 2 of those and 1 of the rest.

0-16 won't happen.  They have 3 solid RBs and a top 5 OL (that is also very young).  They should be able to get the ball downfield just fine with Bryant and Winslow.  Clayton won't catch many but he will still draw defenders low enough for Winslow to get open.  For the first time in a long time the Bucs are going to have to win games with offense.  The good news is that their team is among the very youngest in the NFL so it's not like they are the Rams.

Freeman will be starting by the Packers game because:

1)  That follows the prison raping they will get from the Patriots in London.
2)  That follows their bye week.
3)  Leftwich isn't very good.
4)  They will probably be 1-6 by then anyway.

[Flake]

Dallas Cowboys at Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2009-09-13 13:00

Spread:
Dallas     -6

Sounds like easy money to me.  And I dont think the Cowgirls are going to be that good this year either. 

[LLUncoolJ]

 The good news is that their team is among the very youngest in the NFL so it's not like they are the Rams.

Hey, the Rams are getting younger every day...they just keep shitcanning the draft busts of yesteryear and parlaying them into...well, 7th round picks next year.

"On second thought, let's take Tye Hill instead of Jay Cutler"...that worked out well.

[ChadTower]

"On second thought, let's take Tye Hill instead of Jay Cutler"...that worked out well.

Jay Jeff George Cutler didn't exactly turn out great for the Broncoes either.

[LLUncoolJ]

Yeah, he's a diva. But even if the Rams alienated him like the Broncos did, at least we'd be sitting on 2 first and a third round pick instead of the 7th rounder we got for Hill. Plus, Hill was a bust from day one. I don't think anyone considers Cutler a bust. Not to mention, Bulger would've thrown a fit if we had drafted Cutler and we could've traded him while he was still worth something.

Definition of a sure thing: If you are a defensive tackle and the Rams draft you on the first day, you are destined to be a bust. The track record speaks for itself: Damien Lewis, Ryan Pickett, Claude Wroten, Jimmy Kennedy, Adam Carriker. That's 4 first rounders and a third rounder this decade for those keeping track at home.

[ChadTower]

The Rams could not have made a trade for two firsts and a third.  They would have gotten one late first and spent it on a defensive tackle.   

Nobody considered George a bust at this point in his career either.  And I don't really think Cutler will be a bust.  He won't ever win anything, though.  Some guys just aren't winners no matter how talented they are (coughRomocough).

[LLUncoolJ]

Put anybody in a strong enough situation (coughTrentDilfercough) and they can win. Hell Jim McMahon was every bit as halfass as Dilfer. If nothing else, it makes opponents respect the pass so they can't stack up against the run.

As far as Divas go, Favre has a better supporting cast than he's ever had. He has no excuses. At least Cutler can play the no receivers card.

Cutler has already had enough success in proportion to where he was drafted to escape the bust tag, even if he does nothing else. And let's face it, Chicago drafts QBs like the Rams draft DTs. They would've (and did) given anything for a pro bowl caliber QB.

[ChadTower]

Put anybody in a strong enough situation (coughTrentDilfercough) and they can win. Hell Jim McMahon was every bit as halfass as Dilfer. If nothing else, it makes opponents respect the pass so they can't stack up against the run.

Both of those guys won with a world class defense.  Cutler has nothing of the sort in Chicago and didn't in Denver.  I agree with your point but the examples blow.   

As far as Divas go, Favre has a better supporting cast than he's ever had. He has no excuses. At least Cutler can play the no receivers card.

It's strong but I don't agree.  He has had better support casts in GB.  He has no Sterling Sharpe here and we have no evidence that the OL is as good at pass protection as people are saying.  Hell I'd say the Vikings don't have a receiver this year that would compare with a lot of the guys Favre has thrown to over the years.  BB and Rice don't even really compare to an Antonio Freeman or Donald Driver.

Cutler has already had enough success in proportion to where he was drafted to escape the bust tag, even if he does nothing else.

A single pro bowl berth on a team that missed the playoffs is a nice start but if he peaks here he will still be a bust.  People are giving him way too much credit for potential and not enough blame for bailing on his franchise like a teenage girl.

[ChadTower]

Sadly, that game went pretty much as I outlined above.  OL was great in the running game, Leftwich played like crap and kept getting himself hit by holding the ball too long without moving at all.  The D is good against the run and can't cover a single receiver over the top.  Deep coverage will improve when Tanard Jackson returns from his 4 game vacation.

Seriously, how does a QB get to this level of football being able to throw only one ball?  That's terrible.  Leftiwch isn't going to survive very long holding the ball like this anyway, I guess.

