Question: What's wrong with the Bengals?

Answer:  Take away Ochocinco and the 2010 Bengals are the 2009 Buffalo Bills.

Don't think so?  Check the past two weeks: "8-5" had 3 catches for 59 yards versus Cleveland (loss), followed by a 3 catch, 20 yard performance against Tampa Bay (loss).  Those numbers are down slightly from Ochocinco's 2009 averages of 4.5 catches and 65 yards/game.

It certainly is not Terrell Owens.  Against Cleveland, Owens set an individual best of 10 receptions for 222 yards and a touchdown.  Against Tampa Bay, he pulled in 7 catches for 102 yards and a touchdown.  And yet, both of these games were losses . . . ?

And it does not seem to have anything to do with Cedric Benson:  15 carries for 60 yards versus the Browns, 23 carries for 144 yards against the Buccaneers.  Benson did not reach the endzone in either case, which does correlate, and could be a contributing factor.  But in both game he had a 4-or-more yards/carry average, so that doesn't seem broken.

The comparison to the Bills of last year is completely fair:  the 2009 Bills utilized Ryan Fitzpatrick and Trent Edwards at quarterback last year.  Each threw for over 1,000 yards and had quarterback ratings of 69.7 and 73.8 respectively.   Carson Palmer currently boasts a slightly better 78.3 quarterback rating.

The 2009 Bills had 1,000 yard rusher Fred Jackson in the backfield and the 2010 Bengals have Cedric Benson who was also a 1,000 yard rusher in 2009.

At one wide receiver for the 2009 Bills was Lee Evans, who lead the team in touchdowns.  At the other wide receiver position was Terrell Owens, who lead the 2009 Bills in catches and yards.

The 2010 Bengals also have Terrell Owens, who is leading the team in receptions and yards.

Does it feel eerie to you yet?

Are Lee Evans and Chad Ochocinco the same player?  Specifically, no.  But they both have played across from Terrell Owens.  And taking away the not-Owens wide receiver appears to be a good formula to win against the Bengals.

Then again, it could be the loss of Jordan Shipley.  Or perhaps the lack of rushing touchdowns by Cedric Benson.

However, I don't think it's so much what's wrong with the Bengals.  It's more about the Browns and Buccaneers reaching the point of being talented enough to take a wide receiver out of the game as well as being talented enough to beat the 2009 Buffalo Bills.  Let Owens have all the yards he wants, it's who's wearing his jersey that is most important to him.

You're welcome, Atlanta!

Buccaneers Have Been Searching For Backup To Center Jeff Faine For A Long Time

On September 5th, the day after the 2010 roster cuts from 75 men to 52, there was one transaction which was lost in the shuffle.  And it might be an indicator of things to come.

Going into Week 5 of the 2010 season, the only center on the Buccaneers roster was Jeff Faine.  When Faine needs to be spelled (or is knicked up), current starting Guard Jeremy Zuttah slides over and veteran Keydrick Vincent (G) steps in at left guard.  That means two players who graded out at different positions are responsible for defending quarterback Josh Freeman, who still has less than one year of starting experience.  When Faine left the game against the Bengals, all the experienced offensive line talent was called into duty -- with no room for another injury.  There is no room for injury because of the event I've alluded to.  And that event was . . .

Jonathan Compas (C) going on IR.  Compas entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2008. The Buccaneers moved Compas to center behind Faine on the depth chart last season.  When Compas went on IR just before the 2010 season started the Buccaneers got very thin in the middle.  And thin in the middle is dangerous with a young quarterback at the helm.

The day after Compas hit IR (Sept 6th) the Buccaneers signed Ted Larson, a 2010 6th round pick by New England, when the Patriots tried to sneak him over to their practice squad.  But this was not really a depth move, it's was a for-the-future move.  Playing center is complicated.  It's well known how Jeff Faine calls the coverages for the big guys up front.  To play center, you have to be on the same page as the quarterback as well as the entire offensive line.  Oh, and you have to snap the ball as well.  So Larson, with no training camp, is essentially a learn-as-you-go player.  In other words, don't expect him to be on the field before he goes through a full offseason with the team.

Which brings us back to Compas.  Compas was in the same position last year that Larson is in now.  Jeremy Zuttah was playing full-time at Guard because of the loss of Aaron Sears. Then the worst case scenario unfolded: Faine went down with a triceps injury (harsh when you're the center) in Week 1.  The Buccaneers opted to not put Compas on the field, and instead pulled Sean Mahan off the street due to his familiarity with the system (Mahan, an experienced center, had been cut at the end of training camp just before last season after playing for the Steelers in 2008).

When Faine returned in Week 6 of 2009, Mahan was released.  In Week 7, Josh Freeman made his first appearance for the Buccaneers and Week 8 of 2009 Josh Freeman started his first NFL game.  Coincidence?  I think not.  Did it go unnoticed?  You bet -- but it clearly demonstrates how important center Jeff Faine is to this team.

