Tampa Bay v. San Diego

by John Michael

Trending up. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have hit it big as of late, winning three of their last four while averaging 36 points during that span. The offense has been on fire, becoming one of the most – if not the most – productive offenses in franchise history. The catalyst of this offense during this span has without a doubt been Doug Martin. Since his breakout game in Minnesota, Martin has taken the league by storm. In the last game against Oakland, Martin scored four touchdowns and shattered the franchise record for single game rushing yards.  

But while the Bucs are trending up, the San Diego Chargers enter this game moving backwards. After starting the season with a solid 3-1 record, San Diego has lost three of their last four to end up with the same record as the Bucs at 4-4. Their offense ranks in the lower half of the league in both passing and rushing yards on offense at 22^nd and 20^th, respectively. The Chargers are also suffering from injuries, with three key starters who are questionable for the game. Jared Gaither, one of the top blockers in the league on the offensive line, was held out of practice last week alongside defenders Corey Liuget and Demorrio Williams. Phillip Rivers, the Chargers quarterback, has also been underperforming the past few weeks, but should be ready to attempt a lot of passes against a Buccaneers secondary that is ranked dead last in the league in passing yards allowed.

Keys to Victory

Run Dougie Run. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Until defenses can prove that they can stop Doug Martin, there is no reason to try and slow him down. The Chargers run defense is tough, ranking 4^th in the league in rushing yards allowed, but Martin has proven that he can overcome tough challenges in the run game. Last week, many questioned whether or not he could perform well with the loss of Carl Nicks, but Martin proved he could. Let Doug loose until the Chargers can show that they can stop him

Bunker down in the secondary. The passes are coming today. Phillip Rivers saw last weeks performance that saw Carson Palmer gain 414 yards in the air against the Buccaneers and will be looking to replicate it. The Bucs secondary is also weak right now, with Eric Wright dealing with an Achilles injury. The secondary may not be able to stop the pass, but should look for mistakes by Rivers and create turnovers.

Josh Freeman. This may be the game where Josh has to step up big time. If Rivers can attack the secondary with positive results, the defense may be in for a long day. And with a highly ranked run defense, Martin could be slowed down. Keeping up with the Chargers may rest solely on the arm of Freeman and his ability to target Vincent Jackson and Mike Williams. This wide receiving tandem has proven that it can be successful so far this season, but we may see how they perform when under pressure to keep up.

The Buccaneers should aim to keep rolling they way they have the past few weeks. But the Chargers are desperate for a win. It is possible, with how the Buccaneers secondary is shaped right now, that this game could turn into a shootout. If the Bucs can obtain an early lead, they should be able to hold off the Chargers attack to secure a victory.

John Michael’s Prediction:

 

Tampa Bay wins 38-31

Florida v. Louisiana-Lafayette

by Arnaldo

Cupcake: the team you pay to balance the schedule.  The team you should have no problem beating.  They're as soft as a cupcake.  As I've mentioned before, there's always a balance in schedules to tiptoe the line between having a favorable schedule and impressing the BCS voters with quality opponents.  Your conference will do the bulk of your schedule for you, but that still leaves four weeks of out of conference teams to schedule.  Florida enjoys its season-ending rivalry with Florida State, which leaves three open weeks.  In weaker conferences, teams must schedule more talented opponents to counteract their weak schedule, while SEC teams can schedule any FBS or FCS team it desires and no voter will look down on it.

Louisiana-Lafayette is 5-3 overall and 3-2 in the Sun Belt Conference.  They lead an efficient pass attack with QB Terrence Broadway who just came off a 373 passing, 87 yard rushing performance against Louisiana-Monroe, winning 40-24.  Don't be impressed however, the best defense the Ragin' Cajuns have faced this year has been Oklahoma State, who has the 56th overall best scoring defense.  Florida has the 3rd. 

