I agree w/ this wholeheartedly. Where I differ is in that I don't think the Raiders will have success running the ball and thereby will have to throw more. The Buc CBs are good enough to cover Rice MTM as well as Garner out of the backfield. The rest are good enough to play oustanding coverage all day long against the only two other receivers that have made an impact all year; Porter and Brown.
While the Buc O may not have tons of rushing yards, I see Gannon w/ 3+ INTs and a Raider rushing game w/ less than 60 yards as well. Gannon will need to be very careful when running. The Buc D is extremely fast and solid everywhere whereas the Raider D is not. Tennessee moved the ball just fine against the Raiders and George is nowhere near the top of his game any longer. The Bucs beat a Philly D that is better than the Raider D and that was in Philly.
By Bob Matthews
Democrat and Chronicle
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
(January 21, 2003) — The best reason to think Tampa Bay can win Super Bowl XXXVII is the team’s top-ranked defensive unit. The best reason to think Oakland can’t lose is Tampa Bay’s running game.
Since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970, seven teams have taken the league’s No. 1 defense into a Super Bowl and are 6-1 in those games.
The Raiders aren’t likely to score 30 points against Tampa Bay but 20 points should be enough to win.
Quarterback Brad Johnson’s exceptional season throwing the football was the main reason Tampa Bay’s offense improved this season. But even new coach Jon Gruden couldn’t upgrade the rushing attack.
The Buccaneers ranked 24th in rushing this season, averaging only 97.3 yards per game and 3.8 yards per carry. The pass-happy Raiders averaged 110.1 yards rushing per game and 4.3 yards per carry.
In Tampa Bay’s two playoff victories, it averaged only 2.4 yards rushing on 70 carries.
Brad Johnson is among the least mobile quarterbacks in the NFL and the Buccaneers have to rely on Michael Pittman and Mike Alstott to move the ball on the ground and lossen up opposing defenses.
Pittman was a disappointment in his first season as the team’s heavy-duty running back. He had 204 carries for 718 yards (3.5-yard average) in the regular season and has been worse in the playoffs (25 carries for 58 yards for a 2.3-yard average).
Alstott had 196 carries for 548 yards (3.8-yard average) in the regular season and also has struggled in the playoffs (34 carries for 85 yards for a 2.5-yard average).
Alstott is at his best running straight ahead, but Oakland tackles Sam Adams and John Parrella are two of the NFL’s toughest run stuffers.
Third-year running back Aaron Strecker had some impressive rushing numbers in limited action for the Buccaneers this season (28 carries for 174 yards for a 6.2-yard average) but it seems unlikely that Gruden would entrust him with a heavier load in a Super Bowl.
Without a consistent running threat to worry about, Oakland can concentrate on stopping Tampa Bay’s passing game, which lacks quick-strike receivers. If Johnson plays the game of his life, the Buccaneers might have a chance.
Defense is supposed to win championships and history says that usually happens when the very best defense reaches the Super Bowl. But it is difficult to project Tampa Bay’s offense scoring enough points to beat the Raiders.
I’ll be spending the rest of this week looking for reasons to think Tampa Bay might upset Oakland in Super Bowl XXXVII but I don’t expect to find any.
While the Buc O may not have tons of rushing yards, I see Gannon w/ 3+ INTs and a Raider rushing game w/ less than 60 yards as well. Gannon will need to be very careful when running. The Buc D is extremely fast and solid everywhere whereas the Raider D is not. Tennessee moved the ball just fine against the Raiders and George is nowhere near the top of his game any longer. The Bucs beat a Philly D that is better than the Raider D and that was in Philly.
By Bob Matthews
Democrat and Chronicle
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
(January 21, 2003) — The best reason to think Tampa Bay can win Super Bowl XXXVII is the team’s top-ranked defensive unit. The best reason to think Oakland can’t lose is Tampa Bay’s running game.
Since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970, seven teams have taken the league’s No. 1 defense into a Super Bowl and are 6-1 in those games.
The Raiders aren’t likely to score 30 points against Tampa Bay but 20 points should be enough to win.
Quarterback Brad Johnson’s exceptional season throwing the football was the main reason Tampa Bay’s offense improved this season. But even new coach Jon Gruden couldn’t upgrade the rushing attack.
The Buccaneers ranked 24th in rushing this season, averaging only 97.3 yards per game and 3.8 yards per carry. The pass-happy Raiders averaged 110.1 yards rushing per game and 4.3 yards per carry.
In Tampa Bay’s two playoff victories, it averaged only 2.4 yards rushing on 70 carries.
Brad Johnson is among the least mobile quarterbacks in the NFL and the Buccaneers have to rely on Michael Pittman and Mike Alstott to move the ball on the ground and lossen up opposing defenses.
Pittman was a disappointment in his first season as the team’s heavy-duty running back. He had 204 carries for 718 yards (3.5-yard average) in the regular season and has been worse in the playoffs (25 carries for 58 yards for a 2.3-yard average).
Alstott had 196 carries for 548 yards (3.8-yard average) in the regular season and also has struggled in the playoffs (34 carries for 85 yards for a 2.5-yard average).
Alstott is at his best running straight ahead, but Oakland tackles Sam Adams and John Parrella are two of the NFL’s toughest run stuffers.
Third-year running back Aaron Strecker had some impressive rushing numbers in limited action for the Buccaneers this season (28 carries for 174 yards for a 6.2-yard average) but it seems unlikely that Gruden would entrust him with a heavier load in a Super Bowl.
Without a consistent running threat to worry about, Oakland can concentrate on stopping Tampa Bay’s passing game, which lacks quick-strike receivers. If Johnson plays the game of his life, the Buccaneers might have a chance.
Defense is supposed to win championships and history says that usually happens when the very best defense reaches the Super Bowl. But it is difficult to project Tampa Bay’s offense scoring enough points to beat the Raiders.
I’ll be spending the rest of this week looking for reasons to think Tampa Bay might upset Oakland in Super Bowl XXXVII but I don’t expect to find any.
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