SB Nation - Donald Penn

The 2000's: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers Team of the Decade

Niko Houllis — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 10:00:27 -0000

by Chris O'Meara - AP

The one position I don't have to do any thinking about.

As we come up on the last week of the year, it is also fitting to remember, this is the last week of the decade, one in which we won a SuperBowl. Only two NFC teams won a Superbowl in the 2000s, New York GIants and your Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

So in doing this Team of the 2000s, I decided not to just pick the best player to played at any time during the decade, I will pick one of those guys if they were that much better than the others, But if someone played a position for most of the middle of the decade, even though not as good as a guy from 2000-2002, Ill go with the longer term guy most of the time. Keeping in mind "Teams of" can be subjective, so feel free to throw in your choices or correct me where you see fit.

Here you go guys...the Tampa Bay Buccaneers team of the 2000's Decade:

Quarterback: Brad Joshnson- He played from 2001 through 2003, and for those three seasons, he completed a high percentage of his passes, was very accurate, and won a Superbowl for us. Jeff Garcia and Brian Griese had good years in the decade too. In a position that has been so volatile, the guy who plays three years dominates the decade.

FullBack: Mike Alstott- For his last 3 seasons, Mike Alstott was truely a blocker, and still toted the ball with good numbers. But no matter what, no. 40 made the Fullback position famous here in Tampa Bay, and the A train is probably the most popular Buc ever. BJ Askew is a good runner up, as is Jameel Cook.

Tailback: Warrick Dunn- Just goes to show you the lack of a dominant rusher here, when a guy who played in the first two years of the decade and came back for his final year ever takes this one, but I just cant give it to Cadillac even though his 2005 year was the best of the decade. Michael Pittman was solid but saved his best for the Superbowl.

Wide Receiver- Joey Galloway- What can you say? 3 consecutive 1000 yard seasons? Thats never happened before in Bucs history. Joey Galloway was Tampa Bays DEEP threat after his first injury plagued 2004 season, and MADE defensive coordinators plan for him in 2005, 2006 and 2007.

Wide Receiver- Keyshawn Johnson- He was the dominant WR on the team from 2000 until he was let go after the 2003 season. He made the tough catches over and across the middle, and was the receiver the Bucs needed to catch the attention of defensive coordinators and players. Antonio Bryant is the default franchise receiver, and Joe Keenan McCardell would have taken this one if not for his 2 year only status as WR.

Tight End- Ken Dilger 2002-2004- With all due respect to Jeremy Stevens who I think is the Best overall Tight End we had this decade, Dilger gave the Bucs a legit weapon when we went from Dave Moore after the 2001 season. Alex Smith was a little disappointing, but again, not exactly a spot on the team that was really dominated.

Left Tackle- Donald Penn 2007- Current - I mean who else am I going to pick? Kenyatta Walker? Penn has shut down some great right ends , he will be fine there for some time, as long as the Bucs are smart enough to lock him in.

Left Guard- Dan Buenning- 2005-2006- Dan was injured in the last preseason game of 2006 and believe it or not, is the biggest cause of the poor start of that year. Cadillac Williams made a great percentage of his yards running left in 2005 behind Buenning and Anthony Davis. Aaron Sears should dominate for another decade if his comeback is successful. Special Note for Kerry Jenkins who was brought in and did well during the Superbowl year.

Center- Jeff Faine- 2008-Pres: Will more respects to Jeff Christy who Centered for the first three years, Faine in two seasons has dominated the spot that calls the protections for the QB. In between (03-07) the position was a serious weak spot.

Right Guard- Davin Joeseph 2006 Pres- Joeseph is kind of having a down year, but who isn't this season right? Davin is probably on the verge of a probowl year, or several years, but lets not forget Cosey Colman who played adequately for many seasons.

Right Tackle- Jeremy Trueblood- 2006-Pres- Trueblood and Joeseph came as bookends in 2006, and got the start when Kenyata Walker got hurt. This side of the line does not have a very dominant tackle this decade.

Place Kicker: Matt Bryant- 2005-2008- Gramatica just had too many of his best years before the decade, while Bryant had one of the best kicking years ever last season, and lets never forget the 62 yarder vs the Eagles in 2006. Very Accurate.

Punter: Josh Bidwell- 2004-Present- No other player really dominates the decade like Josh Bidwell, and in a way that is a shame that a Punter holds that honor! While Tupa punted well during the Superbowl, Bidwell came here via Free Agency from the Green Bay Packers after surviving testicular cancer.

Left Defensive End- Greg Spires- 2002-2006: The Crane he was called, Spires dominated the left side with his pressure on the QB and his attacking of the run. Marcus Jones and Chidi Ahanato were bit players until Mr. Spires came to town. SInce he left, only Kevin Carter has any kind of year there. Its a big need heading into 2010 and beyond, as is every spot on the line now.

Nose Guard- Chris Hovan- Booger McFarland was my first choice, but his time is kind of split in During Sapp and after Sapp years, when he had to play undertackle. So I take Hovan's 2005- Present years as the best Nose Guard years of the decade. This is probably Roy Millers spot to lose next decade.

UnderTackle- Warren Sapp 2000-2003: He was so good, that no matter what, he is the guy for this list. Tampa Bay is STILL trying to replace him. Chadrick Darby, Booger McFarland, Ellis Wyms, and Jovan Haye have tried. What can I say. If you don't like my pick, Suh me!

