Survivor I - Tampa Bay Buccaneers Commentary

NOTE: this draft was completed on 7/24

Positives - Derrick Brooks. Simeon Rice. Booger McFarland. Ronde Barber. Brian Kelly. With a pair of shutdown corners, an end always in the running for the sack title, and a perennial pro-bowler at linebacker, the Bucs defense is as solid as they come. Recent departures of aging stars have hurt the unit, but the return of Super Bowl MVP Dexter Jackson at safety, the maturation of Dewayne White, Ryan Nece, and Jeff Gooch, and the addition of Chris Hovan will help shore up the unit. Monty Kiffen is still one of the premier Defensive Coordinators in the league. However, the biggest improvement in the Bucs defense might be the Bucs offense. Gruden’s shiny new Cadillac will give the Bucs ground game an instant shot in the arm, allowing the offense to control the ball more, which will keep the defense off the field and rested. It doesn’t hurt that Tampa Bay will face one of the easiest opposing schedules in the league next year.

Negatives - In the past two years the defense has gone straight downhill, with their hallmark becoming fourth quarter collapses. This is mainly due to the combination of the Buccaneers defense strength, which is speed, and their Achilles heel, not being able to get off the field. When you pursue as aggressively as the Tampa defense does, you tire fast. Coupled with the offense’s lack of a running game, this lead to the defense getting tired in the fourth quarter and collapsing.

Draft Strategy - Last year the Bucs had a league best 161.2 passing yards allowed per game, held opponents to under 20 points allowed per game, and tied for the league lead with 45 sacks. The addition of a credible ground game will help the offense chew up more clock and keep the defense fresh, which should help them repeat their under 20 points allowed per game performance of last year. With Simon Rice still rushing from the end, a healthy Anthony McFarland plugging up the middle, and the best blitzing corner in the league, Ronde Barber, the sacks will also come. In a league where defensive scoring is more than an accessory, a solid defense is essential. The Steelers were off the board, and I’m a Bucs homer, so they got the nod over the Panthers.