Hey Raheem Morris: Thanks For Trying, But It’s Time For a Real Coach

The Buccaneers completed their worst season since 1991 with an underwhelming 20-10 loss at home to the Atlanta Falcons. The loss secured the Bucs the third overall choice in April’s draft and a 3-13 record on the 2009 campaign, snapping their modest two-game winning streak.

Fans are quick to blame Raheem Morris for the debacle that was 2009, but it’s not really about Raheem. Morris didn’t have a chance. On that late January morning the Buccaneers fired Jon Gruden, Morris was headed to the barber shop, believing he would be the Bucs’ new defensive coordinator.

He was excited about the opportunity and was looking forward to the challenge of following in the footsteps of the legendary Monte Kiffin.

Then — he got the call. The Glazers told him, “Guess what Raheem, you’re head coach.”

At first, he declined. Perhaps it was out of loyalty to Gruden or maybe he realized that he wasn’t ready yet for that kind of responsibility. After a quick conversation with his former boss, Morris changed his mind and decided to take the opportunity.

Morris changed his mind a lot this season. His ownership group and general manager decided his coordinators and when they realized that those choices were poor fits, they allowed him to fire them.

Morris had to follow his owners marching orders — find a franchise quarterback and get rid of the aging veterans. Gone were Jeff Garcia, Cato June, Joey Galloway, and future Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks. Enter rookie quarterback Josh Freeman.

Morris struggled with talent evaluation, believing the squad he had could compete and win consistently, so much so, Freeman was left on the bench while veterans Luke McCown and Byron Leftwich battled during training camp for the opening day starting nod. McCown played a little better, but Leftwich was given the job and McCown was traded to Jacksonville.

After three weeks, Leftwich found the bench as well, leaving the Bucs with 2nd year pro Josh Johnson to get them to the bye.

When Freeman came in, he had few reps and had already been through two offensive coordinators.

Three different starting quarterbacks on offense, both offensive and defensive coordinators fired during the season, a leading rusher that had two torn patellas, a franchise wide receiver that missed half the season with injuries, and a defense with no veteran leadership playing in a system that wasn’t suited to the personnel and a rookie quarterback.

It’s no wonder they struggled. Too young, not enough veteran leadership and no experience in the coaching box.

Raheem Morris showed his inexperience with poor game management, poor personnel choices, and indecision in which identity he wanted his team to give itself.

It’s not his fault, folks. Just like his young quarterback, he didn’t have the “reps” at the coaching level to warrant his position. The Glazers knew this when they hired him. They figured “rather a year too early than a year too later”.

They couldn’t have envisioned this. Now, after a horrible season, they face a decision they did not want to make. The Glazers wanted Raheem to take them into the 2011 season and the potential lockout.

The fans spoke loudly today with their absence from Raymond James Stadium. The game was reported to be the 87th consecutive sell out in stadium history, but it was far from a full house. In fact, there were at least 20,000 less than the announced 62,578.

If the Glazers don’t make a move, they’re going to take a bath on season ticket renewals this year. The fans sense what we all realize — Morris isn’t ready. Another season under him is another wasted year of the rebuilding process.

The fanbase is so disenfranchised now, believing the owners no longer care about winning, that only a real statement will prevent the max exodus.

Without butts in the seats, the Glazers will be hard pressed to sell a half filled stadium for full price to their sponsors and suite holders.

If all the Glazers believe in is the almighty dollar, they’re going to see a lot of it disappear this off-season if Raheem Morris is retained.

The Glazers’ hand has been forced. They must make a change.

I really do like Raheem, I think he’s a good coach and I believe he can be one heck of a defensive coordinator in this league. He may eventually become a good head coach down the road.

It just shouldn’t be in Tampa Bay. Not if the Glazers truly have their hand on the pulse of the franchise.

Word is the Glazers weren’t at the game today — they rarely miss a game. Were they in the mountains of Carolina visiting one Bill Cowher? Were they in the living room of one Mike Shanahan?

Maybe they just decided, like many Buc fans on this Sunday, that it was too cold to be at the stadium.

I don’t know what’s going to happen in the next few days, but I do know that what transpired this season wasn’t the fault of Raheem Morris. He was the unfortunately victim of some poor decision making by the ownership group.

Good luck, Rah. No matter what happens in the next few days or weeks, the Buc fans thank you for giving it your best shot in an utterly impossible situation.