Right Defensive End- Gaines Adams- OK , just seeing if your paying attention! Simeon Rice just dominated this spot since getting him in 2001 until his shoulder gave out in 2006. Even then, he had his last monster game in week 3 vs Carolina when he tried to will the Bucs to a win.

Strong Side Linebacker- Ryan Nece- He was the Sam Backer in 03, 05 and 06. The Bucs had the no.1 defense in 2005, so you could give an argument that Nece has as much playmaking ability than Cato June there. In not for time involved, Ian Gold and Alshermond Singlton would get the nod, with Singlton coming in as the best Sam Linebacker of the decade, but were going to go with Nece, who as you probably know is long time 49er safety Ronnie Lott's son.

Middle Linebacker- Shelton Quarles- 2002-2006: Little known fact, Jon Gruden was the one who recommended to Monte Kiffin that Sam linebacker Shelton Quarles in 2001 would make a great Mike linebacker, and so he did. Barrett Ruud at times appears to be the guy...Im guessing we will find out, as he has put in as much time as Quarles did now. But Quarles played it almost as well as that Nickerson guy in the 90s.

Weak Side Linebacker- Derrick Double Nickle Brooks- 2000-2008!: Well pretty much...but there is no way you could make any effort to pick Geno Hayes over Derrick Brooks, so this is the second easiest position to pick. Brooks defined the Will linebacker in the Tampa Two.

Strong Safety- John Lynch-2000-20003: Lynch has one year less than Jermain Philips, so its a no brainer here. John Lynch could have played more as it turns out, but Phlip did a great job taking over. Lynch was the cornerstone of the Tampa Two, the Safety that snuck in the box and laid the wood on ...well, anyone.

Weak Safety- Tanard Jackson- 2008-Pres: People forget how often Dexter Jackson got burned in 2001. He had a great game in the Superbowl with his two picks, but both picks resulted in a total of 3 points. Rice or Pittman should have been MVP in my book. Jackson played well when we returned in 2005 and the defense went to NO. 1 again.

Corner no. 1- Brian Kelly-2002-2007- BK never had the public's full support like corner no. 2 did. I think its because the public perception of him is his outstretched arms while Ricky Proel catches the TD against us in the Rams NFC Championship game. But Brian Kelly was a great corner, and Aqib Talib is filling the number in properly.

Corner no. 2- Ronde Barber- The Whole Freaking Decade!: Nothing needs to be said here. Even when people call him out for a few bad plays, he makes 2 for each bad one. He even did well in a new defense. Ronde Barber will forever be remembered for his run down the Vet in Philadelphia to put the Bucs in the Superbowl.

Head Coach: I wont even touch this one. Tony Dungy is a B+ Coach and an A+ Man. Jon Gruden invoked energy into a tiring franchise that needed the juice he brought...on top of replacing HALF of the offense. He did NOT win the Superbowl with Dungy's team, but he could not have won the Superbowl without Dungy either.

I hope you enjoyed this article. I had fun remembering all the players Ive enjoyed rooting for during this up, down, up and now down decade. lets hope the next ten years are fondly remembered too. Feel Free to drop in with your opinions on the players I've listed, or maybe, if I forgot one?

New York Jets Pass Defense vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Pass Offense

John B — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 21:03:42 -0000

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Rookie quarterback melts down. That was the story last week for Tampa. We know how they feel. In his first four starts, though, Josh Freeman had looked pretty good for a rookie with a 7 to 5 touchdown to interception ratio. Accuracy had been something of an issue as it is with many rookies. However, Freeman offered a glimpse of what he may become two weeks ago with a 20 for 29 250 yard game against Atlanta. You may remember I was against taking Freeman in the Draft last April because he threw a ton of interceptions in college and seemed to have a high bust factor. He's given the Bucs room for cautious optimism this year.

I tend to think a second straight rough week is more likely than a bounce back this week. This is a really good Jets defense that will throw looks at him he has never seen. He's also going to have to do without his top wide receiver in any likely scenario. Our friends at Buc Em seem to think Antonio Bryant will be able to hold his own against Revis. I respectfully disagree with our friends. As they point out, Revis shut down Andre Johnson and Randy Moss. Is there anything Bryant can do that Moss or Johnson can't do better? I don't think so. I understand the pass rush does aid corners, but the reverse is also true. Part of the reasons the Jets have had so impressive rushing the passer has been that the coverage has held when blitzes have been picked up, which gives rushers extra time to get to the quarterback.

The Bucs will probably have Freeman focus on Kellen Winslow to make his throws safe. Winslow is Tampa's leading receiver with 58 receptions and 633 yards. This could be a game for Kerry Rhodes to reassert himself. I'm not sure I like the matchup between Winslow and Eric Smith. Winslow's way more athletic.

Beyond that, it's not clear what Tampa has in the passing game. Both Michael Clayton and Sammie Stroughter are battling injuries and quite possibly could miss the game, which would leave Maurice Stovall and his 18 receptions in the starting lineup. With Revis on Bryant, the Jets can scheme their coverage around Winslow because Lito Sheppard should be able to handle his assignment without much help.

Another problem will be protection. Tampa Bay's tackles, Jeremy Trueblood and Donald Penn, and center Jeff Faine are all in the top seven at their position in terms of pressures allowed. This could force the rookie to make a lot of mistakes. Guard Davin Joseph in in the top five while Jeremy Zuttah is in the top fifteen. It's a young line that is still a work in progress.

