The Injury Curse of the Bucs Backfield As predicted last Sunday we walked into the RCA Dome and promptly came out again with our tails between our legs. No shame in that, as the Colts are such a dominant offensive force they will probably with 13/14 games again this year, and like it or not, at the moment we can’t play with them for 60 minutes, especially on their home field. Sadly for us we will likely remember the game for our latest high profile injury, with Michael Pittman making it two for two in starting Bucs tailbacks being carted off the field in road games this past fortnight. Fortunately for Pittman and us the prognosis isn’t so dire, but barring a last minute addition we will now have to play out the business part of our schedule with a third stringer as a primary ball carrier – and you thought Jeff Garcia had his work cut out at the start of the season! At least we will find out if Earnest Graham has what’s needed to be a serviceable NFL player, and this will probably represent the best opportunity he’s ever had to forge a career for himself in Tampa Bay and we all hope he succeeds. I’d also wager Bruce Allen is busy on the phone dangling a 4-6th round pick for a healthy body at tailback, as players available on the waiver wire are there for a reason – either they are very old, very much in legal difficulties as is often artistically described, or very average. Head on the Block Time Last week 10-4 (season 43-33 ) A tad better last week, even a blind squirrel finds an acorn as they say. This weeks “chosen few” are as follows – Da Bears Brownies Cheese Bengals Buckos Ravens Jax J E T S Jets Jets Jets Cards (of course) Bolts Romo’s Hawks G Men. I’d reckon our most likely trading partner to be the Vikings, given we are in different divisions and they have Mewelde Moore and Chester Taylor backing up what looks like a 10 year keeper in Adrian Peterson. Either way we will know one way or another by next Tuesday but I’d be very surprised if we don’t see some movement given the way we’ve started the season and the weakness of the NFC South this year. Rest assured I don’t count Zack Crockett as a solution to our problem. A few things I think A Few Things I Think 1. I think I loved The Editor’s heart over head prediction of a Buc victory in his column last Sunday, but what had you been drinking the night before Paul? Ed - you're not the one who takes the grief from BUCPOWER readers if I dare predict anything else!) 2. Speaking of the Editor what a great feature (Ed - now you're just creeping!) on the Bucs multiple formation changes in the scoring drive for the final TD against the Rams. Now close your eyes and imagine how that drive might have panned out with the Polish Pop-Gun at QB ….. scary isn’t it. Now all say thank you to Jeff Garcia and pray to god he stays healthy for the next 12 weeks. 3. I think I guess Matt Leinhart won’t have to worry about being spelled by a veteran QB for the next few months will he. I think some a large dosage of humble pie is on the menu in Arizona these days. 4. I think Chris Simms all too predictable trip to the IR signals the likely end of any long term career as a Buc. A trade is the most likely outcome this summer as he’s still under contract, but am I the only one who would have loved to see him get another shot with the Bucs if/when healthy? 5. It’s nice to see Trent Dilfer can still put on 120 yard passing clinics, and yet remain in the NFL. How do you do it Teflon Trent? It’s been a good 12 years now and it never seems to change. Sorry Mr Ed, great guy but a below average QB at best. 6. Memo to Trent Green - unless you’d actively fancy spending many of your latter years with severe headaches, nausea, motion sickness and reduced mobility I’d say the time to call its quits has come (again). Let’s hope someone in his family has his ear sufficiently long enough to point out the glaringly obvious. 7. So our latest ex-Raider has arrived in Zack Crockett. Makes you feel confident in our running game again doesn’t it? Pass me the valium please.. So what positives did we take from our dissection by the Colts? Jeff Garcia continues to bring poise and a calmness to the QB position. Despite being saddled with a running game as threatening as a one legged Mexican Bandit with Conjunctivitis, he still went 18 of 23, with two TDs and no picks; pretty darn decent given the circumstances when you think about it. The eternal good prospect that is Alex Smith once again gave us a flash of his skills, and it’s about time he took the proverbial next step that is perpetually placed alongside his name, but the guy who really got you out of your chair last Sunday was Tanard Jackson who put the hit of the season so far on Dallas Clark, separating the Colts TE from several of his bodily fluids and indeed planet earth for a few seconds. Then on the next play he picked off Peyton Manning, a notable victim for a first career interception; nice plays kid, it certainly got you noticed on this side of the pond. This week takes us thankfully back home to the friendly confined of RJS, and lets hope its stinking hot, and our Defense comes to play when we face the Tennessee Titans. In Vince Young the Titans have a mobile young Quarterback who can cause problems with his arm and his feet – just the sort of player who’s given us fits in the past, notably his Titan predecessor Mr McNair. We will need to contain him within the pocket and force him into being a one dimensional player; easier said than done but that will be the key for us defensively. On offense we’ve just got to have some sort of a running threat to keep the defense honest, and make any play action fakes actually believable thus giving Jeff Garcia a chance to buy some time in the pocket and get us moving. Joey Galloway apart our dearth of offensive playmakers scares the crap out of me, and to win this game we will need another stellar defensive effort and at least 75 yards rushing to add some balance – we will get both and a 20-17 win; Count on it – over to you Mr Ruud. Nod of Acknowledgement to - Mack Strong A truly great NFL warrior retired this past week and I’d bet you missed it. His name is Mack Strong and he played the train wreck position of fullback and lead blocker for 15 years for the same team. He suited up week after week, and put his body on the line so that Shaun Alexander and the like could get the headlines and the yards, and he was finally forced to call it a career when he sensibly listened to his body (take note Mr Green). Guys like number 38 are what the NFL should be about, and not the “look at me” generation of the Terrell Owens’s and Chad Johnson’s who serve to divert your attention from people like Mack Strong. Get in the Real World Award - Marion Jones So Ms Jones, after 7 years you finally come clean (intense irony intended). At least she broke the mould of the usual defense technique of “I didn’t know it was a steroid” and ponied up, though this is probably more to do with her legal position than any new found conscience. Was it really worth it? I guess some upcoming time in a jail cell and lifetime as a warning story, together with a probably shortened lifespan itself confirms the answer. Sports News Story I No Longer Give a Toss About – The Patriots “unbeaten season” bid Codswallop, we hear this every year and how come it seems only the Cheats can possibly achieve this and not The Colts and The Cowboys who were also unbeaten the last time I checked. My hatred for the Cheats is slowly escalating toward Twits levels of derision these days.