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Buccaneers can defy odds in 2009
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AP/Terry Rena
For a team that has posted consecutive 9-7 records heading into the 2009 NFL campaign, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are being given little chance of continuing their winning ways under new head coach Raheem Morris. Tampa is projected to finish dead last in the NFC South. Only the Rams and Lions are bigger underdogs to win the NFC Championship than the Buccaneers.
Outsiders are viewing the 2009 season as a transition year for Tampa Bay after last year's late season collapse to miss the playoffs. The four-game losing streak cost Jon Gruden his job. Veterans Derrick Brooks, Warrick Dunn, Jeff Garcia and others aren't returning to the fold in 2009. These moves have dimmed expectations as training camp looms.
Despite his reputation as an offensive guru, Gruden never could jump start the Tampa offense in his seven-year tenure as head coach. In all seven years, the Bucs were in the bottom half of the league rankings in points scored and never finished higher than 18th in this category. In contrast, Tampa Bay's defense ranked in the top 10 in fewest points allowed in six of the seven years during Gruden's stint as head coach.
Two major weapons have arrived to help the Buccaneers offense in 2009. Free agent running back Derrick Ward and tight end Kellen Winslow will give Morris a chance to build the kind of offense that Gruden never could. Ward, who will turn 29 just before the start of the regular season, was a valuable contributor for the New York Giants over the last couple of years. While sharing carries with Brandon Jacobs in the New York backfield, Ward averaged over five yards per carry during the last two years. He is also a good option as a receiver out of the backfield.
Winslow, who will turn 26 in a couple of weeks, was snakebit with injuries to begin his NFL career. After playing in only two games in 2004-05, Winslow was finally able to display his talent for the Cleveland Browns. In 2006-07, he grabbed 171 receptions to remind NFL fans of his Hall of Fame father.
The key to Tampa's offense in 2009 will revolve around who will throw the passes to Winslow and hand the ball off to Ward. After showing some promise in five games in 2007, Luke McCown is in position to begin the year as the starting QB. Veteran Byron Leftwich is also in the mix. There were high expectations for Leftwich when he came into the league after a fine collegiate career at Marshall. He showed some flashes in his four years with the Jacksonville Jaguars but never reached his projected level of play. In the last two years for Atlanta and Pittsburgh, Leftwich has seen limited duty with only 94 pass attempts.
In a bit of a surprise, the Buccaneers used their first-round draft choice on Kansas State quarterback Josh Freeman. The 6-foot-6, 250-pound rookie was drafted for his potential as much as his performance in the college ranks. Freeman's versatility (20 TD passes, 14 TD runs in 2008) is what the Bucs are banking on in comparison to more highly regarded rookie quarterbacks, like Matthew Stafford of the Lions and Mark Sanchez of the Jets.
The new offensive arrivals will have some solid additional options to work with. Pounding runners Earnest Graham and Carnell Williams will help to balance the speedy Ward in the Tampa backfield. Wide receivers Antonio Bryant and Michael Clayton will benefit from the addition of Winslow. A solid offensive line, led by Pro Bowler Davin Joseph, can help the quarterbacks transition into the offense.
The rock of the Tampa Bay club (defense) is a question mark for the first time in over a decade. Long-time defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin has joined his son on the coaching staff at the University of Tennessee. In addition to losing perennial All-Pro Brooks, the Buccaneers also must replace other vets, like Cato June, Kevin Carter and Javon Haye.
While there will be some challenges to make the adjustment from Kiffin's familiar Tampa 2 system to a more traditional defensive set under new coordinator Jim Bates, there is still some talent to work with. The last cornerstone of Tampa's 2002 championship team, Ronde Barber, has some gas left in the tank. Cornerback Aqib Talib and defensive lineman Gaines Adams are recent first-round draft picks with plenty of upside. Emerging star Barrett Ruud is ready to follow in Brooks' footsteps as the leader of the defense from his middle linebacking spot.
The 32-year-old Morris will be thrown into the fire in his new role. The schedule is challenging to say the least for Tampa Bay to begin the year. In their first seven games before getting a bye in week eight, the Bucs are likely to be underdogs. The Cowboys, Giants and Panthers will pay a visit to Raymond James Stadium during this stretch. The other "home" game will be against the New England Patriots in London. The road contests will be in hostile, east coast venues against the Bills, Eagles and Redskins.
The slate after the bye is a little more favorable but still not easy. Of course, the parity and up-and-down nature of the league makes it a little difficult to project things in July. No one gave the Atlanta Falcons a chance last year in the NFC South. With a rookie quarterback, they rolled to a surprise playoff season in 2008. Why can't the Bucs use a similar formula in 2009?
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