Bills will have a job unbalancing Tampa on Sunday

Brian Galliford — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 15:30:17 -0000

More photos » by Brian Blanco - AP

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Prior to the start of the NFL's regular season, the Buffalo Bills were one of three teams to fire their offensive coordinator. Buffalo's opponent this week, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was one of the other teams to make this move, relieving Jeff Jagodzinski of his duties and promoting Greg Olson to the position of Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks. If Buffalo's offense scored a mild surprise with 276 yards, 17 points and relative efficiency in their Week 1 loss, then Tampa Bay's 450-yard, 21-point outburst was nothing short of shocking.

Blessed with one of the better young offensive lines in the league, a deep stable of running backs, and talent at tight end and receiver (when healthy), QB Byron Leftwich - a temporary starter until first-round pick Josh Freeman is ready to assume command of the offense - has found himself unexpectedly rich with surrounding talent. Considering Buffalo's mediocre second-half defensive performance in New England, defensive coordinator Perry Fewell has a large task in front of him trying to slow down Tampa's surprising offense.

Examining the Bucs' O-Line
At first blush, essentially the entirety of Tampa's starting offensive line - Donald Penn, Jeremy Zuttah, Sean Mahan, Davin Joseph and Jeremy Trueblood - well, let's just say these aren't names that jump off the page at you. Joseph, a 2006 first-round pick, is probably the best player of the group, and likely the most recognizable name as well. This line didn't come together in a traditional manner, but boy, are they talented.

Penn is one of the more athletic tackles in the league; the former 2006 undrafted free agent was a pinch starter under Jon Gruden and hasn't looked back. He's an outstanding pass protector, and while he isn't dominant against the run, the Bucs have clearly procured themselves a diamond-in-the-rough left tackle (something the Bills are currently trying to emulate for a second time). Zuttah ('08, third round), Joseph ('06, first round) and Trueblood ('06, second round) all represent significant draft pick investments in the line, and they've paid off.

The weak area, for now, is center, where starter Jeff Faine is missing with a triceps injury. Mahan - himself a 2003 fifth-round pick by the Bucs - was re-signed after Faine went down, and spoke earlier this week as if he'd start in Faine's stead. If he doesn't, rookie Jonathan Compas will get the call.

Even factoring in the change at center, Tampa's offensive line routinely flashes dominance. They weren't perfect in 2008, allowing 32 sacks and finishing a rather average No. 15 in the NFL in rush offense, but that looks to change this season. With two "new" runners in Cadillac Williams and Derrick Ward, the Bucs gouged a usually stout Cowboys defense on the ground to the tune of 160 yards and two scores on 26 carries. Yes, folks, that's over six yards per carry. To say that the running game is the lifeblood of Tampa's offense is a severe understatement.

Balance is crucial to Tampa's attack
With that running game leading the way, Leftwich's job was simple in Week 1: manage the game. He did it relatively well, getting passes to ten different receivers. The play-action pass, obviously, is a weapon for the Bucs when their run game is clicking, and Leftwich has a huge arm; it's quite enough to keep defenses honest.

The fact that the Bucs have two athletic, productive tight ends - Kellen Winslow, Jr. and Jerramy Stevens - doesn't make the job any easier for the Bills. Both of these players have size and can stretch a defense vertically. They'll play an even more important role on Sunday, as top receiver Antonio Bryant is expected to sit out with an ailing knee. You don't need me to tell you that the Bills struggled to defend tight ends in New England.

This offense still has a lot to prove - one game does not an offensive juggernaut make - but let's not pretend that they're going to be easy for the Bills to contain. It would help them tremendously, first and foremost, to get off the field; going up against a pretty solid Pats offense last week, Buffalo gave the Patriots too many chances to make plays by allowing conversions on 10 of 16 third-down situations. That's not going to cut it.

Beat Tampa at their own game?
An early lead is crucial, as is containing - note the lack of the term "stopping" - the run and limiting allowed third-down conversions defensively. Tampa's defense is extremely vulnerable, so the Bills would do well to try beating the Bucs at their own game - running the ball, taking shots down field, and controlling the clock.

Those are the easiest ways to force the ball into Leftwich's hands more often. That theory, by leaps and bounds, represents Buffalo's best chance at scoring a victory in their home opener. If they can't find a way to take balance out of the equation, however, this is a Bucs offense that could really put the hurt on Fewell's unit. Buffalo needs to be careful, and they'll need to stay sharp offensively if things don't go well in this area.

Week 2 Preview: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-1) @ Buffalo Bills (0-1)

Buc Wild — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 14:00:32 -0000

by Brian Blanco - AP

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Week 2 is descending upon us rather quickly. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will try to shake the stink of a 34-21 loss off their backs while the Buffalo Bills are trying to get back to an even keel after an emotional letdown and loss at the hands of the Patriots. Sunday's game will also be the 50th anniversary celebration of the Bills All Time AFL Team, so the team should be extra fired up.

The Bucs have some problems to fix, we know that, but how do they match up with Bills?

Overview/Team Stats

Thankfully this game takes place in September, as I don't want to hear about the Bucs and cold weather. Sure, we more or less broke that dismal record a few years back, but I'd rather avoid it whenever possible. The Bucs will travel north to the land of the unknown for them. What they'll find is a rather angry and hungry team, looking to get win number one on the year, much like the Bucs.