The Match-up


Passing the ball - The Gators went out against Missouri with all the intentions of establishing a passing game.  When that veered them south, Muschamp had to rely on Gillislee and the run game to move the chains, but with three-fifths of the starting offensive line at least partially hurt or missing, and against a surprisingly tough Mizzou defense, it became easier said than done.  The Gators were shut out in the first half and barely broke a hundred yards passing the whole game.  Driskel needs to improve and receivers need to make plays, nothing's changed, but now is the time to improve two weeks away from a trip to Tallahassee.

Health - A major factor in the close game against Mizzou were injuries.  Matt Elam, Mack Brown, Andre Dubose, James Wilson, Xavier Nixon, Lerente McCray, Jonathan Halapio, and Caleb Sturgis all left the game injured.  Luckily, all are expected to return except for back-up running back Mack Brown.  Fellow back-up to Mike Gillislee, Matt Jones will be splitting his carries and has already done a great job throughout the season.  Expect less than normal playtime for a lot of these stars to ensure a full recovery for FSU, with the obvious exception of kicker Caleb Sturgis, who was sorely missed last Saturday as Brad Phillips missed two critical field goals.

Return practice - The Gators' special teams is starting to gain national recognition as one of the best.  This being said, Florida has yet to return a single punt or kickoff for a touchdown this season, something that has been missing since the Brandon James returns of the Urban Meyer era.  With Andre Dubose returning, but perhaps not 100% this week, it's time for him, Omarius Hines, and De'Ante Saunders to at least work on gaining substantial yardage on returns.  We all know how valuable field position is in the SEC (especially with a less-than-phenomenal offense) and the returns don't exactly match Kyle Christy's punts.

Secondary - Louisiana-Lafayette is a pass-oriented team and last week, we all learned how pass-oriented teams fare against the Gators.  Mizzou QB James Franklin threw four interceptions last week in a stunning display of defense from the secondary.  Expect big performances from Matt Elam, Jaylen Watkins, and Loucheiz Purifoy to accompany a healthier defensive line with the return of Lerente McCray and fully recovered Sharrif Floyd (SEC co-defensive lineman of the week) and Dominique Easley.


Homecoming in the Swamp - Even numbered years always just kinda fizzle out in Gainesville.  These are the years when we play FSU at Tallahassee, typically ending the season at home with an FCS opponent.  Last week's attendance claims to have been a few hundred under capacity (90,496) but anyone at the game, or even watching at home, could tell you it was not the Swamp.  The bubble-bursting loss to Georgia has taken a lot from the Gator faithful but the time for mourning has passed.  It's homecoming in Gainesville this weekend and the Swamp should be actually full, even for a 12:21 p.m. kickoff and regional SEC Network coverage with alumni ready to cheer on the Gators.  Let's pretend we're playing LSU again, tailgate early, stay late, and revamp the Swamp.

Arnaldo's prediction:

Florida 40 - Louisiana-Lafayette 3

Tampa Bay v. Oakland

 

by John Michael

January 26th, 2003. The greatest day in the history of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Playing in their first and only Super Bowl to date (They should have been there in 1999, but it's okay. I'm not bitter.), the Buccaneers would go on to beat the Oakland Raiders 48-21 and hoist the Lombardi Trophy as World Champions. However, that date almost 10 years ago is the last time the Buccaneers have beat the Raiders, going 0-2 against Oakland since. Including Super Bowl XXXVII, the Buccaneers have a 2-6 all time record against the Raiders, without a single win in the Raiders' home stadium.

Obligatory John Gruden Super Bowl Picture.

But the past is the past, and today is today. Tampa Bay rolls into Oakland after a huge road win against Minnesota, led with performances by Doug Martin and Josh Freeman that has the rest of the nation taking note of what is happening in Tampa. Martin was named the Offensive Rookie of the Month for October, leading the NFL in yards from scrimmage with an average of 155.7 yards per game. In the last three games, Freeman has been on fire - He has thrown for nine touchdowns and only one interception, averaging over 300 yards through the air. The offense appears to finally be clicking with Tampa Bay.