[ChadTower]

Romo stopped throwing behind all his slants but those bombs weren't because Romo was good... any NFL QB could hit a guy 4 yards behind the coverage.  The secondary totally fell apart.  Good job, coaches.   

Okay, I'll concede, Leftwich could not have hit any of those guys.  He seems to only be good for throwing 25 yard passes over the middle with enough velocity to crack a bank vault.

[shardian]

Seriously, how does a QB get to this level of football being able to throw only one ball?  That's terrible.  Leftiwch isn't going to survive very long holding the ball like this anyway, I guess.

I college, his OL averaged 6'6 and 330... he had a good 40 seconds per attempt. 

[ChadTower]

I college, his OL averaged 6'6 and 330... he had a good 40 seconds per attempt. 

Dude needs it.  Seriously.  I thought Drew Bledsoe was hard to watch at the end here.  Leftwich makes him look like Jeff Garcia.

[orion]

Romo stopped throwing behind all his slants but those bombs weren't because Romo was good... any NFL QB could hit a guy 4 yards behind the coverage.  The secondary totally fell apart.  Good job, coaches.   

Okay, I'll concede, Leftwich could not have hit any of those guys.  He seems to only be good for throwing 25 yard passes over the middle with enough velocity to crack a bank vault.

Don't feel so bad Chad! Look at the bright side, at least they weren't the Panthers! I took my son out to Bank of America stadium to see that blood bath to boot! We weren't exactly happy campers, and the Eagles fans let us know it too.... did I mention Eagles fans suck! I guess this is what happens when you over pay to keep a Peppers and you have no money left over to keep your talented back up offensive line men.      I had seats behind the end zone and some of those four interceptions Delhome thew, I could see were going to be interceptions before the ball even left his hand! I was screaming "NOOOOOO!!!!" while the ball was in the air, and then this Eagle fan next to me started laughing at me.... did I mention Eagles fans suck!  Did somebody say Jeff Garcia is available? McNabb had a bad day to at the end which I do find unfortunate.

[ChadTower]

Delhomme is an important part of the cycle of the NFC south.  He only allows them to be good every other year.  It is best for everyone this way.

[orion]

Delhomme is an important part of the cycle of the NFC south.  He only allows them to be good every other year.  It is best for everyone this way.

That is so true! 

[ChadTower]

Don't worry, though.  Now that Monte Kiffin is gone Tampa has finally gotten rid of that pesky Tampa 2 that worked so well for so long.  Morris installed a nice new defense, seeing how his specialty is defensive backs, and pretty soon people are going to stand up and take notice that Tampa Bay is playing a very effective Cover 0.

[orion]

Well, I suppose it was more than time for them to change up their defense.  Didn't Kiffin originally build that Tampa 2 around Simeon Rice and Warren Sapp? I am interested though if this might change the rock, paper, scissors dynamic that seems to exist in the NFC south between Tampa, Atlanta, and Carolina.

[ChadTower]

Kiffin started to put the Tampa 2 in place in 1996.  Rice didn't get there until 2001.

The Tampa 2 was mostly about coverages, aggressively causing turnovers, and speed over size.  Can't really say Sapp could have been central to any of that.  Brooks and Lynch, absolutely, but not Sapp.  Sapp just happened to make some of that easier for a while.  Quite possibly the biggest beneficiary of the scheme has always been Ronde Barber.  How else could you get a CB to the pro bowl without the ability to man cover?

[orion]

I don't get to see as  many Bucs games here as I would like so I didn't really realize that Barber had a major issue with man coverage. I do remember though a couple of notorious stiff arms in a particular game last year!  My son asked me the other day to take him to a Bucs game in Tampa, as he is really intrigued by the Bucs and Buccaneer Cove at Ramond James from playing Madden 10. Seeing as to how I have family there, a Bucs game and a family reunion makes sense. The reason I am bringing this up is that he is also really interested in the Gasparilla Pirate fest and I am wondering how family appropriate is that these days. Between the two, which do you think a seven year old would enjoy more?

[ChadTower]

I haven't ever been to the Pirate Fest or Raymond James.  I live in MA, right by Gillette Stadium.  If you ever have questions about Patriot Place and the area around it, I'm your man, but I'm afraid I haven't been to Tampa in a long time.

[orion]

My bad, I just assumed you were in Tampa, am I correct to assume that you used to live there? If I ever go to MA for a Patriots game, I will be sure to keep you in mind for questions about it. That must be cool though living right next to Gillette Stadium. I don't know beans about Boston (sorry for that by the way.. I couldn't... resist... the.... temptation) but that must be an exciting place to live! Do you have Directv NFL Sunday ticket or something? Like I said we don't get a ton of Tampa games here, just what happens to be on Fox.