Good Start Essential on Our Home Turf Finally, finally after the longest wait known to man that is the NFL off-season and the utterly pointless four game pre-season (it should be two games max), we have arrived again at the point of hope for all 32 teams. Everybody’s 0-0 and all believe they have a genuine chance, except the 49ers obviously. The end of the pre-season brought no particularly surprising cuts though I must admit David Boston’s presence on our roster raised an eyebrow or two in our house. Nonetheless I wish him well and hope he can get somewhere back to the player he was before he decided to spend a few years in la la land, apparently his place has now been taken up by Steve Foley of The Chargers. What is essential is that we get off on the right foot this Sunday with a W under our belts. Anytime you lose your home opener you are in a hole, and with two division opponents to follow we need the security of a solid start and the confidence this brings. Let's get Cadillac untracked, Michael Clayton released and ride the Joey Galloway wave as long as we can, long may the Indian summer of his career continue. A few random things I think 1. I think I was not at all gutted to see Edell Shepherd get canned this week. Personally I’d have cut him back in January but that’s another story; at least it saves me having to make any reference to him again and boring people further rigid than I do already with any mention of THAT drop. 2. Scott Reynolds – for Christ sake get a life buddy. You “work” for a living providing information on an NFL Team, what do you want a bloody medal? 3. I think Rick Razzano has been cut more than Rocky Balboa, and must now hold the Bucs personal playing roster “hokey cokey” record - in out in out and shake it all about on the practice squad. The guys either incredibly unlucky, or very capable at handling bad news. I bet his apartment rental agreement is a daily one. 4. I think I do hope Steve Smith rushes back too soon for the Twits and his hamstring goes completely. That will scupper the Twits for the year, what with all round good citizen and noted speedster Meshawn on the other side. Thus my temporary second team this weekend is the Falcons, a strange situation but a natural one for a Twit hater like me. 5. Can’t wait for the Bucs radio networks return this Sunday, with Gene at the mic with his line-up of familiar phrases. How long will it be before Alstott is mistaken for Pittman this season? 6. Is Ben Roethlisberger jinxed or what? Somebody up there has decreed that he won’t start this season for the Steelers that’s for certain. I can sympathise with an emergency appendectomy though, its about as funny as Ruby Wax. 7. This week sees the start of the Bucs UK FFL season, thank god. Good luck to all of my fellow owners and especially to me – by the looks of my roster I'll need it. 8. I think Id especially like to thank Chris Sterbenz for offering me a ticket and flight to Tampa for the game this Sunday. A little thing like work and being on the other side of the Atlantic sadly got in the way, but thanks anyway fella – your generosity won’t be forgotten in the Bromfield household. A familiar nemesis faces us this Sunday in the form of Steve McNair, though notably his bigger games came against our defense came when he represented a greater running threat – thankfully for us he’s more of a static target these days which should also change the way we scheme against him. Do I see a corner blitz or two from number 20? I’ll wager one or two of those are heading McNair’s way. Traditionally the Ravens are tough on Defense like ourselves, and I don’t expect this Sunday to be a score-fest by any means, especially as offenses take a little while longer to get untracked this time of year. On our side Cadillac hardly featured during the pre-season to protect him from the battering ahead, and he will probably need to see the ball 25 times or more to break the few longer runs we need him to make and establish some headway against their front seven. On our own defensive side of the ball its all the familiar faces across the board, and though someone like Barrett Ruud may break through this year we are still reliant on a core of players who should have one more season of excellence in the tank – for our sakes we hope so anyway. The Ravens offense is one we should be looking to keep in check, and below the 20 point mark, and if we can force them away from their run and get them in to second/third and long situations we should be able to have some fun against them. Look for Simeon Rice to feature here collapsing the pocket from the outside, and forcing a gimpy McNair to step up, hopefully into the arms of Booger or Shelton Quarles if the Bucs front has done its job. Just a quick tip for Mr Simms as well, when you are throwing a pass over the middle remember that defensive lineman do actually put their hands in the air to try to block it. Tipped and batted balls at the line of scrimmage were a pox for us last year, no more thank you. I assume Chucky has been working on this, and also the current Simms design fault of at least one bone-headed interception every game – time to cut it our Chris or far more qualified watchers than me will be on your case. Though hardly the most optimistic of tipsters I do see the potential for victory in this one, as we aim to start the year off like we did on 2005. If we stick to the basics by playing our usual sound defensive game and don’t turn the ball over there’s no reason we can’t be successful in this one. Bucs 17-10 for me and just the sort of start required. Nod of Acknowledgement To …… Detroit Lions Defensive Line Coach Joe Cullen. If you missed this story, Coach Cullen has been arrested twice in the last 2 weeks; on August 24th when police stopped him in his car as he was driving home stark bollock naked – alcohol “was involved” confirm the Lions - and then again on September 1st when he failed a blood alcohol test on another lively journey back to his digs. Best of all he still has his job, despite driving home both pi$$ed and nude (that must have been some coaches meeting) and then pi$$ed again! I don’t know how you’ve done it Coach Cullen but retaining your job is some feat. Its reassuring to see that Matt Millen’s still running a tight ship over in Detroit isn’t it. Sports News Story I No Longer Give a Toss About …… The Deion Branch holdout. A middle ground receiver seeking top grade money and going head to head with Messrs Kraft and Belichick. Am the only person who can forsee which side will win here – and that was f*****g obvious back in June. Get in the Real World Award – The Minnesota Vikings. After last year's recreational boat trip this franchise vowed to clean up the whole organisation, and then what do they do? Give a three-year guaranteed contract to noted good citizen Koren Robinson, who naturally rewarded them with a drink driving arrest this training camp, followed by his release back to the scrap heap of the NFL, (ie Green Bay) – have you guys in Minnesota learned anything at all yet?