Oakland enters this game with the same record as the Buccaneers, riding on a two game winning streak. Those two wins, however, have come against the two teams that most regard as the worst teams in the NFL this year, Kansas City and Jacksonville. But don't let that trick you into thinking that Oakland is a pushover. Their other win came against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and they kept things close to the end with the 7-0 Atlanta Falcons. They have the tenth ranked passing offense led by quarterback Carson Palmer, who has thrown for over 1900 yards this season with 9 touchdowns. His favorite target is Denarius Moore, who has caught four of Palmer's touchdowns. The running game is led by former Arkansas running back Darren McFadden, who rushed over 100 yards in the Raiders' last game against the Chiefs. Oakland has notoriously been a difficult place to play for opposing teams, with members of the "Black Hole" creating one of the most intimidating home-field advantages in the league. Here's what the Bucs have to do to leave Oakland with a victory for the first time in franchise history.

Keys to Victory

Get well soon. Please.

Win in the Trenches. The Buccaneers received some of the worst news it could hear this week besides there being a sale on Adderall. Carl Nicks, one of Tampa Bay's big free agent signings last offseason, was placed on injured reserve with a toe injury. Nicks has been an enormous part of the recent surge in the Buccaneers offense, giving a strength to the Offensive line that the Bucs have rarely seen in recent years. Behind Nicks, Martin has been able to exploit the large holes he creates and Freeman has had more time in the pocket. The loss of Nicks could punch a large hole in the the Bucs' recent consistency if his replacements cannot contain the Raiders' Defensive line. Luckily for the Bucs, the extended week has given them some more time to prepare the additions to the line. In place of Nicks, Jeremy Zuttah will play left guard, and Ted Larsen will start at center.

Contain Darren McFadden. This should not be too difficult for the Bucs to do, as Oakland's rushing attack ranks 30th in the league and Tampa Bay's rushing defense ranks 6th. But McFadden on a good day can cruise through even the best defenses, so it is important for the Bucs to respect McFadden as a potential threat. McFadden was able to rush for over 100 yards in his last game and will look to improve this week, and Oakland will probably seek McFadden out on the field many times. It is no coincidence that the last 5 games McFadden has rushed over 100 yards in have resulted in Oakland wins.

Even Carson Palmer is surprised by Carson Palmer's recent success.

Prepare for the Pass. Carson Palmer has without a doubt noticed that the Buccaneers' passing defense ranks 30th in the league in his preparations this week, so the Bucs will need to be prepared for the air attack. With Aquib Talib "focusing" his efforts in New England now, and Eric Wright playing through a small injury (and possibly facing the same suspension Talib faced), the Bucs are vulnerable at the cornerback position. Should Demarius Moore or Darius Heyward-Bay get loose in the secondary, it could bode a long day for the Buccaneer's defense. However, the return of Da'Quan Bowers could help the passing attack get to Palmer quick and cause mistakes. While Bowers hasn't returned to "every-down" form, the coaching staff has agreed that he will see more playing time today than he saw against Minnesota.

If the Buccaneers win today, it will be the first time the Bucs have had back-to-back road wins since late 2010. With the consistency that Josh Freeman and the Buccaneers offense has shown in the past three games, things are looking well for the Bucs to accomplish that feat. It will be difficult to adjust to the loss of Carl Nicks, but with Jeremy Zuttah, who has started 31 games at left guard, as his replacement, the offensive line should perform well enough for Freeman and Doug Martin to continue their hot streak. The Bucs enter this game a more complete team than the Oakland Raiders, and I believe that they continue to build off of their success seen against Minnesota to improve to a 4-4 record.

