2005-07-18

NFL Team Previews

Both SI.com and FoxSports.com have previews of the Bucs. Both offer a quick synopsis of where the Bucs stand going into the 2005 season.

I would have to agree with both previews, the Bucs do not look like they can compete for the playoffs this year. While nobody in the Bay area seems willing to admit it, the Bucs are in rebuilding mode this year, and have been abysmal the last two seasons because they refused to rebuild.

So just two seasons removed from winning the Super Bowl, Chucky is trying to rebuild the Bucs in his vision. And Jon Gruden is the opposite of what Tony Dungy was in Tampa ... Chucky's all about the O, as in offense. Gruden initially made his reputation as a creative offensive coordinator in Philly when all they had was Ricky Watters and Irving Fryar.

The theory was that the Bucs relied too heavily upon its dominant D under former coach Tony Dungy, and that Gruden would eventually turn Tampa into StarBucs — a highly-caffeinated offense that combined with the stellar defense would take over the NFL.

And if the fans have enough patience to wait a year or two they will be rewarded with a very good team. Gruden has been building his offense the last few years, replacing the aging veterans with young blood. And Monte Kiffin remains the defensive mastermind that launched the Bucs defense to stardom. The NFL is a coach's league and the Bucs have two of the best around in Gruden and Kiffin, now they just need to get the right players to surround these two football masterminds.

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