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Tampa Bay Bucs-Atlanta Falcons Preview: Making 2010 a New Odyssey

Before we begin, I just wanted to wish you and your families a very happy and prosperous New Year.

The dropping of the ball in Times Square always leads to renewed hope. We move into the decade where we should visit Mars, have flying cars (at least that’s what I was told when I was a kid), and the Buccaneers have some hope for a much better 2010 than ’09.

The Buccaneers are coming off their first two-game winning streak since November 2008. What’s more is it’s a two-game winning streak on the road in two of the toughest venues to play in the NFL

Granted, the Seattle Seahags have mailed in the rest of ’09, but the highflying New Orleans Saints certainly hadn’t. Home field advantage was on the line, and they wanted to get themselves back on track before the playoffs.

The Bucs kept the best team in the NFC derailed.

So for their finale, the Bucs entertain another division rival, the Atlanta Falcons, at Raymond James Stadium. The Falcons are also playing for something, back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in their franchise’s history.

What would be better for Tampa Bay than to end the season with the authority of a three-game winning streak and keep one of the more dubious statistics in the NFL alive and well?

 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Passing game vs. Atlanta Falcons Pass Defense

Josh Freeman had his best day as a pro against the Falcons suspect secondary in their last meeting. Completing 20-of-29 passes for 250 yards, two touchdowns and most importantly, no turnovers.

If Freeman can duplicate that performance in Tampa, the Bucs will have a tremendous chance to win.

On the season, Tampa Bay remains 25th in the league in passing, while the Falcons are 28th against the pass.

Advantage: Tampa Bay

 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Rushing Attack vs. Atlanta Falcons Rush Defense

The Bucs have had a new dedication to the running game, and they responded with their best consecutive outings of the season. Carnell Williams rushed for over 100 yards in a game for the first time since 2006. He was the battering ram that got the Bucs down the field for the game-winning field goal against the Saints.

Atlanta’s defense is better against the run than it is the pass. In their previous meeting, Atlanta were able to limit the Buccaneers to just 75 yards on the ground.

The Bucs need to a lot more than that to make the play action effective and keep Josh Freeman out of trouble.

Atlanta’s 17th against the run, while the Bucs’ running game is now up to 23rd.

Advantage: Push

 

Atlanta Falcons Passing Game vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Pass Defense

Matt Ryan returned behind the center for the Falcons last week against Buffalo. It appears the time off did not hurt him. He tossed for 250 yards and three touchdowns.

The Bucs put heavy pressure on the second -quarterback and knocked Ryan out of the game early in the first meeting. Tampa Bay finished the game with a season high six sacks on Ryan and backup Chris Redman.

Still, Redman was able to pass the Falcons down the field for the game-winning touchdown late.

Tampa Bay has since corrected a lot of their deficiencies in the passing game under head coach Raheem Morris’ play calling. Their 202 passing yards average over the last five games would be good for 6th in the NFL, if played over the course of the season.

Atlanta’s 13th in the league passing the ball.

Advantage: Tampa Bay

 

Atlanta Falcons Running attack vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Run Defense

Even under Morris, the Buccaneers continue to struggle in stopping the run. However, in their last meeting with the Falcons, the Bucs managed to limit Atlanta to just 75 yards on the ground.

Michael Turner continues to have issues with his ankle and may not be there for the Falcons in the season finale, hurting the already depleted corps of backs.

The key to this game may very well be the Bucs’ ability to shutdown the Atlanta running attack. Everything the Falcons do breathes off the running game. Shut it down and you have a great chance at winning the game. Fail and the Falcons might run you into oblivion.

Atlanta boasts the 17th ranked running attack in the league, while Tampa Bay continues to struggle, ranked 30th against the run.

Advantage: Atlanta

 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Special Teams vs. Atlanta Falcons Special Teams

The one unit the Bucs can point to and say no one is better than is the special teams. The “We-fense”, as special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia calls it, remains among league leaders in coverage, return yards, and return touchdowns. The Bucs are also getting consistent play from replacement kicker Connor Barth and punter Sam Paulescu.

Atlanta’s been pretty solid in kick coverage, but not so good in punt coverage. They also are in the top 10 in kickoff and punt return average.

Former Buccaneers kicker Matt Bryant replaced Jason Elam as kicker but is suffering from the effects of an injury and the sad loss of his father.