John Michael's Prediction:

Tampa Bay wins 31 - 21

Florida v. Missouri

by Arnaldo

Mistakes were made.  It happens, but these mistakes obviously took quite a toll on Florida's nearly perfect regular season, a feat that's only been accomplished once by the '09 team.  It let out the air from under Gator fans everywhere as they stay in their homes and dorms this weekend in shame; the Mizzou game has not sold out.  I hate losing to Georgia.  I'd rather lose every game and beat Georgia than win every game while losing to Georgia, but it's time to gain some perspective.  The Gators are ranked No. 7 in the BCS after the loss.  The expectations for this season were similar to the last.  Third or fouth in the East was what I kept hearing, another struggle to make a bowl game.  Florida has been the surprise of the college football season and absolutely nothing has been negated. 

Believe it or not, the Gators are still on the inside track to a Sugar Bowl, same as last week.  Had we beaten the Bulldogs, we would have clinched the SEC East and faced a probable Alabama for a probable loss and a Sugar Bowl bid.  As long as Georgia wins out in the SEC (they have 5-3 Ole Miss and 1-7 Auburn remaining) they'll represent the East instead of us in the game where they will most definitely lose to the same probable Alabama.  That leaves Florida as the highest ranked available SEC team for the Sugar Bowl committee to chose.  All we really have to do is beat Florida State, and from what I saw in Jacksonville, it's all in the Gators' hands.

I say this because, I truthfully believe Florida is a better team than Georgia.  I'm not a sore loser, I promise.  The game was uncharacteristic for the Gators from the beginning to end.  Will Muschamp said that the margin of error was very slim for them, considering their schedule.  It took a mistake free game to beat LSU, it took half a dozen mistakes to lose to Georgia.  The Dawgs earned their 17 points (just as I predicted).  They went 1-10 on third downs, had 14 penalties for 132 yards, and three turnovers, which has been very characteristic for them.  The Gators lost this game for themselves.  Six turnovers, for a team that was plus-11 in their turnover margin, and they still won the time of possession battle, and ended the game one very unlucky play from tying.  These stats have victory in a rematch written all over them, but of course, the Gators and the Dawgs won't see each other again.  Instead, the Gators need to focus on the road ahead, which like I said, is still very favorable.  The season is far from over.

Recover.  The past is the past, and the Gators have three weeks of easy match-ups before facing Florida State.  Coming off a loss is never easy, especially a self-inflicted one.  It's time to forget the Cocktail Party, and work on recovery, both physically and psychologically.


The Match-Up

Ball security - It's the obvious subplot here.  The Gators must return to mistake-free form if they're to salvage their season and crawl back into elite status.  Two fumbles in the first three plays against Georgia is not acceptable.  The lack of momentum created from these turnovers was fatal.  Securing the football will come from everyone: Jeff Driskel, obviously, but also the offensive line that continues to not provide him with enough pocket time.  Don't let Mizzou's rough SEC record fool you.  The Tigers lead the nation in forced fumbles with 17.  After last week, that's a terrifying statistic.


Finalizing the playbook - The curse of a run-first offense is predictability.  You sacrifice variety for consistent production.  As the season wears on, play-callers develop tunnel vision and the more creative, less practiced plays, become harder to execute when they're needed.  At this point in the season, it's time to implement the final tweaks in style.  Look for the Gators to try what they tried against Vanderbilt, but only hopefully more successfully: spread the receivers, mix up the calls, and try some deep play-action.


Jeff Driskel and Jordan Reed - These two need pick-me-ups.  Driskel had a hand in the majority of the turnovers last week, while Reed was partially responsible for the game-loser.  As underclassmen, both are too easily influenced and need good performances to get them back on top of their game by Florida State.  Now's the time to get them back into rhythm for the last third of the season.


Defense - As usual, the stellar defense can't let down.  We've gotten where we are because they haven't.  The second best SEC defense in points allowed (fourth in the nation) must rely on their depth this week as Lerente McCray might not see a full game with an aggravated ankle and Leon Orr out with flu-like symptoms.  The trio of true freshmen who have seen plenty of play time and have thoroughly impressed Muschamp, and the Gator Nation for that matter, DE Dante Fowler Jr., LB Antonio Morrison, and DT Jonathan Bullard will be taking bigger roles to improve overall health on defense over the next few weeks.