This is an important game for both teams as each team tries to hold off the 0-2 hole to start the season. For the Bucs, it's more about momentum as an 0-2 hole with the Giants, Redskins and Eagles all on tap may cause for a dreary start.

The Bills have a potent offense, and a player you may not have heard of. Terrell Owens. Oh, you've heard of him? He had a pretty quiet showing in Monday night's loss, so I'm sure he's amped up to get the ball and do some celebrating. And no better team to do that against than our Bucs, who ranked in the bottom 3 in pass defense.

But how do these two teams match up? Let's look at some handy dandy stats to find out

TEAM	TOTAL DVOA	TOTAL DAVE	RANK	OFF DVOA	RANK	DEF DVOA	RANK	S.T. DVOA	RANK
TB	-44.60%	-15.20%	27	43.00%	3	75.70%	32	-11.90%	28
BUF	0.00%	-25.80%	32	31.30%	5	21.20%	26	-10.10%	27

Somewhat similar teams. While the Bucs offense was better than average (based on opponent and situation), the defense was much worse, though Buffalo still feel in the bottom third of the league. Special Teams they're pretty similar. Hard to believe that the team that hung in with the Patriots is relatively close to the team that got smoked by the Cowboys in terms of rankings.

The traditional stats show a similar picture.

TB	Team	Buf
450	Off Yds/Gm	276
5	Rank	20
276	Passing	186
174	Rushing	90
33:32	T.O.P.	22:52
21	Pts/Game	24
14	Rank	9
462	Yds All/Gm	441
29	Rank	26
34	Points All	25

Neither team is exaclty building up a head of steam going into week 1.

When Buffalo has the Ball

Buffalo is in a similar predicament as the Bucs, having fired their OC just weeks before opening day. They run more of a no huddle offense this year, aimed at keeping the defense on the field and wearing them down. Their top running back, Marshawn Lynch has 2 more games left on his suspension, but they have a capable back up in Fred Jackson.

Also, you might have heard, they have a new wide receiver opposite Lee Evans. His name is Terrell Owens. While he wasn't involved in the game on Monday night, you can bet he wants to see more action this coming Sunday. A tough match up for any defensive secondary, it doesn't get much easier with Lee Evans on the opposite side and Roscoe Parrish in the slot.

A quick look at their 2008 and 2009 numbers as individuals. Remember that 08 numbers are based on a complete year, thus DYAR will be significantly higher (in theory)

Player	DVOA 08	DVOA 09	DYAR 08	DYAR 09
Trent Edwards	-0.30%	31.80%	278	69
Fred Jackson	7%	4.30%	91	8
Lee Evans	11.20%	-39.60%	191	-12

This could pose some problems for the Bucs as two top tier WR's will surely test our secondary. The Bucs flat out have to do two things better. 1) Generate a pass rush (yes, you Gaines Adams) and 2) maintain some sort of deep safety and not bite. The safety issues will come down to discipline. Can they maintain their responsibilities and not get caught free lancing. This was a huge issue last week obviously.

The front four generated zero sacks, a handful of pressures, and our best player, at least in terms of expectations (Adams) generated zero stats of any kind, unless you count the penalty. That can't happen again. Buffalo's OL was pretty average last year and ranked 25th in sacks given up and sack rate, so the opportunities are there. They ran a lot of screens, something the Bucs LB's will have to be all over. Barrett Ruud will have to lead on the defensive side and find a way to get involved.

I would imagine T.O. would draw Talib in coverage, but this is dicey. T.O. has size, speed and strength. Evans has speed. Where do you put Talib and where do you put Ronde? I expect either a ton of blitzes to limit the amount of coverage either has to do, or tons of LB/Safety help. After the Dallas debacle, this could be bad. Let's hope Bates and Morris got some things fixed as the Bucs should be tested often through the air.

When the Bucs have the ball

We saw how high the Tampa offense was ranked, how they performed, and how both the pass and run were above average. This will have to continue. Two heads of the three headed monster will need to be on point. Last week it was Caddy and Ward. This week? Could be the same, or maybe Graham gets involved. Either way, we have to run the ball successfully. Count it as a loss if Leftwich throws more than 35 times.

The offensive line did a fantastic job neutralizing the Dallas pass rush. Buffalo will need to be thwarted just the same. As Niko showed you, the OL did a great job in the run game. They opened holes, held blocks and got to the second level. This needs to continue, and I have no reason to believe it won't.

The question mark going into the game will be on Leftwich and the passing game. Can he and OL repeat their zero sack performance and will he avoid the turnover? The passing game has already seen a big loss in losing Jeff Faine. He is the captain of the line and did a fantastic job of pointing out coverage and blitzers.

The passing game may also be hurt if Bryant is 100% or doesn't play. This knee injury sounds like a season long aggravation. He either has to tough it (and who knows how successful he can be then) or call it a season and hang it up. Clayton performed well, but Winslow has to step up. He made a few grabs, but will need to be a solid #2 WR.

Terrance McGee was pretty successful in holding Moss in check until a late grab and run happened. Paul Posluzny is out with an arm injury, which should be good for the tight end passing game and running game. Aaron Schobel will look to apply pressure in the four man front the Bucs will face. The Bucs need to establish the line of scrimmage to have success in the ground and air game.