Michael Koenen continues as a solid punter for the birds.

Advantage: Tampa Bay

 

Coaching

Raheem Morris is completing his first season as Buccaneers head coach, and he is 3-12.

Mike Smith is in his second season with the Falcons and is 19-12 as head coach. He took the Falcons to the playoffs in his first season.

Advantage: Atlanta

 

Intangibles

• Tampa Bay looks to win their third straight game for the first time since November of last season.
• Several Bucs players have come out in support of Morris, and they’ve played hard for him down the stretch.
• Atlanta looks to put together back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in their 43-year franchise history.

Advantage: Push

 

Prediction:

The Bucs enter the season finale with renewed confidence, thanks to consecutive victories. There are turning points in franchises when the players finally buy into what the coaches are selling, go out, and perform.

The Bucs may be at a critical juncture here. A victory over the Falcons may give ownership enough confidence to keep continuity and avoid the seduction of the quick money grab of Bill Cowher.

A loss could invalidate the last two ball games, further disenchant an already jaded fanbase and lead to Morris’ dismissal.

This is, without question, the biggest game of Morris’ coaching career.

The Bucs should have beaten the Falcons in Atlanta, and they weren’t even playing at the level they are right now.

Atlanta comes in very banged up, and with the Bucs having a lot to play for, I think they pull this one out in a nailbiter.

Final Score: Tampa Bay 20, Atlanta 17.

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The Big Not So Easy: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Shock Playoff Bound Saints

Raheem Morris may have just given the Glazers a moment for a pause. Amid reports that his owners have reached out to a former Super Bowl winning coach to talk about his job, Morris’ Tampa Bay Buccaneers sent shockwaves around the NFL, going to New Orleans and upsetting the high flying Saints in overtime, 20-17.

For the second straight week, it would take second half domination to get the job done. And the Bucs certainly dominated, shutting out New Orleans for the final two quarters of the game after spotting the Saints a 17-0 first half edge.

Bucs rookie QB Josh Freeman once again tossed interceptions, including one to Darren Shaper, allowing him to set an NFL record for returned interception yardage in a season.

Freeman is now up to a troubling 16 interceptions, but the youngster, bolstered by a powerful Buccaneers running game, went 21-for-31 for 271 yards and was zoned in during the second half.

Cadillac Williams gave the Bucs their first 100-yard rushing performance of the season, pounding out 124 yards and a touchdown.

Tampa Bay’s defense looked clueless in the first half of the game, giving up 17 points on New Orleans’ first three drives.

Down 17-0, it looked like another train wreck and confirmation that the Buccaneers’ ownership group was absolutely justified in looking into Bill Cowher’s availability.

Halftime adjustments seemed to change everything. The high powered Saints couldn’t sustain drives and were held to a pedestrian 373 yards of total offense. Drew Brees was his outstandingly accurate self, completing 32-of-37 passes but only for 258 yards and one touchdown. That’s right Bucs fans, Josh Freeman threw for more yards than Drew Brees on this day.

The Buccaneers offense piled up 439 yards but it would be Michael “Run Michael Run” Spurlock who made the play of the game.

Picked off the street on Monday, Spurlock—who in a previous stint in Tampa Bay was the first player in Bucs history to return a kickoff return for a touchdown—returned a punt 77 yards for a touchdown.

It was almost all for naught as the Saints had one of their few productive drives of the second half, moving the ball to Tampa Bay 16 yard line and setting up a chip shot field goal for Garrett Hartley. Unfortunately for the Saints, the young kicker botched the kick, hitting it wide to the left.

Tampa Bay won the toss in overtime and ran the ball down the throats of the alleged best team in the NFC, driving 11 plays, 48 yards to set up Connor Barth’s game-winning field goal.

For the Buccaneers, it was a landmark victory that just may signal the turnaround for the franchise.

The question now is how far along is the process with Cowher and is this victory enough to give the Glazers sufficient confidence in the direction of the program to allow Raheem Morris to continue, despite the 3-12 record?

Jumping on the report of NFL.com’s Jason La Canfora, ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen both confirmed there was contact by the Bucs with Cowher and it seems very likely that Bill Cowher is preparing to return to the sideline.

Per the report, he is laying the groundwork, making calls to piece together a coaching staff, and acting like a man who will be patrolling the sidelines once again next season.

