They're averaging 31 points a game. They're blowing out opponents every week. And in three games, they've scored on a pass off a fake spike, a pass to a
guard lined up as a fullback and a quarterback draw.
What in the name of Sam Wyche is going on with the Buccaneers?
|  | | Wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson has helped bring life to the Bucs offense. |
For most of their 25 years, the Bucs have been the poster child for
offensive futility in the NFL. Even when they were decent, which wasn't
often, they were still boring.
Until this year, that is. Suddenly, the ever-conservative Bucs appear to
have transformed themselves into the NFL's latest scoring machine, a worthy
rival for the Vikings and Rams and all the other high-tech offenses operating
in the league today.
Indeed, nothing could be further from the truth. If your only exposure to
the Bucs this season is through highlight packages on television, you've
probably gotten the wrong impression. They don't look nearly as wide open on
the field as they do on SportsCenter.
Despite the impressive victories -- 41-0 over Chicago, 31-10 at Detroit --
that broke all the frachise scoring records and despite several creative
red-zone wrinkles installed by new offensive coordinator Les Steckel, these
are still the same old Bucs, running basically the same old Bucs offense.
They're just better at it than they used to be.
A lot better.
Clearly, the team's new offensive influences are responsible for the sudden
increase in production. Steckel, who replaced Mike Shula after the Bucs
couldn't even manage a touchdown in last year's NFC title game, runs an
offense that better suits the personnel and takes advantage of their skills.
Keyshawn Johnson, acquired in a blockbuster trade with the Jets, has
energized the wide receiving corps, if not the entire team. Veteran free
agents Jeff Christy and Randall McDaniel have solidified the offensive line.
And quarterback Shaun King has emerged as an efficient team leader in only
his second season.
Along with holdover running backs Mike Alstott and Warrick Dunn, they have
transformed the Bucs offense from boring to beautiful.
Just don't call it wild and crazy.
Sure, the Bucs have scored 93 points en route to a 3-0 record (last year it
took them seven games to score that many points). But don't be fooled. Coach Tony
Dungy has maintained his defense-first mentality. He hasn't changed his
low-risk, ball-control philosophy on offense, no matter what the scoreboard
says.
"You guys have a misperception about me," Dungy told reporters Monday. "I
never said I like the low-scoring games. I like it when the other team has
low scores. It really doesn't bother me when we're scoring 41, 31."
Dungy's tongue was nearly pushed through his cheek when he said that, but
the truth is the Bucs are averaging 14 more points and 48 more yards per game
than they did last year. An offense that has been ranked 20th or lower for 12
of the last 14 years is now 13th. The Bucs are on pace to score 496 points,
which would shatter the team record of 335 set in 1984.
But Dungy isn't as impressed by such numbers as other coaches.
"When Les came here, there were three things he talked about," Dungy said.
"Doing a good job running the ball, not turning it over and scoring when you
get down there."
So far, Steckel is 3-for-3 on that wish list, which sounds a lot more like
a directive from Dungy than a game plan imported by Steckel.
With Alstott refocused as an inside runner and Dunn working the flanks on
an almost equal number of carries, the Bucs are rushing for 139 yards per
game, up 28 from last year.
With King operating behind air-tight protection (only three sacks all
season), the offense hasn't turned the ball over in three games. In fact, the
only turnover came when Karl Williams fumbled the opening kickoff of the season opener.
And in the red zone, where the offense usually went to die last season, the
Bucs have an NFL-best nine touchdowns (and two field goals) in 11 trips this
season.
That King-to-Reidel Anthony touchdown pass off a fake spike and King's
2-yard touchdown pass to guard-turned-fullback Randall McDaniel aside,
Steckel isn't a wild-and-crazy offensive whiz. With the Super Bowl-runnerup
Titans last year, his offense was the picture of balance, finishing 13th in
the NFL in rushing and 13th in passing.
Nor have the Bucs turned into a pass-first team since Steckel arrived. They
were the only team in the league that called more running plays than passing
plays last year and -- guess what? -- they still run more than they throw.
|
“ |
I'm
not surprised by our success, but I am pleased.
We have the players. I know that's a dangerous statement for a coach to make, but we
have the weapons. ” |
|
|
— Les Steckel, Buccaneers offensive coordinator |
Steckel's formula is short, possession passes to Dunn and Johnson, good
protection for King and tough inside running by Alstott. And while Johnson
may get the most headlines, especially this week as the Bucs prepare to meet
the Jets, the biggest reason for Tampa Bay's success is King.
The forgotten man in the great quarterback Class of 1999, King is a rarity
in the NFL -- a young quarterback who understands the importance of
protecting the ball. He has completed 40 of his 75 passes this season for 545
yards and four touchdowns, but his most important statistic is his zero
interceptions.
"I can't say enough great things about him," Steckel said. "The thing I
love about Shaun is he has bought into the program. He's thoroughly convinced
that if he throws no interceptions, we'll win every game."
The Bucs offense has started slowly in a couple of games and Steckel
admittedly buttoned up too soon in the opener against the Patriots, sure
signs that Dungy's philosophy still rules.
"Everybody says, 'You're too conservative, you're playing scared,' "
Steckel said. "To me, that's smart, sound football. If you have a young
quarterback brought up, if you will, with that system, instead of a
riverboat-gambling attitude, you're going to have a dependable and successful
quarterback."