Now, the next chapter begins.  Compas was taken off of IR on Sept 24th and cut, opening a spot for 2010 draft pick Erik Lorig to be promoted from the practice squad to the active roster.  If Faine is down for an extended period, things get tight.  This certainly shows the value of General Manager Mark Dominik bringing in Keydrick Vincent from the Carolina Panthers during the past offseason.  It at least makes the Zuttah/Vincent/Faine position swap possible.  And kudos to the coaching staff and Head Coach Raheem Morris for getting Zuttah snaps at center during the preseason.  If Faine has a long duration injury, the Vincent move is front office gold, and the preseason experience provided to Zuttah by the coaching staff shows excellent foresight and attention to detail.

It appears the Buccaneers could be in a tricky situation and there is not an easy solution running around.  Where Mahan was available after being cut last season, Compas was already declared for the IR and cannot play this season. Zuttah and Vincent must pick up the slack.  This is an issue which we have been following for a quite a while now -- and it has struck again.  Zuttah and Vincent stepped in against the Bengals with good results (a win), but from now on teams will challenge them.

Obviously a high-quality backup center is something General Manager Mark Dominik has been trying to identify and injury derailed his plans this season.  The problem is there is no viable solution.  It's too early to say for sure, but this is one injury situation which could define the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as simply "improved" or an actual Playoff Team in 2010. 

Did The Buccaneers Use Their Bye Week To Plan For The Bengals . . . Or The Saints?

I've been wondering how the Buccaneers spent their bye week.  Sure, the coaches will tell you they are focused on the next game (Cincinnati Bengals).  This is something a coach says to keep his players focused on the right task:  win one game at a time.  But coaches are sly.  And they can be very sly at times.  There is nothing better for a young team than time to regroup.  More study, more time, more technique, and more healing all go a long way in a long season.  Add in the benefit of extra preparation time and you can expand the playbook a bit for the rest of the season.  The question is how to expand the playbook. Certain things work better against certain teams.  So where did the Buccaneers spend their time?

The next game is always the most important game for any young team, particularly one as young as the 2010 Buccaneers.  And this weekend's game against the Bengals is no less important.  The challenges are obvious:  Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens are outstanding physical talents even though their mental composure is sometimes questioned. Cincinnati (2-2) beat Carolina 20-7 and Baltimore 15-10, but lost to Cleveland 23-20 and New England 38-24.  Buccaneer fans are familiar with Carolina and Cleveland, the "two" in the Buccaneers 2-1 record.  Certainly, this is a team the Buccaneers can compete with.  On the "against" side, this is the second road trip for this young team this year and you can expect a bigger, more hostile crowd in Cincinnati.  Cincinnati also represents the middle of a challenging early-season three game stretch for Tampa Bay with this game sandwiched between games against the Steelers and the Saints.  Winning this game means 3-1, a second strong road performance, and another notch in the growth of the 2010 Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

However, the more important game for this season could be the Saints game at Raymond James Stadium the following week.  At 3-1, the Saints are currently at the top of the NFC South.  The most direct route to the playoffs is a division crown.  To win it, you have to win your home divisional games, then steal some road games.  The Buccaneers have already won at Carolina and so are on track thus far.  The Saints, however, have lost a division game -- a home game against Atlanta in fact.  This puts the Falcons in the driver's seat for now, and the Buccaneers must hold serve at home to keep pace. We all remember the overtime road win at the SuperDome late last season (the link is video, with a priceless moment, which will forever put a smile on my face -- you'll know it when it happens).  So we know Tampa Bay is certainly capable of winning this game, too.

Which is why you have to wonder if Head Coach Raheem Morris might have worked on some packages specifically needed to attack New Orleans this past bye week.  Certainly Coach Morris knows the formula.  Just as certainly, the Buccaneers and Saints know each other inside and out.  So any little unexpected wrinkle may go a long way towards a win.  And coaches, those sly coaches, they can work in this wrinkle here and that wrinkle there while practicing for one game, knowing full well it won't be used until the game after next.

Of course, reaching 4-1 makes the discussion irrelevant.  But would you risk a loss to the AFC Cincinnati Bengals to beat the NFC New Orleans Saints?  And how important is it to stay unbeaten at home?

Getting to 3-2 with a win over Cincinnati and a loss to New Orleans would put the Buccaneers at 1-1 in the division with a home divisional loss.  Such a scenario would firmly put the Atlanta Falcons in the lead of the divisional race.  

On the other hand, 3-2 with a loss to Cincinnati and a victory over New Orleans would bury the chance of New Orleans winning the division crown pretty deeply, turning the four team NFC South into a two horse race.  So perhaps a tiny bit of bye-week emphasis on New Orleans may have been in order.