Special Teams

Both teams had severe special teams issues. Leodis McKelvin fumbled a kickoff late to set up the Pats for the winning score. The Bucs couldn't muster more than 40 yards in the air on punts and saw their kicker go 0-2 on field goals, including a block. Field position is always key, so look for Dirk Johnson to kick a bit deeper, if he's capable. Mike Nugent has to start making some field goals, if nothing else than for confidence of himself or the fans. Roscoe Parrish and Clifton Smith are two dynamic return guys, so there is the potential for a big play on any kick.

Key Matchups

Terrell Owens vs Aqib Talib - I'm guessing Talib draws T.O, on Sunday. Look for the second eyar corner to stay physical with T.O. and try to frustrate him. He should have some safety help over the top (should being the operative word). T.O. is a dynamic WR, but teams have shown they can win without him touching the ball. I'd like to see the Bucs pressure the Bills to do just that.

Sabby Piscitelli vs himself - Seriously. He has to go back out there and forget last week. Important things are depth, assignment and wrapping up. He has to be disciplined. The Bills WR's aren't slouches and will make him pay.

Gaines Adams vs Demetrius Bell & Brad Butler - Gaines has to win this battle. He is supposed to be on his way to becoming a premier pass rusher. This is a good time to start. Facing two unheralded tackles may be just what he needs.

Donald Penn vs Aaron Schobel - Give Penn his due. He put a stop to Demarcus Ware last week, and now we need the same performance against Schobel. He (Schobel) had a great pick and return for a score last week, let's hope he has no more playmaking in his future.

Antonio Bryant vs Terrence McGee - If Bryant plays, he's going to draw McGee in coverage. Bryant has to win this battle, at least enough to get targeted and free up other options. McGee did a pretty good job against Moss last week, hopefully Bryant will be 100% and give McGee some fits.

Jonathan Compas vs Buffalo DT's - Who the heck is Jonathan Compas? He's Jeff Faine's replacement, that's who. Faine and the OL did an excellent job. Now Compas must come in and guide the Buc's OL and help Leftwich in the passing game.

What to watch for

Will Antonio Bryant be 100%. A key factor in the Bucs passing game, he makes the deep plays go.

The Bucs kicking game. Deep or high punts (or both), and made field goals.

Under Pressure. The DL for the Bucs has to generate pressure and force Trent Edwards to make mistakes. The Bucs OL has to keep Leftwich upright.

Well, there you go, the breakdown on Sunday's game. My prediction will come on Saturday afternoon, but feel free to drop your thoughts and predictions in the comments section.

How does the Tampa Bay Buccaneer's Offensive Line stack up?

Buc Wild — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 12:15:08 -0000

How did this group do in 2008? While highly touted, the numbers tell a different story.

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Grading out offensive lines is a difficult task. Other than sacks allowed, there are no commonly used metrics that can distinguish a good offensive line from a bad offensive line. We can try and judge by the naked eye and make claims like "Man, he gets beat a lot" (Robert Gallery at tackle) or "Wow he sucks, he has so many penalties" (Good afternoon Kenyatta Walker). We can try and listen to the talking heads about how one guy uses his hands as weapons, while the other doesn't swivel his hips enough.

But that doesn't really let us evaluate the offensive line. An offensive lineman's performance can be affected by the scheme run, the opponent played, and even if the team is protecting a lead or trying to mount a comeback. Other issues are the quality of players around you, specifically the running back. The best offensive lines can be made to look dismal with a below average running back while a bad line can be made to look good with a great back.

But how have they performed as a group? There are a few more advanced metrics that attempt to value the offensive line based on several different factors. I'll introduce those metrics, define them both in the technical terms as well as an easier to understand version, and then we'll look at how the Bucs fared in those categories.

Hit the jump for a look inside the numbers.

I was motivated to do this look at offensive lines based on Tomahawk Nation's excellent look at the FSU OL. The available statistics between the college game and professional game vary, but there are still some telling statistics to be looked at.

Let me be the first to say that I was/am very high on the Bucs offensive line. As a unit they have all the makings of a strong, aggressive unit. Davin Joseph, Jeremy Trueblood, Jeff Faine, Arron Sears, Jeremy Zuttah and Donald Penn all fit into the mold of what you want in an offensive lineman. We've heard for a year or two how some of these guys are future Pro Bowlers, and I have no doubt that as individuals, some of these players will take home some awards.

Let's take a look at 2008 numbers on the offensive line, which are provided FootballOutsiders.

To get you comfortable with some of the statistics/metrics that will be used, let's look at the explanations on FootballOutsiders (or FO).

Adjusted Line Yards:

Teams are ranked according to Adjusted Line Yards. Based on regression analysis, the Adjusted Line Yards formula takes all running back carries and assigns responsibility to the offensive line based on the following percentages:

Losses: 120% value

0-4 Yards: 100% value

5-10 Yards: 50% value

11+ Yards: 0% value

These numbers are then adjusted based on down, distance, situation, opponent, and the difference in rushing average between shotgun compared to standard formations. Finally, we normalize the numbers so that the league average for Adjusted Line Yards per carry is the same as the league average for RB yards per carry, (which is 4.08 yards)

In language that us regular folks might understand, each running play has a specific value for the offensive line. If a running back gains 4 yards, the OL is credited with 100% of that, or 4 yards. If the back is hit for a loss of 2 yards, the OL gets credit for -2.4 yards.

