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Keys To a Successful Rebuild For The Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Published: August 12, 2009

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When I think of this season for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, I think of what would constitute a successful season for them.

Is it winning the Super Bowl, like all teams say they think of? Is it making the playoffs? Or maybe the question I should ask is what should be expected from a rebuilding team?

That last question is a good one because I’m sure the Miami Dolphins and Atlanta Falcons, both rebuilding teams heading into last season, would say they focused on a successful season as making the playoffs.

So maybe I’ll look into these seasons for those teams as a template for which to look at the Bucs’ season this year.

Instead of focusing on winning the division or a wild card slot, I’ll look at some of the key underlying factors in what made the Fins and Falcons successful in a rebuilding year.

First thing to take notice of would be that the Bucs are entering the season with a new coaching staff headed by Raheem Morris. Much like the Fins and Falcons had to buy into Sparano’s and Harbaugh’s philosophies, the Bucs have to buy into Morris’.

As a young coach Morris has to get his team to buy into his beliefs and demand a certain kind of respect. With a roster of fifty three men behind you willing to give their all out effort, wonders can be made. Without that desire or passion for one another as a team, they’ll be lucky to make it out of the tunnel.

As far as personnel goes, finding a solution at quarterback should be the number one priority. Last season the Fins addressed that position by signing Chad Pennington and drafting QB of the future Chad Henne. As did the Falcons by drafting their franchises quarterback Matt Ryan.

The Bucs hope to have done the same thing as either of those teams by signing Byron Leftwich and drafting Josh Freeman. In a perfect world Freeman is this years Matt Ryan but I’m sure that the Bucs will not be mad if Leftwich is this years Pennington.

The next thing that seemed to be a key ingredient to the recipe of success is a strong running game. The Fins and Falcons relied heavily on the legs of pro bowlers Ronnie Brown and Michael Turner. So look for the Bucs to do the same on the legs of prized free agent signing Derrick Ward from the Giants.

By stabilizing the QB position and providing him with a strong running game, this allows the Bucs to control the clock and minimize mistakes. This will go a long way in helping their chances of winning games in the end because they won’t be able to out talent teams.

Defensively the Bucs will have to be able to rush the passer and create turnovers in the way that Atlanta and Miami succeeded in doing last season. Strong seasons rushing the passer from John Abraham and Joey Porter fueled the defense to play well enough to close out victories.

The hope in Tampa Bay is the Bucs can get a breakout season from Gaines Adams. Adams is entering his third season in the league and it is extra important for him to begin capitalizing on his immense talents.

Its looks good considering this is his first off season actually spent strengthening his legs and will be in a system that defensive ends of his attributes have thrived in.

By being able to put pressure on the quarterback, the Bucs will be able to be more aggressive in coverage and get teams off the field on third downs. By getting teams off the field consistently on thirds downs, the Bucs will kill opponents drives and negate possible advantages they might have running the football on them.

So in all honesty the outlook for this upcoming Buccaneers season shouldn’t be so much about winning divisions, making playoffs, or going to super bowls. It should be about answering the key ingredients of coach-team relationship, quarterback stability, strong running game, and strong pass rush.

Mix those ingredients together and with some gelling of the team, some games will be won. Playoffs, not necessarily but at least the Bucs will be headed in the right direction in their rebuilding effort if they put together those four ingredients.


The Vision Has Changed for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Published: May 29, 2009

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have undergone a major overhaul in the coaching staff this off season.

The Buccaneers promoted Raheem Morris to be the Head Coach and with him he brought in Jim Bates to run his defense and Jeff Jagodzinski to run his offense.

Jim Bates brings with him over 15 years of coaching experience with 7 of them coming as a Defensive Coordinator.

Known best for his stint as Defensive Coordinator of the Miami Dolphins, Bates’ defense starts with his mammoth tackles clogging up the middle that in turn allow his linebackers to flow freely and ends to speed rush off the edge while backed up by press coverage and two deep safeties.