Replacing Patton - Solomon Patton left the Georgia game with a broken arm and is definitely out for the season (in case you were wondering).  Though he's not used much, he does serve one very important role: the Solomon Patton jet sweep.  It's been the go-to fourth down play this season for good reason, though it had been getting a bit predictable, even Brent Pease admits it.  This play also spreads the defense, or takes advantage of a tightened up defense.  By running Mike Gillislee on the inside so much, defenses start to creep in and load the inside of the box, deep within the hash marks.  The jet sweep gets the ball-carrier out on the edges very quickly, which will spread the defense back out for the following play.  Likely candidates to fill Patton's void are Andre Dubose, who hasn't seen but four touches all year on offense, or Omarius Hines, who doesn't have the speed but makes up for it with strength.


Mizzou talent - Players to watch on the Mizzou squad include QB James Franklin, returner Marcus Murphy, and DT Sheldon Richardson.  Franklin's played about half the season due to injuries, and has only thrown a combined 18 passes in the last three games.  He can be explosive, however, having racked up 3,847 all-purpose yards last year.  Return man Marcus Murphy leads the nation in touchdown returns at four, including one kick-off return against Alabama.  Murphy may be the most talented return specialist the Gators special teams have seen.  Defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson leads the team in tackles (57) and sacks (4).  It's pretty uncommon for interior linemen to lead the team in these categories, which should tell you a couple things: Richardson is fast and can cover the entire line of scrimmage, is great against interior running, and has the strength to penetrate the offensive line for a sack.


Arnaldo's Prediction:

Florida wins 31-10

Florida v. Georgia

by Arnaldo

The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party, or how it's known today, politically correct, Florida-Georgia.  Is it really the largest cocktail party?  Who knows?  I certainly don't care, but it is quite the event.  The game has historically been played in Jacksonville, for reasons unknown (also, no one cares) other than two years when Jacksonville Municipal was under construction.  Tailgaters take a three day weekend and arrive from Gainesville and Athens on Thursday while the city of Jacksonville suspends their open container laws for the weekend.  Combine this with the following tidbit: SEC stadiums are prohibited from selling alcohol.  Jacksonville Municipal is not an SEC stadium.  The end result becomes what we know and love to be the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.

When asked, some people would say that Florida State is Florida greatest rival, and these people are called idiots.  While it is a great rivalry which in the past has had huge National Championship implications, it's no longer the '90s.  Sure both programs are back on the rise, but Florida-Georgia has ALWAYS somehow determined the SEC East champion.  Florida and Georgia have been playing each other for 33 years before Florida ever consistently met Florida State.  The Bulldogs lead the series all-time 47-40-2, but the Gators have won 18 of the last 22 meetings. 

These guys...

The stakes in this game are high, but like I said, the stakes are always high in this game.  This particular match-up is starting to feel like the Cocktail Parties of the Urban Meyer era: top 10 meeting, SEC/National Championship implications, all that's missing is some bad blood and unfortunately, Will Muschamp (UGA alumnus) and Mark Richt seem to get along just fine.  If Florida wins, they clinch the SEC East to meet the ultimate victor between Alabama/Mississippi State/LSU, while if Georgia wins, they take control of the East and must win out their SEC schedule to make it to Atlanta.

Florida side.

Georgia side.

Okefenokee Oar - Trophies are a staple in any true rivalry game, but the Florida-Georgia game has never really had one.  Interestingly in 1986, the city of Jacksonville offered the goal posts to the winner of the game so the fans wouldn't storm the field and destroy them like the two years prior, but neither school was interested.  What do you do with extra goal posts as trophies anyway?  In 2009, an anonymous party donated the Okefenokee Oar to both student body presidents.  The trophy is still not an official trophy, because it does not belong to the match-up and athletic programs, but still, it beats nothing.  The Oar is supposedly carved from a 1000 year old cypress tree from the Okefenokee swamp, on the Florida/Georgia border.