It also mentions it "adjust" the numbers based on down, distance etc. What this refers to is 5 yard gains are not created equally. A 5 yard gain on 3rd and 15 is not as valuable as a 5 yard gain on 3rd and 4. Additionally a 5 yard run from the opponent's 5 yard line is worth more than a 5 yard run from midfield.

Using Adjusted Line yards (or ALY), let's see how the Bucs fared in 2008.

Rank	Team	Adj Line Yards	RB Yards
22	TB	4.04	4.09
NFL	Avg	X	4.25

I can already hear you asking, "so what does this mean?" Remember that in Adjusted Line Yards, 4.08 was the league average. The Bucs OL was very slightly below average in this category, coming in at an ALY of 4.04 yards per carry. Additionally, the running backs averaged 4.09 yards per carry (this is in the standard metric we are used to seeing). To put it all together, on a given carry, we can expect a run of 4.09 yards, with 4.04 yards of credit going to the OL and .05 yards going to the running back. Our running backs are basically going only as far as our line will take them and were below average in 2008.

Another way of looking at this is our running backs are extremely dependent on the offensive line on any given running play. For comparison's sake, the Giants were at the top with an ALY of 4.62 and a YPC of 5.28, while the Bengals were at the bottom with an ALY of 3.31 and a YPC of 3.22 (their running backs actually gained less than what the OL provided)

This is somewhat of a shocking number for all the accolades our line received from staff, media, and fans alike. They were average, ranked 22nd in the NFL in adjusted line yards in 2008. Had you asked me before viewing these numbers, I would've guessed top 12. The ALY does vary based on where the run goes (off tackle and to which side), but we'll cover that later. On to the next metric

Power Success

Percentage of runs on third or fourth down, two yards or less to go, that achieved a first down or touchdown. Also includes runs on first-and-goal or second-and-goal from the two-yard line or closer. This is the only statistic on this page that includes quarterbacks.

You might call this the "smash mouth football" look as it looks as running plays on short to gain situations. Goal line runs, 3rd and 1, 4th and 1 etc. With big nasties like Trueblood and Joseph, we had to fare pretty well in this category, right? Let's look at the 2008 numbers and see.

Rank	Team	Power Success	League Avg
17	TB	65%	67%

Again, mildly disappointing. Just below league averaged and in the bottom half of the league. We converted 65% of our "power success" opportunities, good for 17th in the league (bottom half) and slightly below league average. The tops and bottoms of the league were Carolina at 79% (I think we contributed to that number) and San Francisco at 52%.

With an undersized "power back" in Earnest Graham, and injuries at fullback, this might help explain some of the lack of success. This has to change this year if we are going to a run-based offense. We'll have more than our fair share of 3rd and short and I would put a 70-72% range as a reasonable benchmark to be successful.

Now that we've looked at the short yardage situations, let's look at long or breakaway runs.

10+ Yards

Percentage of a team's rushing yards more than 10 yards past the line of scrimmage. Represents yardage not reflected in Adjusted Line Yards stat.

This seems easy enough. Look at all the yards that are more than 10 yards past the line of scrimmage. Then take them as a percentage of the total yards.

The thinking here is, once a running back gets 10 yards past the line of scrimmage, the offensive line has done their part. This yardage is fully dependent on a running back making people miss or breaking tackles. This is a measure of the breakaway ability or big gain potential of a team. Any yards gained on a running play after the initial 10 yards is not counted towards the offensive line for those reasons. How did the Bucs fare?

Rank	Team	10+ Yards	League Avg
13	TB	18%	19%

Alright, our first ranking in the top 50% of the league! It comes in a category that I wouldn't have expected. While Earnest Graham is a good back, I certainly don't classify him as a breakaway threat. But with him being the primary ball carrier, we achieved a ranking in the top half of the league. While still a bit below league average, we can see that 18% of the Bucs yardage in the running game came from beyond 10 yards outside the line of scrimmage. To put it in context, the top team in 10+ Yards was Carolina with 27% and the lowest was Indianapolis with 9%. Those seem about right.

I'd expect that number to be a bit higher next year. With a dedication to the running game that we didn't see under Gruden, it should wear down defenses and allow for bigger gains. Most of Graham's long runs last year came in the 4th quarter and with Derrick Ward and Cadillac pitching in, the defense should be dead tired come the end of the game.

Let's get to the first metric where a lower number is better.

Stuffed

Percentage of runs where the running back is tackled at or behind the line of scrimmage.

Carries for a loss are never a good thing. A running back falling forward, or getting back the LOS can sometimes be a great play, taking a 3 yard loss and turning it into a short gain. The "Stuffed" percentage is one you want to be low, or be at zero.

Rank	Team	Stuffed	League Avg
12	TB	17%	18%

Another good ranking for the Bucs. Opinion time. This would seem to be based on both the line's ability to at least get a hat on their guy, but also the decisiveness of Graham. As a one cut runner, he doesn't do a lot of dancing in the backfield, which (in theory) would diminish his chances for being hit in the backfield. The Bucs OL ranked in the top half of the league and even came in a bit better than league average. It's an interesting contract to the Power Success numbers. So while we aren't getting hit for a loss that often (in comparison to league average), we aren't converting the league average of short yardage situations.

