 | | Jaworski on the Buccaneers |  |
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are playing tremendous football. While the defense continues to be the staple of the team, the Bucs offense has taken a quantum leap over last year. Credit both offensive coordinator Les Steckel and head coach Tony Dungy, who is allowing the offense to open up despite being an historically conservative coach.
On first and 10, the Bucs are awesome, averaging 5.1 yards per rush. When the Bucs throw on first and 10, Shaun King has been extremely effective, completing 63 percent of his passes with two touchdowns and no interceptions. That kind of production on first down has helped the Bucs get big-yardage plays on the other downs. In three games, the Bucs have had nine pass plays of 20 yards or more. Last year they had 26 all season.
While King is getting a lot of credit and Keyshawn Johnson has been the focal point, their offensive line has been clearly upgraded with the additions of center Jeff Christy and guard Randall McDaniel from Minnesota. The offense is more versatile because the line is more athletic.
Meanwhile, despite some arguments from Miami and Buffalo, the Bucs defense is still the NFL's best. They have a quick, gang-tackling defense that runs down every play. The Bucs are the NFL's best on third down, allowing only an 18-percent conversion rate, and the opposing offenses have gotten into the red zone only three times this season, the fewest in the league.
Five keys for the Bucs:
1. Good jam on receivers. The Bucs like to get cornerbacks Ronde Barber and Donnie Abraham up in the bump-and-run position and then back them up with the safeties. The cornerbacks need to jam the Jets receivers, Wayne Chrebet and Dedric Ward, at the line and not allow them to get down the field. The Jets have a timing and rhythm passing game. If the Bucs cornerbacks can break down the timing and rhythm, Vinny Testaverde will have to hold onto the ball for a little longer, allowing the Bucs pass rush to get to
him.
2. Maintain first-down efficiency. Getting good yardage on first down sets up the Bucs offense. They have been effective both running and throwing the ball on first down. It has helped make the offense more explosive. Who would have thought the Bucs could ring up 72 points over the last two weeks? They have been fueled by their first-down efficiency. You would think defenses would be loading up the box because the Bucs are a run-first offense. But the offensive line has done a solid job.
3. Big passing plays. As efficient as they are on first down, the Bucs still need the big plays down the field. They have been getting the big passing plays, and they must continue that. I think the Bucs can run the football and control the clock. But points come through the passing game. They have been designing plays to get the ball to Keyshawn Johnson, and they will want to get him the ball early.
4. Play well on the edges. The Jets have an athletic offensive line. Their guards pull very well, as does Kevin Mawae from the center spot. Against the Bucs' 4-3 defense, Mawae will move around a lot. The Jets like to attack on the outside with their cluster formation -- two tight ends and one receiver on one side. The Bucs have to defend the edges and turn everything back inside.
5. Green vs. Coleman. Marcus Coleman is a big, strong, tough cornerback, while Jacquez Green is a smaller, quicker player at receiver. Coleman has some trouble with the transition as he turns his hips to cover the deep ball. With Green's quickness and speed, the Bucs should try to get the home run whenever they see that individual
matchup.
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 | | Salisbury on the Jets |  |
The New York Jets, at 3-0, must be extremely confident and a little ornery because they are playing against Keyshawn Johnson. Between Keyshawn, Jets linebacker Bryan Cox and Bucs defensive tackle Warren Sapp, the Jets-Bucs game should be a rapper's delight. All three players, though, have always been able to back up their talk.
Without Keyshawn and without Bill Parcells, I don't think most people, including those in New York's locker room, thought they would be 3-0 at this point. But Al Groh has managed to keep the team playing at a high level and help give the Jets an early advantage in the AFC East race.
While the Jets don't feel like they are playing well on offense, they are still winning. Vinny Testaverde isn't playing like he did when he was an MVP candidate two years ago, but he's getting results. I'd rather be playing ugly football and winning than playing pretty football and being 1-2.
The Jets are a scrappy, unspectacular team that just seems to find a way to win. You can take the jersey names off the uniforms on that team and nobody would care. That's the way they play, and that's the way they like it. Because Tampa Bay is getting all the kudos, I think the Jets want to go down to Tampa and prove themselves. You can bet it will be an emotionally intense atmosphere at Raymond James Stadium when the ball is kicked off Sunday.
Five keys for the Jets:
1. Run-pass distribution. The Jets are at their best when they run and pass equally. They don't lean on one or the other too much. Against a good defensive team like Tampa Bay, that distribution is paramount. There can't be too much of discrepancy so that the Bucs know what the Jets are doing. If they do, the Jets have no chance.
2. Play-action must be a plus. With that good distribution and with Curtis Martin, who may be the best back in the league at grinding out tough yards, the Jets need to find opportunities to use the play-action pass. Tampa Bay plays a lot of two-deep zone coverage, so getting the ball down the field will be difficult. With play-action, though, the Jets can work the in-cut and deep curl routes. Off the play-action fake, Testaverde is as good as any quarterback at working between the numbers, where the Tampa Bay defense is most vulnerable. I wouldn't be shocked if the Jets run a lot of play-action on
first down.
3. Big plays. The Jets may be a grind-it-out team and efficient on third down, but they have to make some big plays. They will not be able go 80 yards five times in the game, even though that's the Jets' mentality. The Bucs get to the quarterback and force turnovers, but the Jets still need to look for big plays. They need to do what they did against the Patriots on Monday night at the end. They can't play smash-mouth football for four quarters and beat Tampa Bay.
4. Force Bucs to play catchup. That means the Jets have to make Shaun King win the game. I like King and think he's a winner. He will never lead the league in passing statistics, but he doesn't turn the ball over. He plays smart. The Bucs want to control the ball. But if they are behind, they have to go away from what they do best -- a ball-control, run-first
offense.
5. Contain Bucs' pressure. Cornerback Ronde Barber is playing a lot like Rod Woodson did in Pittsburgh, coming off the slot and getting 3½ sacks. The Bucs have a league-high 18 sacks so far. I don't care how they contain the pressure -- blocking with eight players, using maximum protection, getting Testaverde to sidestep pressure off a play-action fake and dumping the ball off. The Jets can't allow Testaverde to get sacked five times and pressured six more times.
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ESPN's Sal Paolantonio takes a look at Keyshawn Johnson's first game against the New York Jets.