If the Buccaneers can defeat Atlanta, Raheem Morris may be making the decision to terminate his employment very difficult for the Glazers.

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Cowher Power in Tampa Bay? Bucs Contact Bill Cowher

The Chin could be in for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Jason La Canfora of the NFL Network is reporting that according to sources with knowledge of the situation, the Buccaneers have contacted Bill Cowher about their head coaching position in 2010.

Cowher has said repeatedly he will not talk to any team with a sitting head coach, so we’re not sure how far the conversation got since at last we heard, Raheem Morris was still head coach of the Buccaneers.

According to the report on NFL.com , the Glazers appear to be willing to pay for a “big name head coach” if such a candidate was available, although if they’re unable to secure one may be content with staying with Raheem.

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.com believes that Cowher could be using the Bucs as leverage against other teams in the NFL, but to me that seems a bit unlikely because it would have to be the Bucs who initiated the contact.

Regardless of whether Cowher ever walks the sidelines in Tampa Bay, the message is certainly clear. Raheem Morris is not safe and the team’s performance in New Orleans is even more critical to his job security.

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Buccaneers-Saints Preview: Can the Bucs Save Raheem Morris?

Typically, in these previews, I’d give you the full on breakdown of the Bucs offense versus the Saints defense and vice versa. We’d talk about matchups and factors that could be important in deciding the winner of the game on Sunday.

Let’s not kid ourselves here. There is absolutely no statistical advantage the Buccaneers hold over the Saints. There’s no point in breaking anything down, because frankly, you know the Saints will win in every matchup.

That was painfully evident when the Bucs were trounced at home by the Saints 38-7 a few weeks back…and the Saints weren’t even really trying all that hard.

So what really this football game is about is one man—Raheem Morris. After the debacle that was the Saints game, Morris fired defensive coordinator Jim Bates and returned the Buccaneers to the famed Tampa Two, but with Morris’ own twist.

Unlike his predecessor Monte Kiffin, Morris the play caller loves blitzing and has a myriad of blitz packages to attack opposing quarterbacks.

Since taking over the defense, the Bucs have given up 324 yards a game (which would be good for 14th in the NFL), 17.25 points per game (which would be third in the NFL), and just 190.25 yards per game passing (which would have them fourth in the NFL).

Only stopping the run continues to be an Achilles’ heel for the defense.

However, we can’t know if this is really an improvement of the Bucs defense or just luck of the draw in the opponent. In three of the four games, the Bucs faced backup quarterbacks.

The Saints game will reveal the truth about the Bucs improvement on defense. It also may hold the future of Raheem Morris as head coach of the Buccaneers.

While the victory on the road in Seattle certainly helped his case, Morris hasn’t been saved by that win. The Seahawks are a team that have obviously packed it in for 2009, while the Saints are still fighting for home field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs.

A victory on the road in New Orleans would clinch Morris’ return. However, another 38-7 styled shellacking may seal his fate.

These last two games are Morris’ tryout. While the Glazers will take the entire season as a whole when deciding whether they like the direction of the franchise, they need to see that after a season of disappointment and failure, the team is beginning to come around.

A competitive game in New Orleans and a win at home against the Falcons would go a long way in providing good feelings for the ownership and maybe even the discontented fan base.

Except for maybe one game this season, Morris has had his team playing hard for him. For a 2-12 team to still care this deep into a lost season has to say something for the head coach.

He hasn’t lost them. On the contrary, they’re trying to save him.

The question is, can they save Morris from himself? Many of his team’s problems have been self inflicted, making erratic decisions at inopportune times have cost this team in the win column.

Just like his rookie quarterback Josh Freeman, Morris has made some big time blunders in game management. It’s been a learning experience for the young head coach.

Freeman is also a factor in the decision for Morris. After seemingly getting out his rookie yips in the second half of last week’s game, Freeman’s progression these last two ballgames will be closely watched.

If Freeman plays well in New Orleans, it’s a win for Morris, even if the team loses.

If he returns to the rookie kid who threw five interceptions against Carolina, it won’t look good.

So while this football game holds a lot of meaning for the New Orleans Saints, it certainly holds just as much for the Buccaneers’ head coach.

My prediction? The Bucs will hang around for awhile and make it interesting before finally succumbing to the superior Saints.

Saints 30, Bucs 17.

