This Team Looking Like The 2002 Team Apr 13 2014, 2:39pm
Yes, it is true this years Buccaneers team is looking more and more like the 2002 season team. Why exactly? Lets compare each team and look at a few key similarities. The Bucs 2000's dynasty has the best teams Tampa Bay has ever fielded from Dungy's early years to Gruden's later teams the Bucs always seemed to have a few common characteristics. Pound the rock. This was a common phrase used during the Bucs legacy years. It meant to just ram the ball down the opponents defenses throats. Mike Alstott and Warrick Dunn were the Buccaneers key contributors that pounded the rock. Every time Tampa ran the ball it was wearing the defense down little by little only opening them up for a big gainer. The 2000's offense was never explosive or even that great, they just did what was needed to be done. Fast forward to now, look at the offense Tampa Bay has. They definitely have the run offense to pound the rock and they should. With a triple threat baclfield and a revamped O-line this Bucs squad could be one of the top running offenses in the league this season. The Bucs of 2002 also never had a great Quarterback. They had a "game manager in Brad Johnson. A tag that is often associated poorly on a quarterback, in the league of stats today. Is being a game manager all that bad? Nick Saban once said "I don't think you can be a good quarterback unless you're a really good game manager." The LA Times also said this, "Trent Dilfer was not an "elite" quarterback, the 2000 Baltimore Ravens won the Super Bowl with a dominant defense and Dilfer as a game manager." Sounds familiar doesn't it Brad Johnson had a great all around team all he had to do was his job and they would win most of the time. Fast forward to now. I know Josh McCown put up great numbers last season, but he's no Tom Brady. Josh McCown won't be expected to win games for the Bucs. He will be asked to do consistent, because combine Josh McCown's game managing aspects with the rest of the offensive talent and you got a heck of an offense. Consistency plagued this team last season, don't expect that to be the case this year. Last but not lease the defense. Now it's be ludicrous for me to compare this years defense the the all-time greatest Buccaneers defense. The Bucs defense during their Superbowl run was once in a lifetime, it all just came together perfectly to make a nasty squad. The could win games by themselves and was the backbone of the team all year. Without one key component of that team the Bucs wouldn't have been the Bucs. Look at this year though, it all seems to be like deja vu. This year the defense has a star linebacker in Lavonte David, like Derrick Brooks in 2002. They have a pure beast in Gerald McCoy, like Warren Sapp. They have the all star secondary, so what's missing? Nothing this team should be extremely improved this year. Maybe not division champs, but damn near close. This Buccaneers squad is so balanced they should have no trouble making the Wild-Card, but time will only tell.
http://www.bucsnation.com/2014/4/13/5610782/this-team-looking-like-the-2000s-team
