I am surprised by this. I think Tampa is very suspect vs. the run. Oakland might not be the team to do it but Philly could/should have. Why they went away from running Deuce when all year long puzzles me. His attempts were way down that game. I am betting Gruden was just jumping for joy when he saw Philly was going to try to pass them to death. I guess I just feel like the Baltimore D a few years ago had no weaknesses at all while I feel Tampa needs work stopping the run.
I wouldn't call Tampa "very suspect" against the run, it wasn't like they gave up big yardage. It was just if you were going to move the ball on them you better get a little ground game going because you were not going to throw on them when they knew you were going to throw. The combination of good pressure by Rice and Sapp & Co and blistering LBs in coverage is just real, real, hard to throw on when they can get back into coverage. I think the Raven's D also had weaknesses. But you had to pretty much give up running except the occasional draw to keep them a little honest, and throw the ball down field. The closest thing to weakness in that defense was modest speed in the safeties and LBs. Brett Farve essentially chewed up that defense going to a spread and throwing it down field (I think it was the year later, but it was pretty much the same Raven's D). Of course Farve was "on" that day and would have moved it against anyone. I also think if the Rams were "on" and got to play them they would have moved the ball against the Ravens. The Bucs with their overall team speed and especially at LB presented the best defense to slow the Rams or other pass-first offenses, while the Ravens were a running team or balanced offensive teams worst nightmare.
The Eagles-Bucs game was so hyped up by the fact that the Eagles were able to run the ball so well when the met in the regular season. The Eagles never really established the run, and tried to throw with a QB who wasn't near 100%. I am 100% confident the Raiders are the team that will come out on top. The Raiders will move the ball against the Bucs Defense, and we will be Super Bowl Champions.
I am about 40% confident the Raiders will come out on top , 60% confident the Bucs will come out on top. Clearly either team has a good shot at winning, but I think the 3.5-4 point spread is crazy. The key match-up will be the Raider's D versus Tampa's O--and right now I think Tampa's O will be good enough--I like the Bucs to not only cover but to win outright.
I haven't picked yet. So i am now going to pick Raiders win it by four. Score, 28-24 MVP is Jerry Rice. and Shania Twain falls off the stage.
Celine Dion SUCKS! Why is a French-Canadienne singing an American theme? Whitney Houston is a much better singer, in my opinion.
What a complete beat-down. I am actually quite surprised. I picked the Raiders to win a close game. They are really getting destroyed. Raider Nation is getting humbled in a big way.
If I don't ever come to the next cc.net pickup game, it is because my body is somewhere in White Oak Bayou.
In light of the absolute ass-kicking Oakland is receiving, I thought it deserved to be repeated one more time...
Man cant believe how bad the Raiders are getting beat, i wanted the raiders to win because i dont like sapp, seems stuck up to me, but thats just me.
When it was over: when Rice and Tim Brown were asking to run the ball more. end of game. Raider got their but smacked. Makes Philly look good tho'.
The bottom line is that you cannot be one dimensional against a great defense like the Bucs. Passing on every down is fine against teams like my Broncos, the Jets, Titans, etc., but damn, can those Bucs move!! Rice, Sapp (my boy), Brooks, Lynch, etc. - the first 4 are pro bowlers and the rest are sure tacklers. The Raiders had to get some kind of running game going to get the heat off Gannon, but it just seemed like they didn't worry about that. By the time, they realize that, they HAD to pass making Gannon a human bullseye.
Congrats to the Bucs. We got our asses handed to us, and I'll be the first to admit it. Losing Robbins really hurt us.
Has there been any more news (definitive) on Robbins? Uhhh.....why isn't anyone talking about the officiating?