Sack Rank

Sack Rate represents sacks divided by pass plays, which include passes, sacks, and aborted snaps. It is a better measure of pass blocking than total sacks because it takes into account how often an offense passes the ball. Adjusted Sack Rate adds adjustments for opponent quality, as well as down and distance (sacks are more common on third down, especially third-and-long). Sacks are just what you think, total number of sacks given up.

I'll do my best to translate here. The Sack Rank percentage will give us the adjusted percentage as to how often a sack occurs. To help better define this, let's look at an example. We'll look at Team A who passes more than normal (think Colts) and Team B who runs more than normal (think Ravens). Both teams give up 40 sacks. Sounds like it's pretty equal, right? Well, what if we add in that Team A had 600 drop backs (got sacked 6.6%) and the Team B only had 400 drop backs (sacked at a rate of 10%). I'd say that leads to a compelling conclusion that although the same number of sacks were given up, Team A's OL performed much better. That's just one of the factors that plays in, but you can see that number of sacks is not a truly defining measure.

Rank	Team	Sacks	Adj Sack Rank	NFL Sack Avg	NFL Adj Sack Avg
22	TB	36	7%	32	6.20%

A pretty disappointing number. Ranked 22nd in the league, the Bucs gave up 36 sacks compared to a league average of 32. "But I thought you said total sacks isn't a good measure of an OL?". You're right. Our Adjusted Sack Rate was 7%, meaning on 7% of drop backs we can expect a sack (based on a 30 drop back game, that equates to 2.1 sacks a game). The league average was 6.2%, so again, we were worse than average.

The highs and lows were as follows. High and Low total sacks given up goes to Giants/Pats with 12 and the Lions with 55. As far as Adjusted Sack Rate, the Broncos were tops at 2.8% with the Bengals last at 9.7%. Based on a 30 drop back day, that's a difference of 2 sacks a game. Pretty remarkable.

Alright, so we've looked at a variety of new stats that measure the offensive line. I'd say the numbers were a bit startling. How can our offensive line that is so young and so good (according to media) perform this poorly? Well, there are a couple of potential causes. Offensive scheme, play calling, injuries. Gruden was never much a running game guy and often abandoned it early. In 2008 we didn't have a great blocking fullback, our running back (Graham) while good is still not one of the elite runners, he was injured giving way to Warrick Dunn who definitely slowed down as the year went on and we weren't able to convert short yardage situations.

While this may lead you to want to jump off a bridge, you may want to hold up. The zone blocking scheme can be a great catalyst for our offensive line. The backs we have fit that system (one cut and go), we do have talented players on the offensive line, and we have now added another 1.5 backs to the stable (Ward and a Caddy/Clifton split). All things being equal, we should improve upon these numbers if Jagz and company stick to the gameplan.

Speaking of game plans, how did the Buc's offensive line do when running the ball in certain directions? This will all be based on ALY (explained up towards the top). We'll look at how they did running left or right, and end versus off tackle versus up the middle. We'll also take look into how often we ran in what direction.

We'll look at each split individually in terms of ALY and how often we ran that direction. First up, runs off left end.

Team	ALY	Rank	% of Runs
TB	2.16	30	7%
NFL	4.16	x	11%

Ugh. Running off left end was not kind to the Bucs offensive line. This would be in Donald Penn's direction and you can see, we not only ranked 30th in the league, we are a full 2 yards below average. The good news? We only ran off left end 7% of the time, far below league average. Maybe a sample size issue, but nonetheless, our runs off left end didn't end well.

Let's take a look at off tackle runs to the left side.

Team	ALY	Rank	% of Runs
TB	3.54	28	9%
NFL	4.18	x	14%

Again, well below average. Apparently running to the left wasn't a strong suit in 2008. We're about half a yard below average, though again, we ran to the left significantly less than the league average. It's tough to blame individuals based on these metrics as you don't know the outcome, but its safe to say Penn's side of the ball didn't hold up in the running game. I wonder if we ran less that way due to poor performance, or had poor performance due to running that way less. The chicken or the egg argument I suppose. Let's leave the left side and get to the runs off guard and to the middle. For clarification purposes, and per FootballOutsiders

research so far shows no statistically significant difference between how well a team performs on runs listed middle, left guard, and right guard

This just means that off guard runs are counted as runs up the middle for statistical purposes. Here are the numbers for "up the middle" runs.

Team	ALY	Rank	% of Runs
TB	4.35	9	66%
NFL	4.14	x	50%

Now we're talking. These runs would have been over Arron Sears, Jeff Faine, Jeremy Zuttah and Davin Joseph. The Adjusted Line Yards here show the line providing 4.35 yards per carry. Above league average, but it looks like this is where the majority of the runs took place. Can't say I see an issue with that. We hammered the ball up the middle and succeeded. The perception of those 3-4 players is that they are the strongest (or most skilled/complete players) on the offensive line, and their ALY does nothing to deter from that statement.

Well, we've seen success up the middle and we've seen some horrific numbers on the left side, how did the right side fare? Let's venture into Jeremy Trueblood's territory.

Team	ALY	Rank	% of Runs
TB	3.91	26	11%
NFL	4.1	x	14%

Back to being below average. It was a nice run while it lasted (bad pun intended). Going off right tackle, the line is averaging 3.91 yards per carry, about .2 yards below league average. At the bottom of the pack, again. We were close to league average in terms of number of runs off right tackle, but again, not quite evenly distributed with the league average. Any predictions on the right end runs?

