Despite Loss, Bucs A Team Worth Keeping Martin Fennelly, The Tampa Tribune, published 8 January 2006 And so the team that wouldn't die has died. Oh, it isn't as serious as that. But Edell Shepherd will go to his grave saying he caught a touchdown from Chris Simms. He didn't. Bucs players, coaches and fans will wonder what would have happened had the Redskins not been spotted a criminally easy lead, or if the home team had made that fourth-and-1. Somewhere, Terrell Owens will tell an ESPN reporter's ear that he'd have caught that ball for the Bucs. The offseason has begun. But for every person who says this Bucs season ended too early, with a 17-10 first-round playoff loss, we'll give you 10 who thought it would never get even this far. We'll give you a hundred who, upon further review, would take 5-11 to 11-6 with a quarterback and running back of the future. And a defense showing why a decade's worth of brilliance will never die. A keeper of a turnaround. A team worth keeping. It was hard for Jon Gruden and his players to think about that Saturday night. When it was done, when there really were no more chances, Derrick Brooks was told Washington was held to 120 yards, the fewest ever for a playoff winner. "I'd give up a thousand yards for a win right now," Brooks said. The defense played well enough to win this playoff game. The defense played well enough to win five playoff games. Chris Simms showed this season that he can lead this offense. Cadillac Williams will be a force for years. It didn't mean much Saturday. Because there were chances. So many chances. Even after a tipped Simms pass became an interception that led to a Washington touchdown and a Cadillac fumble was returned by a then dry-mouthed Sean Taylor for another score. Even after a 14-0 hole was dug, there were chances. Bad breaks? This game had plenty of trademark 2005 good Bucs breaks in it, including 211-year-old Mark Brunell as Redskins quarterback. After pulling to within 17-10 on Simms' leaping touchdown, the Bucs had chance after chance. After chance. "It just did not happen tonight," Gruden said. The Bucs had five possessions to tie it, but couldn't. All-pro idiot Taylor kept one drive alive with his saliva. The Bucs couldn't do spit. They had two cracks to get 1 yard from the Washington 19. On third down, Mike Alstott did his flying-piano routine. No gain. Fourth down should have been Caddy's turn. But the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year had been ineffective all day, but who cares? This was his moment. He was left off the field. The Bucs whiffed on a blitzing Marcus Washington, who was playing out of his skull, and who crept close enough to Simms' skull for Simms to force an incompletion to Jameel Cook. Fourth down. Jameel Cook. Still later, Brunell (25 passing yards, total) threw another gruesome ball, which was picked by Brian Kelly, setting up the Shepherd play. He should have made the grab - period. He didn't. It was ruled incomplete, using the same rule that saved the Bucs against the Falcons a few weeks ago. It only seemed fair. On the next play, fourth down, Simms was rushed just enough. He overthrew Shepherd in the end zone. "I let it go a little earlier than I wanted," Simms said. A fraction of a second. Lost in time. But the lessons of this season can't be lost. Gruden and GM Bruce Allen put together a winner. Gruden coached the hell out of it. The defense didn't let down. Nor did Williams. Nor did Simms when thrust into the starter's role. Old and young blended, nicely enough to not try to spend the offseason fixing what isn't broken. OK, an offensive line would be nice. But if Terrell Owens knocks on your door, pretend you're not home. The goal should be to keep as much of this defense together as possible. The goal should be to let the kids on offense keep growing. Kelly isn't sure if he'll be back. Same goes for a lot of stars on defense. "It'll never be the same," Kelly said. "It always changes." He hopes it doesn't, on offense or defense. "If this group can line up again in six months, we'd get a championship." "We've got so much heart on this team," Simms said. "We've got the best defense in football. On offense, we're only going to get better. ... We've got nowhere to go but up." Nobody died. Just a season. A lively one at that.