The Match-Up


Defense and Special Teams -  There's absolutely no argument that will ever convince me that the Gators don't have the second or third best defense and the single best special teams in the country.  I've heard the argument that the special teams benefit from being made up of mostly starters, which is uncommon in college football, but last I checked, you play the game to win, and Florida's special teams had the biggest hand in beating a No. 7 South Carolina, handing the offense two turnovers and great field position.

Aaron Murray - He's second round NFL talent.  Florida has gone up against some elite SEC quarterbacks this season but it almost seems as if I've overestimated each of them.  Tyler Bray was a joke.  Johnny Manziel is talented, but his team was overwhelmed.  Murray is tied for third in the SEC in yards (1,914) with 16 touchdowns and 4 interceptions.  His favorite targets include Tavarres King, who has caught for 511 yards and 5 touchdowns, and Michael Bennett, who has accumulated 345 yards and 4 touchdowns.  The Bulldogs, however, run a very balanced offense, ranking 30th in the country in both passing and rushing yards per game (281.7 and 205.1 respectively) due in part to two very talented tailbacks, Todd Gurly (622 yards rushing and 9 touchdowns), and Keith Marshall (488 yards and 5 touchdowns).

Jarvis Jones - Jones is a beast.  At linebacker, he's another Jadeveon Clowney all over again.  While the Gators' tackles Xavior Nixon and Chaz Green kept South Carolina's Clowney in check last week, Jones has tallied 5.5 sacks in just five games coming off the blitz.  Jones is also recovering from an injury that forced him to sit the Kentucky game and isn't likely to be 100%.

Attacking the Line of Scrimmage - I feel like a broken record, I really do.  And yet here I am repeating that the Florida defensive front needs to continue rolling with their momentum.  I stand corrected from when I voiced my fears that this defense was just playing at their opponents in skill: they're absolutely for real.  As usual, expect one of the nation's best front four performances in defensive tackles Omar Hunter and Shariff Floyed, and ends Domique Easley and Lerente McCray.  Continue expecting stellar performances from back-ups in the most effective "next man up" defensive philosophy this side of Alabama, from freshman DE Dante Fowler Jr. or LB Antonio Morrison. 

Let's Diversify this Offense - The media couldn't shut up last week about how many points our offense scored against how many yards they gained.  It was almost as if they were trying to negate the production altogether.  South Carolina fields the 15th best defense in points against in the NCAA, and always remember these statistics have to stand against teams from joke conferences whose teams are easier to defend.  Still, the Jeff Driskel led passing game was not convincing.  Muschamp and Pease hide nothing about the offense's identity: we are a run first team, but they cannot be pleased with the lack of diversity the Gators are showing.  Florida hasn't broken over 100 yards passing since the Kentucky beatdown.  Yes, I'm preaching to the choir at this point, having mentioned it every week since then, but passing needs to improve, and so does the pass protection.  Remember, if the Gators win this weekend, they have their tickets stamped to Atlanta for the SEC Championship game against a very likely Alabama, and fewer than 100 passing yards will not beat Nick Saban.


Georgia v. Brent Pease - The Dawgs were victorious against the Gators last year but they didn't find such luck in the out-of-conference season opener against Boise St. and a Brent Pease led offense.  The Broncos put up 390 total yards in a 35-21 victory.  Pease optimistically said, "We are running the Boise State offense, other than probably Kellen Moore couldn’t do some of the runs that Jeff [Driskel] can."  While we haven't seen the prolific Boise St. offense at Florida quite yet, the skill level difference of SEC defenses is considerable.  Here's hoping, Brent.

