What Time is It? Game Time for Mr Griese Four weeks into this season and the play at the quarterback position for the Bucs could only be described as spotty at best, and crappy if we are being brutally honest. Then as luck would have it we may finally have found a capable player fall into our laps, and one who has revitalised an offense and indeed the team as a whole. Sep forward Brian Griese. Five things I think 1. For the foreseeable future I have 4 words for our offense – “In Brian we trust” 2. Memo to Tim Brown – 55 year old NFL veterans have one thing going for them, smarts, Fumbling inside the opponents 15 yard line inside the last minute does not represent smarts, it displays inexcusable stupidity. We cannot keep a roster spot open based on your illustrious past. If we weren’t so bloody thin at receiver I’d have cut you for that. 3. Memo to FUAT – your days are numbered in Tampa with one more showing like monday nights. Kicking inside a Dome is the easiest thing for a player in your position, and there was no excuse for that ridiculous hook on your second miss of the 2nd quarter. My 3 year old son could have got it closer. Another miss like that and Mr Gruden will request the return of your play book. 4. I think a lot of kids in Tampa will soon be wearing Bucs jerseys with number 80 on the back. 5. Draft Watch – it’s taken them 6 weeks but the Dolphins now stand alone atop the tree. There’s a log jam behind them with The Bucs right in the thick of things but with 2 winnable home games upcoming, we could be taking ourselves out of this race – unless Brian Griese loses his kryptonite or we need to make a field goal to win a game. If Griese can lead the Bucs to two victories in these upcoming home dates, who is to say that he can’t be our quarterback for the foreseeable future, such is the impact he has made. Brad has looked completely leaden footed this season and some of his throws have been downright ugly, occasionally displaying the arm strength of a 12 year old girl. Chris Simms meanwhile has mixed in a few great throws with more than the odd stupid one and at this moment rehabilitating his shoulder and watching a capable veteran do the job may still be the best policy for him. Who would have imagined Mr Griese could have made such an impact when he literally was a forgotten man on our roster. Watching the game on Monday Night he looked poised and calm in the pocket, accurate in getting the ball where it needed to go, and he consistently put us in position to score points and win the game. The fact that FUAT and boneheaded turnovers from messrs Wade, Pittman and Tim Brown cost us made it all the more frustrating, but should not detract from Griese’s stellar play these past 2 weeks. No-one can deny we have looked a totally different offense from the moment he has stepped into the huddle, and Gruden has at least done the sensible thing and kept him in there. Griese has also started throwing the ball to the tight end with Will Heller and Ken Dilger suddenly a part of the offense, and has instantly clicked with Michael Clayton who looks a steal at number 15 in the draft. There are definitely things to build on here and I just hope I haven’t jinxed Mr Griese with this praise. On another note, and very rare for me, I’d also like to hand out kudos to Bruce Allen for getting a 3rd and 6th round pick for Keenan McCardell. Such a haul for a 34 year old receiver who was never going to make any meaningful contribution again for the Bucs represents an excellent deal in my book. Just as importantly was the message it sent out to our players that we will not give in to hold-outs and it was pleasing to see McCardell will not get any higher salary from the Chargers – so he’s basically lost nearly half a season in wages to get a move to another team that isn’t going to make the play-offs. I suggest a change of agent for Mr McCardell might be in order. One final thought is that with Joe Jurevicius returning on Sunday we finally look to have a few weapons at the Wide Receiver position and if Griese and Clayton maintain their current levels, good things will happen. I’m confident we will put more than 20 points on the board this week and also that we will win – prove me right Bucs and send us into the bye week as the best 2-5 team in history. I’m off now to form the Brian Griese fan club.