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Tampa Bay Bucs-Seattle Seahawks: Bucs Give Raheem Morris Nice Present!

It wasn’t Avatar , but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers gave their coach and fans something to smile about before Christmas as they stunned the Seattle Seahawks 24-7. The win was the second of the season for the Buccaneers and their first on the west coast since 1999.

The cynical Buccaneer fan will say all the Bucs managed to do today was to say “Suh Long” to their chances at the number one overall draft pick. With losses by both Detroit and St. Louis, the Bucs chances of securing the top choice in the NFL college selection meeting is on life support.

Still, at this point, Raheem Morris doesn’t care about April. He’s worried about December and having his team finish on a winning note. He’s also looking for the continued maturation of Josh Freeman.

Morris got both of his wishes this week, as the Buccaneers shook off an ugly first half to put up 24 unanswered points in the second half. Freeman too was shaky, starting the game 2-for-6 with one interception and a second pass that should have been picked.

The Bucs’ much maligned offensive coordinator Greg Olsen finally figured out how to get his young quarterback on track — run the football. The Bucs pounded out 134 yards on the ground, taking the pressure off Freeman, and giving their defense a chance to catch a breath.

While the defense bent with yardage, they held the Seahawks to just seven points and made Matt Hasselbeck look like David Hasselhoff. The defense forced five turnovers off the veteran quarterback, including four picks and ill advised attempted lateral in the red zone that was recovered by Buccaneer linebacker Geno Hayes.

Freeman turned it on in the second half, but it was thanks to some safe play calling by Olsen. Olsen used short to medium passes to get the rookie some confidence, then went screen happy in the red zone. Freeman hit Cadillac Williams on a perfectly executed screen for a 22 yard score to give the Bucs a 13-7 lead.

Freeman would strike again on a brilliantly designed play, a pump fake to the right, spin, then dump it off on a screen to the left to Derrick Ward who walked into the endzone for an easy score.

You could just see the confidence pour back into Tampa Bay’s rookie quarterback, as he began to hit laser beam 3rd down conversions to Kellen Winslow, Sammie Stroughter and Antonio Bryant.

The amazing things for the Buccaneers is that even at 1-12, they were playing their hearts out in this ball game. On the road in hostile territory and down by 4 at the half, the Bucs came out fired up on both sides of the ball and completed dominated the Seahawks in the second half.

It was a stark contrast from the Seahawks, who look like a team that’s packed it in for 2009.

It may seem like a meaningless win at the end of a lost season, but you never know where a turnaround for a franchise can start. The Bucs looked the part of a real NFL team in the second half of this one. They ran the ball well, passed the ball well, and at one point in the third quarter, was outgaining Seattle 125 to -1 while outscoring them 18-0.

This coming from the same team that dreaded halftime because third quarter adjustments typically went in favor of the opposition.

If Raheem Morris can get a competitive performance from his team in New Orleans, facing a team that definitely is not mailing in the rest of the year, and follow it up with a victory at home against Atlanta, he may go a long way to being there when the Buccaneers select in April.

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Top 10 Tampa Bay Bucs’ QBs of the Decade

As the Tampa Bay Buccaneers wrap up their final season of the 2000’s and move into the next decade of football, let’s take a look back at the men who led the Buccaneers to 3 division championships and five playoff berths during one of the most successful decades in franchise history.

14 men started games for the Bucs during this decade, let’s see who was the best…

Begin Slideshow

Tampa Bay Bucs Seeing Red After Troubling Loss to Carolina Panthers

Opportunity lost. In a season that already has seen more than its fair share of disappointing defeats, this one may stick in the craw of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a little while.

Tampa Bay got a 300-yard passing game from their rookie quarterback. The offense rolled up 469 yards and had six opportunities in the Carolina red zone. Their franchise player put on a show. Their running game churned up 154 yards on the ground.

After bending for 100 yards rushing in the first half, the Buccaneers defense shut down the Carolina running game during the second half and, for the first time in three games, held them under 160 yards rushing. Tampa Bay allowed just one touchdown, limited the Panthers offense to 309 total yards and held Carolina to 16 points.

There was just one problem. The team that was second in the league in red-zone scoring couldn’t find the end zone in this one. Worse, two botched field goals and three terrible interceptions kept the Bucs from scoring any points. Going two-for-six in scoring territory, the Buccaneers suffered their 11th defeat of the season, a tough 16-6 loss to the Panthers.