Arnaldo's prediction:

Florida wins 34 - 17

Tampa Bay v. Minnesota

by John Michael

Short week. After the devastating and controversial loss against the New Orleans Saints, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers must immediately turn around on short rest to take on the Minnesota Vikings on the road. This is the Buccaneers' first road game in four weeks, and first prime-time road game since 2008. It is also the first nationally televised game for the Buccaneers since their Monday Night Football appearance last year against the Indianapolis Colts.

So many yards, so little time.

The last meeting between these two teams took place last year in Minnesota, ending with a Buccaneers' victory of 24-20. The Vikings led the Bucs 17-0 at halftime, but Josh Freeman led the offense in the fourth quarter to score the game winning touchdown with a LeGarrette Blount run with only 35 seconds left. That Vikings team would go on to finish the season with a 3-13 record.

This year's Vikings team is dramatically improved from last year's squad. At 5-2, they already have achieved more wins with an offense led by former Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder and the return of running back Adrian Peterson. Peterson was injured at the end of last season, tearing his ACL. His impact at the beginning of this year was questionable, but he has proven that his injury has not slowed him down at all, leading the Vikings to seventh in the league in rushing yards. In seven games so far, Peterson has rushed for 652 yards and 3 touchdowns, along with an additional 135 yards receiving.

Percy showing no mercy.

Another huge weapon in the Vikings' arsenal is former Florida Gator Percy Harvin. Harvin plays several roles on offense, catching 53 passes for 577 yards and 2 touchdowns along with one touchdown on the ground. Harvin is also a threat in the kickoff return game, having returned one touchdown already this season.

I bet he chose "69" on purpose.

The Vikings' defense isn't the best in the league, but it is still pretty solid. Their passing and rushing defense are ranked eleventh and twelfth, respectively, and their turnover margin is at -1. But the Vikings are excellent at attacking the quarterback. Led by one of the most intimidating linebackers in the game, Jared Allen, the defense has combined to sack the opposing quarterback 22 times - tied for third in the league.

Keys to Victory

Contain Adrian Peterson. There is no stopping Adrian Peterson. But the Buccaneers can slow him down. The Bucs still have the third ranked rushing defense, and show no reason to let up. They showed they can stop a legitimate running threat in Jamaal Charles, but Peterson is a completely different animal. Should the Buccaneers keep up their stellar run defense against Peterson, the next key will come into play.

Also, he's a 'Nole. He needs to go down.

Attack Christian Ponder. The Vikings' offense has been firmly rooted in their running game. Should the Buccaneers limit the run, it would put the game in the hands of Ponder. The passing game has not been an area of expertise of the Vikings, who are ranked 27th in the league in total passing yards. The Bucs must break through the Vikings offensive line and get to Ponder consistently, hurrying the pass and causing turnovers. Giving Ponder time will prove tough for a Buccaneers secondary that has been having trouble against the pass, as the Bucs are ranked 31st in the league in passing yards allowed.

Strength at the O-line. Jared Allen will be looking to add to his sack total this season. The offensive line must not let him or any other Viking defender through. The line has had trouble at times this season, but have improved over the past few weeks. With more time in the pocket, Josh Freeman has thrown career highs in passing yards in the past few games. Keeping the defense out of the pocket will give Vincent Jackson and Mike Williams more time to get open downfield, and help the running game establish itself early by creating holes for Doug Martin.

Going on the road in a short week, following an emotional loss to the Saints, will be a difficult challenge for this young Buccaneers squad. The Bucs have played to the end in every game this season, never losing by more than one score. But the pressure of having to play under the lights before a national audience is more than the Bucs have faced in a while. The Vikings also have yet to lose at their home field. All of these reason lead me to make a difficult choice. If this game was Sunday, the Buccaneers would have a better shot at victory. The biggest obstacle is going on the road so soon after their last game. Because of this, I pick the Vikings to win in yet another game that goes down to the wire.