It helps that the Bucs have surrounded King with better receiving talent
than failed predecessors Vinny Testaverde, Steve Young and Trent Dilfer ever
had. Johnson has become the primary chain-mover -- 12 of his 14 catches have
been for first downs -- and he's also drawn attention away from speedy
Jacquez Green, who has caught 10 passes and averaged 22.7 yards per
reception. Dunn is becoming increasingly involved in the passing game, too.
"I'm not surprised by our success, but I am pleased," Steckel said. "We
have the players. I know that's a dangerous statement for a coach to make,
but we have the weapons."
Other than Johnson, all of those weapons were in place last year. The
difference is that Steckel is using them in concert to come up with an
offense that, while not spectacular, is efficient.
"The team is maturing, especially on offense," said King, who is 8-2 as a
starter. "We're getting better and better to the point that, if need be, we
can carry a game."
They've said that about the Bucs defense for years. This is the first time
anyone has said it about the offense.
No defending St. Louis' poor defense
It doesn't seem possible, but the Rams offense is more impressive this year
than it was last year.
There is great cause for concern in St. Louis, however.
|  | | Defensive end Kevin Carter, left, has just one sack after three games. |
After finishing sixth in the NFL in defense in 1999, the Rams rank 30th
this season. They have allowed 387.7 yards and 31.3 points per game, both
staggering totals. Only one team in the NFL, hapless San Francisco, has given
up more yards and more points.
Last week, Rams coach Mike Martz said there were players on the defense who
were trying to do more than they needed to do and promised it would be
resolved. Then the Rams went out and surrendered 401 yards and 24 points to
the 49ers.
This week's spin: Martz is encouraged because the defense held the 49ers to
seven points and 158 yards in the second half.
"I think we finished that game on defense the way I'd like to see us finish
on defense," he said. "I think they took control of it for us."
Before they did, however, the Rams defense showed a vulnerability to the
big play. In the first half, the 49ers had eight plays of 15 or more yards.
"I think we got ahead of ourselves a little bit," Martz said. "We need
to back off and pull some things back to where guys are less tentative. It's
a very aggressive defense, but you have to know what you are doing. It allows
you a lot of creativity, but I think we got out of position a little bit."
Of course, you could make the argument that the Rams offense, which is
averaging 506 yards and 39.7 points per game, doesn't need the defense to be
any better than it has been.
Freeman's frustration boils over
Things aren't exactly hunky-dory in Green Bay, where Antonio Freeman is
becoming increasingly frustrated in an offense that averages 13.3 points and
240.3 yards per game.
Freeman said Sunday's 6-3 win over the Eagles was "real embarrassing
offensively" and indirectly criticized fellow wide receiver Bill Schroeder.
So far, Freeman has caught 13 passes for 174 yards and two touchdowns.
Schroeder has caught only six for 72 yards.
| |  | |
| Freeman |
Despite the coaching staff's efforts to line him up in different places,
Freeman is upset by the amount of double-coverage he's seeing on his favorite
underneath routes. He made it clear this week that a lack of deep speed and
overall production on the other side is the reason the Packers can't stretch
defenses.
Although Freeman and Schroeder both caught 74 passes for just over 1,000
yards last year, Freeman seems to think he'd get more opportunities with
speedy Corey Bradford in the game. The only problem? Bradford is out with a
broken ankle and no one knows when he'll return. As the team's third wide
receiver last year, Bradford had 37 catches for 637 yards and five touchdowns.
"I need Corey Bradford, that's who I need," Freeman said. "You see where
I'm going? I need Corey Bradford. I'm going to keep this plain and simple, I
need Corey Bradford. We need Billy Schroeder to contribute as well, but I
think Corey Bradford is one of the most underrated major components of this
offense."
Asked two days later about Freeman's obvious jab, Schroeder said he was
satisfied the criticism wasn't directed toward him.
"I haven't thought twice about it," he said. "I don't let that stuff bother
me. Everything's fine. It always was."
Freeman discussed it with Schroeder and then publicly backpedaled a bit,
saying that his comments had been misconstrued as a slap at Schroeder. He
said his point was that the team misses Bradford.
"I'm not trying to tear this football team apart," Freeman said. "We need
everybody, and that means Corey Bradford, too."
The Packers also need Freeman to return to his 1998 form, when his 1,424
receiving yards led the NFL. He hasn't been the same receiver since he signed
a big-money contract prior to last season.
The karma of being 3-0
Over the last five seasons, 22 of the 28 teams that opened the season 3-0
made the playoffs. Not only that, but every Super Bowl winner over the same
period started out 3-0.
That's good news for the NFC. Four of the five 3-0 teams -- the Rams, Bucs,
Vikings and Giants -- are in the NFC.
Tom Oates of the Wisconsin State Journal writes a weekly NFC column every Thursday for ESPN.com.
| |
ALSO SEE
AFC: L'affaire de Keyshawn et Chrebet
Game of the Week: Jets at Buccaneers
Game Plans: Jets vs. Buccaneers
Focal Point: Keyshawn Johnson vs. Wayne Chrebet
Inside the Playbook: Jets at Bucs
ESPN experts' picks for Week 4
Week 4 injury report
VIDEO
  ESPN's Sal Paolantonio takes a look at Keyshawn Johnson's first game against the New York Jets. RealVideo: 28.8 Tony Dungy and the 3-0 Buccaneers are anxiously awaiting the arrival of the 3-0 Jets. RealVideo: 28.8 |