This one was on the kid. Every quarterback in the NFL goes through these kind of games. Drew Brees did. Peyton Manning did (in fact, he threw six in one game). Both fellow first-rounders Mark Sanchez and Matt Stafford have had them. 

This was Josh Freeman’s lesson game. Intercepted five times by the stingy Carolina Panthers secondary, including three killer picks in the red zone, Freeman got a tough lesson in ball security and the Bucs paid the price.

There’s still plenty to be excited about with Freeman. He threw the ball all over the field, hitting lasers to Mo Stovall, Sammie Stroughter, Kellen Winslow and Antonio Bryant.

But Freeman was so eager to cash in on drives, he forced passes to Bryant in the red zone. Twice, linebacker Jon Beason dropped back into coverage and found easy picks. The third time, on fourth-and-goal, Freeman had no one to throw to. Instead of attempting to run it in himself he forced a pass that was picked off by safety Chris Harris.

Some of this has to go on offensive coordinator Greg Olsen. How about pounding the football in the red zone, Coach Olsen? How about a roll out with a run/pass option?

Instead of pounding the rock, they repeatedly put the ball into Freeman’s hands in a situation where decision making and precision passing is paramount.

Perhaps this was the plan. Maybe it wasn’t about winning, but teaching Freeman what to do in these situations. Still, after the first couple of interceptions, you’d think the Bucs would be a little wary the third time around.

The other two times in scoring range, kicker Connor Barth, who appeared to have solidified the Bucs kicker position, yakked two field goals.

Six trips into the red zone. Six points total.

It should have been a lopsided Buccaneers win, but that’s what happens when you’re playing a rookie quarterback. Freeman will learn from this and be better for this.

On the bright side, the Buccaneers defense continued to play tough football—winning football. The Bucs finally found their running game. Bryant finally played like a franchise player (five receptions, 116 yards) and the Buccaneers remain solidly in the Nadamukong Suh sweepstakes.

If his recent history is any evidence, expect Freeman not to make these same mistakes next week. Perhaps it will be enough for the Bucs to pull one out in a battle of rookie quarterbacks.

Or the Bucs will find another way to lose. Unfortunately, a young team needs to learn how to win first and it’s been a tough process for this band of Buccaneers.

If Raheem Morris is retained for the 2010 season, job No. 1 will be to find a few veterans who can show the young cats how to win.

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Buccaneers-Carolina Panthers Preview: Bucs Try To Stop Having The Runs

A lot has changed in the six weeks since the Carolina Panthers defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 28-21 in Week Six by a soul ripping final drive of the game.

The Bucs have changed quarterbacks (again), fired another coordinator (again), and now have a completely different defensive scheme than the one that surrendered an embarrassing 267 yards on the ground.

Unfortunately for Tampa Bay, it’s the same one that surrendered 299 yards on the ground in a game that had very different circumstances riding on it last December.

Indeed, what a difference a year makes for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers. Since that fateful Monday night on Dec. 8th last season, the Bucs have gone 1-14, while the Panthers have managed a 7-9 record (including the playoffs).

Carolina was one-and-doned in the postseason, while the Bucs pretty much blew up everything and started from scratch.

Now both teams return to the scene of their decline, searching for victory and hoping it’s the start of a new rise back to NFL prominence.

 

Series

Carolina leads the series 11-7 and won the last meeting in Week Six 28-21.

 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Passing Attack vs. Carolina Panthers Pass Defense

While statistically, the Buccaneers remain in the bottom half of the league in passing offense, under rookie quarterback Josh Freeman, it’s a different team. Freeman’s seven touchdown passes in four games is nearly as many as his two predecessors combined. His completion percentage and average yards per attempt are also superior.

His arm gives the Bucs receiving core big play opportunities, as evidenced by his quick strike drive against Atlanta last week.

Freeman commands the huddle with authority and poise beyond his years and has been the bright star in the otherwise dark season for Tampa Bay.

Carolina’s defense isn’t what it once was, but the one thing they do well is stop the pass. The Panthers rank third in the NFL at defending the pass, and star defensive end Julius Peppers will certainly make life hard on Tampa Bay’s future franchise quarterback.