Let's see if the pattern continues with runs to either direction not performing.


Team	ALY	Rank	% of Runs
TB	3.9	20	7%
NFL	3.9	x	10%

We hit the league average square on the nose, but still are in the bottom half. And again, we ran outside less than average. While not quite as bad as the left side, the runs to the right side were still below average and under that magical average of 4.08 ALY or YPC.

With virtually the same offensive line coming back and same backfield with more depth, this should be a good tool for the new offensive coordinator, Jeff Jagodzinski to look at. We will be going with a different blocking scheme (zone vs man), but the data seems to indicate that the strength of the line in the running game is up the middle.

So what did we learn? We definitely picked up some non-common metrics that can help us evaluate an offensive line's performance. On a team-centric basis, we see that in the passing game, we're giving up a sack about 7% of the time based on our offense (again, 2008 numbers). We saw that while the gross number of sacks was about in line with the NFL average, we were still giving up about 2.1 sacks a game based on offense, opponent, and other factors.

The running game, specifically the OL were a bit of a disappointment. The ALY was a touch below average, as was the power success rate, a number I fully expected to be in our favor. The Stuffed numbers showed that the Bucs OL and running game were better than average at getting hit in the backfield (in a good way) and the running backs, while capable of ripping off 10+ yard runs, still showed to be more of a ground and pound type system.

With a new scheme, new OC, new coach, a great addition in the backfield, and a healthy (crosses fingers) backfield and line, I expect us to improve in each category, across the board. The 2009 season is here, we'll keep an eye on these new metrics to see what changes are made and how they affect the team.

Saturday Morning Links for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Courtesy of Buc 'Em

Buc Wild — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 14:20:07 -0000

Man, it's pretty easy to tell that we are in the midst of the dead part of the off-season. It's been pretty quiet in Buc land, as well as around the NFL. But I suppose the only real big news this time of year are players getting arrested or cut. We've done the second and I'm hoping our players are smart enough to stay away from the first. On to the Tampa Bay Buccaneer Morning Links.

Penn in the top 5 OL? - This piece caught me by surprise. I wrote not too long ago that Donald Penn was solid, but didn't think he was worthy of the cash he was asking for. Well Warren Sapp has put Penn in the top 5 offensive linemen in the league. Not top 5 left tackles, not top 5 Buc's linemen, but top 5 linemen in the NFL.............. I don't really have a response to this other than........prove it this year.

Monte moves on - A look at Monte from a Tennessee point of view. It'll still be hard to not have his defense on Sundays. If for nothing less than we knew what to expect, for better or worse.

Re-hashing coaching changes - If you haven't heard, the Bucs have a new coach. By the way, he has never coached before. And I forgot to mention, we have a new offensive and defensive coordinator.

Piscitelli giving back - If you're down in Palm Beach County, there are two football camps today, with the Bucs own Sabby Piscitelli helping out at one of them.

Derrick Brooks to the UFL? - This article about made me punch my computer screen. It's an over view of the UFL, but for a brief sentence it discusses some NFL players that might take part, Marvin Harrison, Michael Vick, and ex-Buc Derrick Brooks. I can't imagine seeing Brooks go from Mr. Buc, a fan favorite, perennial Pro Bowler and all around good guy to languishing on the field (or even worse, the bench) of a start up league. Truly disturbing to hear the news.

That takes care of your trip around Buc nation on Saturday morning. Remember to stop by www.bucem.com for all your Bucs news.

Anquan Boldin may cost Buccaneers four NFL Draft Picks, still want him?

The Bull Gator — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 13:25:44 -0000

Posted on behalf of JScott.

So you want to trade for Arizona Cardinals' WR Anquan Boldin? It’s going to cost you. Boldin’s Agent Drew Rosenhaus sent out a league-wide email to every franchise explaining that Anquan Boldin, Chad Johnson, and Terrell Owens were available via trade. In regards to Boldin he declared the Roy Williams trade last season between the Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys as the ‘model/barometer’ for such a trade involving Anquan. Here’s what the Lions got in return for their wide receiver mid-season:

First Round Pick, Third Round Pick, Sixth Round Pick, and a Seventh Round Pick in 2010.

I know it’s a lot but I could deal with the coup so long as getting Boldin didn’t preclude us from pursuing (A) Julius Peppers, should he not be franchised, or (B) Albert Haynesworth. I realize that’s asking a lot, but if we are going to sacrifice two first day picks and two potential long-term contributors we need to make good on our other vacancies via free agency. In the end, I can’t see the Bucs doing this. First of all, if they resign Antonio Bryant, do we then need Boldin (I say yes, but I love the guy [read: I’m biased])? If Donald Penn doesn’t get resigned we have a gaping hole at left tackle that would need to be filled. Jordan Gross is available and would cost double, maybe triple, that of Penn. Then on the flip side there is the defensive line. Does anybody want to burn a 1st round pick on a defensive tackle that may or may not contribute? There are tough questions Mark and Raheem are no doubt discussing leading up to Free Agency and the NFL Draft.

Poll

If trading for Anquan Boldin meant missing out on all of the following: Julius Peppers, Albert Haynesworth, and Antonio Bryant; would you still make the trade?

Yes

59 votes

No

416 votes

Why does it have to be so complicated?!?

34 votes

Is Alvin Harper available?

27 votes

536 votes | Poll has closed