With the drafting of rookie DT Roy Miller and the position switch of Jermaine Phillips, these moves show that the transition to this new defensive system is taking effect.

Roy Miller will rotate with Chris Hovan and Ryan Sims in stacking up blockers, while making life easier for Gaines Adams and Stylez G. White out on the edge.

Jermaine Phillips’ position switch does two things, brings speed to the flowing linebacker corps and allows Sabby Piscitelli to use his coverage range in the deep patrol.

Young vets such as DE Gaines Adams and CB Aquib Talib, should be the most thrilled about having a coach like Bates because of his experience of enhancing the careers of those in their respective positions.

In Miami he enhanced Jason Taylor and Sam Madison’s careers and in Green Bayhe enhanced Kabeer Gbaja Biamila and Al Harris’ careers, so this should be a promising trend for the Buccaneers.

On the offensive side of the football Jeff Jagodzinski is going to be asked to transform the offense from a dink and dunk methodical type of system, to one that is oriented around a strong running game and play action passing attack.

While the offenses are similar in scheme, they are completely different in philosophies.

In Gruden’s offense, plays were more predictable because he moved around key players to get them the football. Opposing teams focused on these key players every down no matter what position they lined up at because they knew those players would get the ball.

In Jagodzinski’s offense, the ball will be distributed more evenly and players will have prominent roles instead of multiple. This way it keeps the defense on their toes because with players lined up at the same spot every time, it makes the defense respect the threat of multiple players making a play out of the same formation.

The running game will be dominant behind a stellar offensive line that will be running Jagodzinski’s zone blocking scheme he learned from Alex Gibbs while in Atlanta a few years back.

Running backs with running styles such as Earnest Graham and Derrick Ward have proved to excel in the one cut and go system like Jagodzinski’s and there is no reason to not expect that same type of productivity.

With Leftwich’s arm strength, dominant running game, and trio of Bryant, Winslow, and Clayton; the play action passing game should prosper with a deep threat in Bryant, possession guy in Clayton, and seam stretcher in Winslow attacking all the levels of the secondary.

The vision has changed in Tampa Bay, so gone are the days of constant check down offenses and bend don’t break defenses. Incoming is the smash mouth offense and man to man defense that look to breed toughness and physicality.

The mind sets for both sides of the football have changed from one that reacts to the opponent to one that will dictate the attack, forcing the opponent to react to them.

This change in philosophy will greatly benefit the Buccaneers, this season and in future seasons.


The Tampa Bay Buccaners’ Future Lies in the Arm of Freeman

Published: April 27, 2009

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The draft is over so let the Josh Freeman era begin. And with it, put Coach Morris’ reputation at stake.

Obviously, for the Bucs to trade up two spots to secure his services. Coach Morris with his prior knowledge of this kid allowed him to feel comfortable enough to make him their future.

Freeman will have the opportunity to be the present, but with the presence of Byron Leftwich already on the roster, it may be a wise decision for the Bucs to let him sit and learn until next season or until the playoffs are out of reach.

Freeman brings a lot to the table, physically, and has the leadership qualities you look for in a franchise quarterback. In a lot of ways, his career at Kansas State resembles Jay Cutler’s career at Vanderbilt.

At every game, Freeman had to bring his “A” game in order for his talent barren team to be able to compete.

Having to carry his team on his shoulders, some of the weaknesses scouts saw in forced plays was a testament to the lack of talent surrounding him and his desire to make a play for his team.

This draft, the first for Coach Morris and GM Mark Domenik, mostly hinges on the rise or fall of Freeman.  Seeing as how this was a lackluster draft compared to other years, talent wise.

I say this is because Freeman was their only first-day pick, and the draft, historically, is a hit or miss in the second day, especially when it is not particularly deep, like it was this year.

With that said, as a Bucs fan, you have to have faith that Domenik and his front-office staff were able to unearth some gems that will contribute to the team’s success this year and for years to come.