Advantage: Carolina

 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Running Attack vs. Carolina Panthers Run Defense

It’s the resistible force against the movable object. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ M.I.A. running game faces a defense that is just as bad at stopping the run.

The Bucs had one of their better rushing games of the season against Carolina, totaling 124 yards on the ground.

They’ll need it again this week to keep the pressure off of young Freeman.

Advantage: Push

 

Carolina Panthers Passing Game vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Pass Defense

From all indications, it appears that Jake Delhomme will miss this game against the Bucs, and maybe a few more while he nurses a broken finger. That’s bad news for the Buccaneers as Delhomme has been absolutely horrible this season, throwing just eight touchdowns and 18 interceptions.

Young perennial back up Matt Moore takes his place under the butt of the Panther’s center and already boasts a victory against Tampa Bay in his career.

The Bucs defense certainly improved for one week under head coach Raheem Morris (now calling the defensive plays). The Bucs held the Falcons to just 222 yards passing and sacked Atlanta quarterbacks six times, but gave up some plays down the stretch that cost them the game.

Even in the old scheme run by deposed defensive coordinator Jim Bates, the Bucs were getting a little better at pass defense, ranking 11th in the league.

Under Delhomme, the Panthers were only 28th in the league passing the ball.

The Bucs will need to watch out for Buc killer Steve Smith, who managed just one catch for four yards against the Bucs in the last meeting and was none too happy about it.

Advantage: Tampa Bay

 

Carolina Panthers Running Game vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Run Defense

The last two times the Tampa Bay Buccaneers faced the Carolina Panthers running attack, the Panthers ran for over 265 yards against them. The good news for Tampa Bay is the Bucs run defense looked revitalized under the play calling of Raheem Morris, holding the hard charging Falcons to just 75 yards rushing, the best performance by the defense this season.

Carolina’s two powerhouse backs DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart didn’t practice on Wednesday. While both are expected to play, they will be nursing various ailments.

Stopping the Panthers running game would go a long way in putting the Bucs into position to win this one.

It would also prove emphatically that the defense just might be fixed with Raheem at the controls.

Advantage: Carolina

 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Special Teams vs. Carolina Panthers Special Teams

If there was ever a disadvantage between squads, it’s the special teams. In the last meeting, special teams nearly won the game for Tampa Bay, blocking a punt and returning a kickoff for a touchdown.

While the Bucs coverage units and return units are among the best in the league, the Panthers have the worst.

Connor Barth has been solid for the Bucs, showing the ability to hit from way downtown. Tampa Bay has a new punter in Sam “Bam” Paulescu.

Carolina’s specialists include veteran kicker John Kasay, who’s 13-17 in field goals this season, and punter Jason Baker, who’s averaging a solid 45.3 yards a kick.

Advantage: Tampa Bay

 

Intangibles

• Carolina has won five of the past seven meetings with Tampa Bay
• In four of those five victories, Carolina went over a 100 yards rushing. The Panthers are 1-2 against the Bucs when being held under 100 yards rushing during this current run.
• Tampa Bay and Carolina have split the season series each of the last two years and three of the last four seasons.
• Carolina is a negative nine in turnover ratio. The Bucs are a negative four.
• Tampa Bay is 3-4 in Carolina since joining the Panthers in the NFC South.

Advantage: Carolina

 

Coaching

Raheem Morris is in his first season as an NFL head coach and is now 1-10. He’s 0-1 against Carolina.

John Fox is in his fifth season as an NFL head coach. He is 67-56, with three division championships and a conference championship. He is 10-5 against Tampa Bay.

Advantage: Carolina

 

Prediction

So this week we figure out if we have something with head coach Raheem Morris taking over the defensive coordinator duties. If the Bucs can get the same production out of the defense they got in Atlanta, they stand a very good chance at winning this ball game.

If Carolina’s banged up backs run wild once again on the Bucs, it could be a long day on the road.

Josh Freeman played his first turnover free game of his young career (he did have one fumble, but the Buccaneers recovered) last week against Atlanta. He’ll need to protect the football once again against a tough Carolina pass defense.

Freeman also needs to find his weapons, Antonio Bryant and Kellen Winslow, to make plays in the passing game.

It will be crucial for the Bucs to establish the running game in this one and keep the defense fresh.

I think this is going to be an old style slobber-knocker of an NFC South battle, with defense being the key.

Unfortunately for the Bucs, I think Carolina’s defense may be just a bit better on this day.

