Welcome to Tampa – Playoff City 2008 After two weeks of nothing, save for realizing offensively our backups are pretty competent and defensively we might need a few players, it’s the post-season. The time of the year that all 32 teams dream about, but only 12 actually see. Similarly, yet again six teams from last year have returned, along with six different ones – of which the Buccaneers are one, after posting a 4-12 season that spouted doom and gloom merchants announcing that we were crap, we are crap, and we would be crap for years to come. My, how much of a difference does a year make? A defense that has bounced back in remarkable style, a QB that for the most part has been injury free, a wide receiver that yet again passes 1,000 yards, a 3rd string running back who a) almost broke 1,000 yards for the season, and b) scored the same amount of rushing TDs in 15 games played that Caddy has in three years as a Buccaneer. Admittedly, a lot, if not most of this can be attributed to our outstanding offensive line, but you still need the moves – Mr August clearly has those in abundance, and I sincerely doubt he will revert to backup status in the fall. NFL Watch Cam Cameron? Ciau. Brian Billick? Arrivederci. Bobby Petrino? Joker. Three NFL teams are now coachless, and apparently the Bucs are going to be looking for a new Defensive Coordinator as Monte is disappearing to Oakland. Personally? No chance. Sure, his son is head coach there, but I believe he has invested too much time and energy in the Bucs to leave now. Yes, he might spend his final season before retiring with Lane, but when will that be? JoePa has been at Penn State for about a century, as has Bobby Bowden at Florida State (Hear that? That’s the jeers from Wayne Maw!) Monte has plenty more years left in the tank, and remains the premier defensive mind in the NFL. With the first pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, the Miami Dolphins select Glenn Dorsey, LSU. Right, next up! Jacksonville – Pittsburgh: Jax by 10. Titans – Chargers: Chargers by 13. Redskins – Seahawks: Seahawks by 7. Finally, I confidently declare that New England will NOT win the Super Bowl. Who will? Green Bay or Indianapolis (Notice how little we’ve heard of Indy this year? They’re under the radar and lethal). Happy New Year! The New York Giants Brandon Jacobs, Eli Manning, Defensive Line. If, in that order of importance, we can limit the respective play, we will win. Whilst the Giants have the 4th ranked running attack in the NFL, averaging over 130 yards per game, our defensive line has been arguably the strongest part of our defense this season. Similarly, with fast Cover-2 linebackers, Jacobs shouldn’t be able to get too many 10 yard + gains. When this is achieved, we can start to pressure Eli Manning. Eli has still yet to prove himself in the NFL, although this season has been without question his most successful. That said, he is still prone to rash decisions that come back to bite his arse. Pressure him, give Greg White, Gaines Adams and Jovan Haye free reign at him after forcing the Giants to pass, and see what both they can do, and what they can provide for our secondary in the form of a few errant passes. Finally, the Giants D-Line. We’ve only allowed 32 sacks this season, and have the 11th ranked rushing attack in the NFL. That said, when you have the Giants lining up in the 4-3 with four defensive ends across the line, whose sole purpose is to take down whoever is holding the ball at the time, you need something outstanding to match up favourably. Seeing as we have the most surprising O-Line in the NFL (In so far as they’re far better than people predicted), and one of the best fullbacks in the league as a safety valve, both as a blocker and a receiver, I feel that as long as we mix our plays up and keep the D-Line honest, we can start making gains across the ground and through the air. I believe that the Buccaneers can win this game – the rest for our 1st stringers hasn’t been, in my opinion, to the detriment of their momentum – which is what the playoffs always come down to. Sure, we’ve lost two on the bounce – the players know that’s not because the 9ers and the Twits are better than them, it’s because they know that having the best possible roster available in the playoffs is worth three points a game. If you have your starting O-Line, QB and RB healthy, and you’re down by three or less with two minutes to go, you’re going to believe. In yourself and your teammates. It’s for all these reasons, along with the fact that I believe we can shut down Brandon Jacobs and allow our own running game to get going, that I predict the Buccaneers will eek this one out, 20-17. Richard Lowe, 5 January 2008