Handicapped with limited selections, you have to like the selections of Roy Miller, the defensive tackle from Texas, and Kyle Moore, the defensive end from USC.

The thing these two linemen share is their ability to play the run. I see Miller becoming a starter at tackle and the space eater Jim Bates covets, allowing the Bucs revamped line backing core to flow to the football.

Kyle Moore is a player who will never give you a lot of pass rushes but will consistently play the run and give you the maximum effort.

He is a steady two-year starter from an elite college program and will help immediately in rotation with Gaines Adams and Stylez G. White.

Of the three other selections made by the Bucs, offensive tackle Xavier Fulton will provide needed tackle depth, corner Back Edjuan Biggers will look to develop his skills while providing special teams help.

Wide receiver Sammie Stroughter will get the opportunity at a thin position to compete for a spot working out of the slot.

Granted they were unable to address the line backing situation, but that may be more about the front office’s faith in young prospects Quincy Black and Geno Hayes.

They have the faith in Jermaine Phillips transition and the belief that Angelo Crowell is healthy.

But with limited picks this year you have to like what the Bucs were able to accomplish.


Jags Restock in Draft to Re-Open Window of Opportunity

Published: April 27, 2009

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The Jacksonville Jaguars, coming off a disastrous season, have given fans a new ray of hope with their draft. Coming into the weekend, the Jaguars needed to address a multitude of positions on both sides of the football, and they certainly did their best.

The area that stood out as the team’s most glaring weakness had to be the offensive line. All positions affiliated not only needed a clean bill of health but also an infusion of youthful talent.

Good thing Jax got lucky; the way the top tackles fell into place in the top 10, they were able to come away with arguably the best LT prospect in the entire draft in Eugene Monroe from Virginia.

The Jaguars were again fortunate in the second round when first-round prospect Eben Britton from Arizona somehow slipped to them with the 39th overall pick. That meant that, on the first day of the draft, the Jaguars managed to secure their bookend tackles for at least the next seven years.

 

With the drafting of Monroe and Britton, the Jaguars have to be ecstatic about the potential dominance of their new O-line. That’s something the Jaguars haven’t enjoyed since Tony Boseli and Leon Searcy protected Mark Brunell.

And if these two kids can have half the careers those two men had, then the Jaguars will be looking at this draft as one of their better ones during their existence.

 

Another problem position for the club was wide receiver, and even with the free-agent addition of Torry Holt, the team was in desperate need of some bodies.

While they weren’t able to snag one of the top prospects, the Jags were able to provide competition to existing players with the addition of Arizona’s Mike Thomas, Rice’s Jarett Dillard, and Rutger’s Tiquan Underwood.

Thomas will compete for time in the slot with Dennis Northcutt and assume a Wes Welker-type role, while Dillard, the NCAA’s all-time touchdown leader, will compete for time opposite Holt and in addition for burn in the slot.

Underwood is the wild card, blessed with prototypical size and speed. He dropped in the draft after a lackluster senior season in which he was overshadowed by Titans first-round pick Kenny Britt, but if you look back at his junior season, you see that he has potential to be a good boundary receiver.

I personally think that Dillard will provide the most value of the three; I mean, to have broken any of Jerry Rice’s records, you have to be a player. That he is, and he has intangibles and great work ethic.

 

The other two Jacksonville picks that were intriguing to me are defensive tackle Terrence Knighton from Temple and tailback Rashad Jennings of Liberty.

Knighton provides girth and leverage for the middle of the front four, and that’s been lacking since the departure of Marcus Stroud.

While Jennings will at first only be in competition to be the power back to compliment Jones-Drew, I think (after seeing his performance at the Senior Bowl) he will easily take the assignment from Chauncy Washington and Greg Jones.

 

All in all, I think this year’s draft was successful for the Jaguars. It was more than successful for new GM Gene Smith, who believes in character as much as talent.

All their picks are expected to make the team and contribute this year. This influx of talent and character should provide some stability and allow the Jags to make a run back to prominence.