Final Score: Carolina 16, Tampa Bay 13

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Buccaneers-Falcons: Tampa Two Not Enough for Victory Number Two

For awhile, the Bucs went in the time machine and looked like the team of old. They were grinding out a defensive battle with a hard-hitting defense, knocking out the Atlanta Falcons best two offensive playmakers—QB Matt Ryan and RB Michael Turner.

The Bucs held Atlanta to 75 yards rushing and sacked Falcon QBs six times. The Falcons came into the game ranked 11th in the league rushing and tied for fourth in the league in least sacks surrendered.

They held the Falcons, the eighth-highest scoring offense in the NFL, to just 13 points most of the way.

This is the type of defense the Buccaneers fans remember seeing their football team play.

Unfortunately, it wouldn’t be enough, as Atlanta’s backup quarterback Chris Redman led the Falcons on a 15-play, 59-yard drive to the winning touchdown with 0:26 left in the game.

The Bucs appeared to have the Falcons stopped, but a defensive holding penalty on rookie Derrick Roberson gave Atlanta new life.

The replay showed some incidental contact on the border of the 5-yard area where contact is allowed. It was a ticky-tack call that seems to happen against bad teams.

The Bucs still refused to give in, continuously turning Atlanta away. The Falcons had eight opportunities inside Tampa Bay’s 10-yard line.

Finally, on their second fourth-and-goal opportunity, Redman fired a pass to Roddy White, who was double-covered but somehow came up with the football in the end zone for the 20-17 lead.

The Bucs defense didn’t get much help from the offense in the second half. Twice, Tampa Bay had great field position, but both time failed to add to the lead.

The first time after a three-and-out by the offense, the Bucs made the curious decision to attempt a fake punt.

Punter Dirk Johnson threw an incomplete pass but more importantly, injured his hamstring while scrambling around.

The second opportunity, with 2:30 left, instead of punting the Falcons deep into their own territory, head coach Raheem Morris put Connor Barth in to attempt a 51-yard field goal. Barth put plenty of leg into it but pulled it wide right.

It gave the ball to the Falcons with terrific field position to set up Redman’s heroics.

Freeman recovered well from his rough outing last week, playing one of his best games statistically. He was a solid 20-for-29, 250 yards, 2 touchdowns, including a beautiful 42-yard strike to Antonio Bryant, one play after hitting Bryant for a 38-yard gain.

While the defense certainly played much better under Morris’ direction, Freeman played well, and the special teams showed up again with a blocked punt—the one area of the team that remains a mystery is the Buccaneers running game.

Tampa Bay managed a paltry 73 yards on the ground, averaging just 2.8 yards a rush.

So where do you assign blame for the latest failure?

It’s hard to give it to the defense, even though they wilted late in the game but they were on the field for 76 plays and surrendered only 297 yards.

They sacked the QB, stopped the run and pretty much looked like a Buccaneer defense for the first time this season.

You can say a lot of that was due to Ryan being knocked out of the game and Redman taking over, but Redman played pretty well, going 23-for-41, 243 yards and 2 touchdown passes.

The Bucs were getting pressure on Ryan and stopping the run before he was injured.

Still, they failed to get off the field at the end of the ballgame for the second time this season.

You could blame it on the offense, who managed just 17 points. Still, Freeman looked good, making some big-time throws and connected on the plays necessary to give the team the lead.

But the Bucs failed to take advantage of field position and pad the lead.

You could blame it on coaching, as Morris made some bad decisions down the stretch of the game like the fake punt, the attempt of a long field goal instead of playing field position, running Derrick Ward (and his 2.2 yards a carry) instead of Earnest Graham or Cadillac Williams.

You could even blame it on special teams, when Quincy Black jumped offsides during a punt on 4th-and-2, eventually leading to a field goal…three points was the difference in the ballgame.

You could blame it on discipline. Tampa Bay was penalized eight times for 52 yards, including the idiotic penalty on Jeremy Trueblood for taking his helmet off.

Illegal motion penalties, and of course, the defensive holding call during the final drive that gave the Falcons new life.

It’s another loss, which improves their draft position. At the end of the season, it won’t mean anymore than any of the other 10 losses this season.

Still, for the first time this season on defense, you feel that the Buccaneers finally have something to build on.

Welcome back, Tampa Two…how we missed you!

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