Cap it off - Buc Philosophy

It hasn't been Tampa's offense that has been winning them games this season. Tampa Bay has been playing Tampa Bay football. Their defense beats up on opponents and is complemented by a consistent, pounding, and mistake-free offense. Tampa's offense has been consistent in that you know what to expect from them. They like to get a lead and then put together time consuming drive. Jeff Garcia has been able to use the pass like a short rush this year and Earnest Graham has shown that he knows how to finish a game. Tampa likes to pound the ball throughout the game, and when the run game starts to work Tampa stays with it. They especially like to pound it late in games when the defense is tired. Tampa doesn't have a big-play offense. Their offense is designed differently. They have an offense that is designed for long time-consuming drives. Their stats reflect this. The Bucs are 3rd in the NFL with a +11 turnover ratio and their offense has held the ball for just under 30 minutes a game. Tampa offense doesnt put up huge numbers but it is not a quick score offense. Tampa's offense will never put up huge numbers, not as long as John Gruden is the head coach. Tampa Bay does not do well in an offensive shootout. It is not their style. Tampa relies on their defense to shut down the opposing offense. Their offense then comes on the field to put together long scoring drives that eat up alot of clock, all the while keeping their D fresh. This is a great strategy but has bitten Tampa in the ass a few times this season. With this strategy there is not much room for error. A few times Tampa has put together these great ten to twelve minute drives and then turned the ball over at the end of them. Also you would expect a drive this long to end in a touchdown and when they end in field goals, more than a few times a game, that is counter-productive. If you have these long time consuming drives you may only have five possesions a game. If you turn it over once and all the others are ending in field goals then your only looking at 12 points a game. A good example is the Detroit game. Tampa had some great drives in that game. A few of them ended in turnovers, a few of them in field goals. It only took three quick scores from Detroit to win a game that Tampa should have won. You gotta cap off the drive.