John Michael's Prediction:

Vikings win 24 - 21

Tampa Bay v. New Orleans

by John Michael

Oh when the Saints go marchin' in.  Tampa Bay vs. New Orleans has always been a fun match-up throughout the years. The Buccaneers' first win in franchise history came against the Saints in New Orleans in 1977 - 33-14 - after Tampa Bay lost 26 straight to start their franchise. Since that time, the Saints have compiled a record of 23-17 versus the Bucs. And with the two teams joining together in the NFC South in 2002, the rivalry continues to grow.


Today, the two teams meet in Tampa on a mission to turn their seasons around. The Buccaneers, with an enormous victory over Kansas City last week, look to win two straight games for the first time since the beginning of last season. The Saints, coming off a much needed bye week, stumble into Raymond James Stadium with a 1-4 record with a desire to improve.

You want to hate him, but you just can't.

The 1-4 record has nothing to do with New Orleans' quarterback, Drew Brees. Brees has been the most consistent player on the Saints' roster for the past few years, and at times is the only consistent player this season. In Week 5 vs. the San Diego Chargers Brees broke Johnny Unitas' record for most consecutive games with a touchdown pass at 48 games, coupled with the Saints' first win of the season. Any defense that faces Drew Brees must always be on guard for the pass, because Brees has proven to be an unstoppable force on his best day.

Vilma looks to put a hit on Josh Freeman. ... Too soon?

The problems with the Saints lies in the defense. Torn apart by the bounty scandal, witch has taken starts away from star players such as Jonathan Vilma and has seen others leave, the Saints' defense has been picked apart all season long. They rank 31st in the league in run defense at an abysmal 172.8 yards per game, and 26th in pass defense at 283.2 yards per game. Vilma returns to action today for the first time this season; however, his potential impact has been questioned due the amount of time he has missed. The absence of their star players has hurt the Saints in drastic ways - ways that Schiano is foaming at mouth to take advantage of.

Keys to Victory

 

Run Run Run: The Saints haven't proved that they can stop the run yet, so you can bet that Greg Schiano is planning to do exactly that. With two young powerful backs in Doug Martin and LeGarrette Blount, the Buccaneer's running game potentially can have a field day. It all depends on Jonathan Vilma's return. If Vilma can make the plays that made him infamous around the league he could cause a lot of trouble. If the Bucs can establish the running game early, it will make the next key a lot easier.


Keep Brees off the Field: There is only one way to stop Drew Brees - don't let him start. The running game eats up a lot of clock, which is what the Bucs' offense should aim to do when they're on the field. Avoid Brees beating you late in the game by taking time off the clock and away from the Saints' offense. When Brees is on the field, he'll be looking to pass against the Buccaneers' secondary. Look for a turnover or two to put the Buccaneers' offense back on the field, but don't get too risky and let Brees beat you deep.


Josh Freeman: Brees will put points on the board, so it's up to the offense to match Brees. Freeman had an excellent week against Kansas City, throwing for 328 yards and 3 touchdowns. He will have to pass if the Bucs are looking up at the Saints on the scoreboard during the game. If Freeman can find the consistency today that Buccaneers fans have been waiting to see against a Saints pass defense that hasn't performed well this season, the Saints could be playing catchup to the Bucs.

Bucco Bruce in all his glory.

After the win last week, Buccaneers fans are the most excited they have been for the team in a long time. Raymond James Stadium will be packed, and the game will be on television locally for the first time in a year. The Buccaneers will be wearing their old "creamsicle" jerseys and Bucco Bruce will be on full display as Tampa Bay honors its roots during today's game. This excitement should create a home-field advantage that the Buccaneers haven't experienced in a long time, which I believe should give the edge to Tampa Bay. If this game was at the Superdome, I'd pick the Saints, but I predict the Bucs will hold the Saints off in a close match up that will create even more excitement in the Tampa Bay area.


John Michael's Prediction: 

Tampa Bay wins 28 - 24