Bullet Dodged, Record Intact, Lesson Learned? “Ohhhhh sweet Virginia, there is a Santa Claus in October” yelled Gene Deckerhoff, when THAT blessed Replay Official made THAT assessment last Sunday at around 9pm UK time, and what relief was felt by Buc fans as a result. About five minutes earlier when the original call of Touchdown was made, I’d smashed my fist on the computer table, yelled several loud obscenities, kicked a plastic bin to smithereens and woken my two-year old daughter in the process – the reversal of the call brought meant we dodged a major bullet and preserved our record, though it didn’t get me out of the doghouse with my wife, where I remained for a few hours afterwards. A bunch of things I think 1. I think I don’t feel any sympathy for the Lions after last Sunday. Nobody gave a stuff about us when Bert Emanuel’s catch was unjustly taken away in 1999/2000, nor did Jon Gruden get much press when he was robbed by the ridiculous tuck rule in 2001, though that was probably because it came against the dearest darlings, aren’t they just wonderful, hard working, lets just worship the ground they walk on Patriots, but that’s another gripe for another day. It was about bloody time both our coach and our team caught a break. That call could have gone either way – we shouldn’t and won’t be apologising for it, despite some of the garbage written in the American press this past week. 2. I think Mr Griese needs a quick reminder before the game of what colours we are playing in. Six picks in four games is too many Brian, we are in the bloody White for Christ’s sake. If you are concussed and struggling then come out of the damn game if your hurting the team, otherwise it’s time to stop the picks. 3. Thinking again is a concussed Brian Griese still better than Chris Simms at QB, discuss. 4. I think Kenyatta Walker might be a better DB and lineman – lets hope he doesn’t have to make another tackle this Sunday. 5. I think I am glad to be off the schneid in the FFL – blessed relief at last. Now I’m on to trying to avoid the penis tie which for me would represent success as a rookie. A win is a win Mr Editor, don’t knock it – I doused myself in Gatorade on Tuesday morning to mark the occasion. 6. Four more games into the year and still no kick-off return for a TD. The magic streak continues – is it possible another year could pass in which we successfully manage to not return a kick-off for a TD? You get the feeling that if all 11 men on the kicking team fell down, our returner would still run out of bounds at our own 35 out of sheer habit. 7. I think Keenan McCardell owes us $1.5m – cha ching, cheers Keenan. So by holding out for eight weeks, then signing with the Chargers on the SAME contract, you actually lost money – smart move, and great advice from that agent of yours too. If the Bucs have an eye for good PR they should donate the cash to a Tampa area hospital, or the Hurricane Relief fund in Louisiana. 8. As his fantasy league owner and indeed a Buc fan, I feel strongly that we should keep throwing the ball to Joey Galloway. It’s reaping major dividends and stretching the field. I’ve criticised Joey on these pages before, so now it’s time to recognise his current form – keep it up muscle man. 9. I think I hope the ex-player syndrome doesn’t work against us when facing Vinny this week. Lets hope his penchant for the interception is one he hasn’t lost. What did we learn from last week’s game? Certainly that we are a resilient bunch and that we may have a giant shamrock shoved up our backside, which would be nice as our Editor or indeed Elton John might observe. However what the game itself clearly pinpointed was our own carelessness, with a missed FG and four turnovers keeping the Lions in a game when they should have long since been put away. We cannot keep giving opponents offenses a short field in which to work, as our defense can only defy the odds for so long – we almost got caught out last week, and I hope the fine line between success and catastrophe, which was tipped by a favourable official, has sharpened the Bucs minds as we go on the road to New York this week. Of some concern is the injuries we are starting to pick up, though these are a given once you get well into the rigours of an NFL season. It’s doubtful whether Cadillac can suit up this week and his absence would be a blow, though in Michael Pittman we have a serviceable replacement to step in. If the Cadillac is hobbled, now might be the best time to rest him with a bye upcoming in two weeks, and still 11 more contests ahead in which he will be needed if we are to reach the play-offs – I still rub my eyes when even mentioning that possibility. Our defense is still playing with a fire and intensity of years passed, and credit must go to Monte Kiffin for having them so fired up and prepared in the first quarter of the season, when most people had written their epitaph. In an ideal world I’d like to see a little more pressure up front, and Harrington had too much time to throw on that last drive, but this is but a small gripe for a unit playing at a consistently high level at present. This week the news that we will be facing 41-year old Vinny Testaverde must have the ears of most of them really pricked, at the thought of messing up the Jets offense, and trying to force them to pass the ball into the teeth of our D. We are facing up to a wounded animal this week, with many adjustments to make on the offensive side of the ball, though the Jets' defense isn’t too shabby. If we can get ahead in this game and force the Jets into having to throw the ball then we will be in a good position. I do though worry about a Cadillac-less offense, in which a fake to Michael Pittman is unlikely to freeze linebackers with the same effect. It’s time for Michael Clayton to once again become a feature of our offense, whilst over on the other side Joey Galloway is having a renaissance of sorts, but it remains a concern that Ike Hilliard is the only other wide receiver on the roster to catch a pass in the first four weeks of the season. Maybe it’s time to vary things a little bit here, and especially get Alex Smith back into the game – he had a startling debut, but has since dropped off the radar somewhat. A tight end with his athleticism and size presents major concerns and match-up nightmares for a defense, particularly in the red zone – noticeably Todd Heap had some success against the Jets last week so I think at least four or five balls may be heading Alex’s way this Sunday. I can’t see it being a score-fest this week, with a banged up Cadillac on the Bucs sideline, and a third or fourth choice QB under centre for the Jets. One thing is certain is that I’m not going to risk breaking the spell, so Jets 16-13 is the pick here. Lets hope I am as accurate as Beckham from the penalty spot. Nod of Acknowledgement to…..It can only be the Replay Official from last Sunday. Thanks fella, 65,000 at RJS, and several hundred fans in the UK know you made the right call. Get in the Real World…..The American media who continue to bang on about the injuries for the Patriots and how bloody resilient they are. Button it – every other team in the league has injuries and has to deal with it, noticeably the Packers and Jets. Two weeks ago with these same injuries the Pats won in Pittsburgh and were cited for their excellence, and yet when they got bum-loved at home last Sunday it was of course down to the incredible injury list. It apparently is a crime against humanity to report the Pats were well beaten in a game at present.