Gruden, Allen will be back in 2008

[DanTurksGhost]

What we don't get is that the offense has had three #1's , 2 # 2's, and 2 #3's in the last three years, and none of these players can be considered to be a core player for the 07 squad.

Incorrect. Three #1's, ONE #2, and two #3's.

Cadillac Williams will be the feature back, Davin Joseph will be the starting RG, and Trueblood will start at RT. All core players. Alex Smith will be a big contributor to this offense once Gruden is able to stop having to keep the TE in to block so often, and I believe that Maurice Stovall will become an impact player and considered an excellent value as a third round pick as he moves up the depth chart.

Six draft picks, yielding three starters and two more potential starters in the future.

The disturbing one is Clayton. He showed in year one that he has the ability, but the past two seasons have been a big disappointment and I'm hoping that gets resolved. If not, then we'll have to assign him the dreaded "BUST" label.

[njligernj]

I honestly don't remember who coached the Bengals back then except to say that they were an expansion team back then too, so I hope you are not refering to a finished and LOOOONNNNNGGGG Past his Prime Paul Brown as your "proof."

 There are a lot more good coaches who had bad runs -- I picked three of the greatest ever for my example. Anyway, yes I was refering to "a finished and LOOOONNNNNGGGG Past his Prime Paul Brown" in my message. After those four seasons I quoted he coached for four more years ... and never had a losing record. He had a 10-4 mark in '73 and 11-3 in '75. Not bad for that "finished and LOOOONNNNNGGGG Past his Prime" coach. So, anyway, yes, that was my proof. It's good proof. There are more examples. The point is that coaches can (and have) go on runs like this (or worse) and still rebound. Will Gruden? I don't know. Unlike the fire Gruden camp I can't predict the future. I'm just saying, unlike the way you painted it, there are a decent number of examples of good and great coaches having similar runs to Gruden (or worse) and then getting back on track with winning records. To say it has "never ever" happened is patently not true -- it's happened on quite a few occasions.

I can buy that. It does appear that the Bucs have taken the safer guys over the more talent guys in general.

Clayton is a perfect example. A hard worker in college who was a good but not great type that should have projected into a solid but not game changing #2 WR in the pros. Not exactly the stuff that you want from the 15th pick in the draft, but solid nonetheless. He had a great rookie year, then fell apart in year 2 and 3. Why?

Caddy is a complimentary player. A good one, but a complimentary guy nonetheless. His game translates well into the NFL well, as he is shifty and seems to pick out the right holes. Used as a 10-15 carry guy, he has value. That isn't a knock per se, since many NFL teams that dont have a Jackson (ARRRGGGGH) have found that splitting carries works well. Again, he isn't a guy one would consider 5th pick in the draft material. After a brilliant first 3 games, he fell apart in year 1. By year 2 he clearly wasnt running as hard as those first 3 games, and the result is under 800 yards rushing, a 3.5 average, and 1 TD. Again, a seemingly solid guy regressed in his 2nd year. Not one would expect from a rookie.

Ruud, Im sorry, but this guy isn't a guy anyone should have considered for the top of the 2nd round. He isn't an NFL caliber MLB. I know folks will argue this, but show me the proof? If he cant beat out a 35 year old MLB on a rebuilding team by year 2 then I am not sure why folks think he is anything other that what he is; a hard working special teams guy. Tatupu was clearly a better fit here.

Joseph and Trueblood were need picks. I hate drafting for need because you almost always pass up a superior talent, and your needs change so much year over year that by the time they fill the need, the team had other needs that would have been filled by simply taking a great player, regardless of postion. Both started, and played below average football. They are both rookies, so that can change, but still not the sign of a successful draft, at least not yet.

But, the point is progress. We all understand that the defense would have issues as they aged. What we don't get is that the offense has had three #1's , 2 # 2's, and 2 #3's in the last three years, and none of these players can be considered to be a core player for the 07 squad. The offense has fallen to 31st in points, 29th in yards. The running game, which was given the 5th pick in draft AND a 1 and a 2, finished 29th.

The plan was solid, draft guys to help the running game. The results haven't been there. Either the talent drafted was subpar, or the coaching they received was sub par. It is one or the other. Which one do you pick?

Do you even watch the games, 10-15 carries? Caddy? Same guy who got the ball 37 times last season against Green Bay? He's not 'complimentary' at all.

[Sgt.Shultz]

Lol omg...can somebody with a TBBBB account go over there and make a thread that says "TheChronic:Moron at Best" and state how Gruden is back in '08...lol OOO THE irony

[dbucfan]

Did the TBBBBB close or something? 

[Sgt.Shultz]

Did the TBBBBB close or something?

lol i dont know...why?

[karen anderson]

Did the TBBBBB close or something?

lol i dont know...why?

  Because we are being invaded!!!

[dbucfan]

Don'tcha hate having to explain them!!!!!