2009 NFL Football Preview - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Very rarely are NFL teams affected by what happens at the college level. Last year, the Bucs were an exception, after Lane Kiffin (fired from the Raiders earlier in the fall) was hired at the University of Tennessee on Dec. 1. On that day, the Bucs were rolling along at 9-3 and seemed to be intent on challenging Carolina for the division title and a playoff bye. Father Monte Kiffin was set to join his son's staff after running his Cover-2 in Tampa for 13 years. Things unraveled from that point on, as the Bucs NEVER gave up more points in any four-game stretch than they did in the four December games to end the season. In the end, the same Oakland Raiders that fired the younger Kiffin came to Tampa as a double-digit dog and beat the Bucs by a touchdown to knock Tampa out of the playoffs at 9-7. The Glazer family, which also owns the highly-popular Manchester United soccer team of the English Premier League, has been long known for not meddling with team affairs in both soccer and football. This time, they forced out Jon Gruden as head coach AND Bruce Allen as the general manager. As stunningly, the Glazers promoted the league's new youngest coach, 32-year old Raheem Morris, from the defensive staff. Yes, the same defense that was torched the end the season. |
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Preview Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the 2009
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The Bucs are a team in transition and several free agents departed. Two journeymen figure to battle for the quarterbacking job while draft choice Josh Freeman gets a year of training backing up, most likely, until next fall. New offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski plans to use a hybrid of the West Coast
offense featuring zone blocking schemes that will utilize the run. That's good news for running back Derick Ward, a free agent pickup from the Giants. On defense, many of the old Cover-2 schemes under new veteran defensive coordinator Jim Bates will still be there. The Bucs only had 29 sacks last fall and must get more pressure up front as they rarely blitz out of the Cover-2. Aqib Talib and Ronde Barber form one of the best cornerback combos in the league.
ASK the bookie? - The South is a rugged division, but Tampa was in position to nab a playoff slot last fall until the December meltdown. The new coach and a lot of roster movement and quarterback uncertainty makes it difficult for The Bookie to see the Bucs making a run at the division title. Still, some spots are offering '6' as the total number of wins for Tampa. If they avoid making mistakes with the new quarterback, then seven or even eight wins is altogether possible. Look 'OVER' in Tampa.
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