Beast is the Word

The Bucs Defensive Line totally “BEASTED” the Colts Offensive Line at Raymond James Stadium. This makes 2 weeks in a row that the Buccaneer defense has pretty much blown up their opponents. Now you could say that the competition has been lessor with a banged up Indianapolis team and an underachieving Atlanta line, but it is a very thin line that divides success and failure in the NFL. The NFL draft is a beautiful thing and with thorough evaluations works almost to perfection. The Bucs are a primary example, and their investment in this young defensive line is starting to pay dividends. In short, Adrian Clayborn is a Beast, Brian Price at 75% health is a Beast, and Gerald “GMC” McCoy along with Da’Quan Bowers who have been pressuring Quarterbacks left and right are Beasts. So there you have the defensive draft picks from the past two years, and then you add in the big Free Agent (not a “Big Name” of course) Michael Bennett, the high flying, knock-him out, Beast of a defensive end that has just kept on improving since he first became a Buc. When speaking of this Defensive Line, undoubtedly “Beast” is the word.

The National Sports Media continues to treat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a step child, and as usual  many of the pundits are picking the San Francisco Pelosi Whiners this weekend. Even Warren Sapp picked against the Bucs. His excuse was the Monday night game, short week, long travel, blah, blah, blah, all characteristics of a mentally weak team. I disagree because these Bucs are mentally tough, very young, energetic and full of piece and vinegar. These players and coaches love a challenge and love football. A few of the Football gurus did pick the Bucs this week. Pat Kirwan, who almost always knocks the Bucs picked them and two of my personal favorites, Michael Silver and Jason Cole of Yahoo Sports did as well. You would think that a young team that performed as well as the Bucs did last year, would finally have earned a little respect. When I watched the Bucs/49’rs preview this morning on Buccaneers.com all the narrator did was talk up the 49’rs and diss Josh Freeman about interceptions. That isn’t a highlight or a preview. What that is, is a total lack of respect, and Raheem’s Buccaneers thrive on that.

Isn’t this the same San Francisco team the Bucs owned last season? Well not exactly. They have a new coach, a reconstituted center, and a new linebacker, along with Braylon “stone hands”  Edwards. I honestly don’t see it, how a team that bad, could be transformed into a contender with a new coach and a few players. I do believe them to be much improved under Coach Harbaugh, but Frank Gore was shut down last time by the Bucs, and this is the same offensive line. A little different scheme, but the same personnel that were beat down by an often underachieving Buccaneer defensive line. It was by far the Buccaneer defense’s best game of the 2010 season and I would rank this 2011 defensive line about 5 times better, not to mention a stud coach that has them believing in each other. The hype is that Alex Smith has morphed into a top tier quarterback under Jim Harbaugh, but Alex Smith has never performed well under pressure, and pressure is what he’ll see all day Sunday. I doubt the 49’rs offense will score more than 9 points and it could get ugly because…..

On the other side of the Ball for the Buccaneers is the real Beast, Josh “The Lion King” Freeman and his own Beasts of Burden that serve and protect him. Patrick Willis is a Beast but the Bucs’ offensive line has faced tougher challenges already this year. The 49’rs have a top ranked run defense, yet they haven’t faced a LeGarrette Blount, and if ever there was a Beast on the field, he is it. Greg Olson has done a good job of catering his game plans to what the defenses give him and the 49’rs have been vulnerable to the passing attack. This may be the week that we see the Bucs’ offense start to open it up, spread the field and attack deep. The Bucs won’t have Luke Stocker this week for added protection, but Demar Dotson can play blocking tight end and last week we saw Ted Larsen come in the game for a sixth offensive lineman, a move right out of Sean Payton’s playbook that usually works well. I believe the 49’rs linebackers will be stingy in the middle of the field but the sides will be open, along with the deep ball. The other advantage I see the Bucs have is their ability to wear opponents down into the 4’th quarter. This is when I see the Buc-Factor, Legarrette Blount and Josh Freeman driving nails in the coffin. They are big and strong and will punish you when you are tired and on your heels. Time after time in the waning minutes Josh Freeman’s offense has come up big on 3’rd downs, destroying their opponent’s will to fight.

I believe the Buccaneers still have some growing to do, but they are scrappy and fight through adversity as well as any team in the league. Their ascension is nearing the summit, with teams like the Saints and Patriots still a little climb away. Sometimes the Bucs play down to their opponents, yet they are good enough to play up to a challenge and pull out the win. I don’t think this week is any different, regardless of the outside circumstances. I look for the Bucs to get better each and every week until January as they continue to learn and mesh as a young team. The main reason I look for the Bucs to continue their win streak in San Francisco is because the “Ultimate Beast” is Raheem Morris. He never backs down from a fight and has a never say die attitude that resonates though his entire team and fanbase. Don’t worry Coach, we got your back. We all got your back.

Go Bucs!!!

I’ve found that prayers work best ……..
when you have big players.”
Knute Rockne / Notre Dame