Doing enough to beat the Bengals is good; putting in a little something for the Saints sounds good, too.  Really, really good.

It's not a slam on the Cincinnati Bengals.

It's just keeping your eye on the prize.

Replacing Antonio Bryant

Antionio Bryant became an Unrestricted Free Agent on March 5th, 2010.  Five days later he signed with the Cincinnati Bengals.  He takes two years of experience, 122 catches, and 1848 recieving yards with him.  Even hobbled by injury for a good part of 2009, Bryant still contributed 600 yards to the Tampa Bay offense. While he was the #1 wide receiver, he was not #1 in production in the passing game during the 2009 season -- that honor goes to tight end Kellen Winslow.

Offensive Coordinator Greg Olsen showed late last year that the Buccaneers will utilize a base package consisting of the quarterback, one fullback, one halfback, two tackles, two guards, a center, one tight end and two receivers.  The fullback position transitions in and out for an extra tight end as a jumbo package or for an extra wide receiver as a 3-wide package.  Expecting this package to carry over to 2010 means Tampa Bay needs two starting wide recievers, a productive third, and enough depth to overcome injuries.  Antonio Bryant was one of those starting wide receivers in 2009.

How will the Buccaneers replace him? 

With Existing players?

The only wide receivers to catch a pass in each game last year were Sammie Stroughter and Maurice Stoval.  Three of the wide recievers currenly on the Buccaneers roster did not catch a single pass in 2009.

Maurice Stovall is currently a restricted free agent with a 3rd round tender, meaning a team would have to give up a pick in that round of the draft this year to get his services.  He is coming off his best year of NFL football with 24 catches for 366 yards.  In two of the three games Bryant missed in 2009, Stovall started in his place (against Green Bay and Miami) while the third game started with a two tight end set.  Stovall will likely enter the preseason as the favorite to take over Bryant's starting position.

Sammie Stroughter, a 7th round pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2009 NFL draft, had a phenomenal first year in the NFL considering his draft position.  He finished 2009 as the #16 rookie WR by yards and tied for #15 by number of catches.  For comparison, Percy Harvin (MIN) and Jeremy Maclin (PHI) had 55+ catches and 700+ yards.  The top rookie wide receiver in 2009 was 4th rounder Austin Collie (IND); Maclin and Harvin were 1st rounders.  Brian Hartline had 31 catches (tied with Stroughter in the rookie rankings) for 506 yards (no TDs) as a 4th Round pick of the Dolphins.  Stroughter's year also stands out stubstantially against the season of the other 7th round recievers:
#15, #224, Demetrius Byrd (SD), no regualr season stats
#20, #229, Manuel Johnson (DAL), no regular season stats
#24, #233, Sammie Stroughter (TB), 31Receptions for 334 Yards
#28, #237, Jake O'Connell (KC),  2 Receptions for 7 Yards
#34, #243, Marko Mitchell (WAS), 4 Receptions for 32 Yards
#42, #251, Derek Kinder (CHI), preseason cut
#43, #252, Freddie Brown (CIN), no regular season stats
#44, #253, Tiquan Underwood (JAX), no regular season stats
The Buccaneers know they got a player with talent much higher than his draft placement.  Stroughter should be a key piece in the replacement of Antonio Bryant.

Micheal Clayton was not able to take a big step forward for the Buccaneers passing game last season.  Clayton caught 16 passes for 230 yards in 2009, both career lows.  It is not clear if Clayton will be the player to make up for the loss of Bryant, but one thing is certain:  Clayton is now the most experienced player among the Tampa Bay wide receivers.  He truly needs to make his mark this year by becoming a consistant player on the starting unit.  This could be his final year to get things figured out.

Mark Bradley was a 2009 waiver pickup from the Kansas City Chiefs.  While he did not see any game action for the Buccaneers in 2009 he did produce 54 receptions and 700 yards in two years for the Chiefs.  Although he is a virtual unknown to Buccaneers fans, the team obviously thought enough about him to claim him from waivers so I expect he will be called on to produce during the 2010 season.  Physically, Bradley (6'1", 201lbs) is a clone of Antonio Bryant (6'1", 205lbs).

Terrance Nunn (2nd year) was picked up on November 24, 2009, after being waived by the New England Patriots.  He has seen preseason action but no regular season action.  That could certainly change in 2010.

Micheal Spurlock is known to Tampa Bay fans as the player who first returned a kickoff for a touchdown for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  While he is an outstanding return man he has not been a very productive player with high water marks of 4 receptions for 31 yards for the Arizona Cardinals in 2006.  He was signed to the roster when Clifton Smith (also an excellent kick returner) went onto IR in 2009.  What is noteable about Spurlock is that Smith has returned to the roster but Spurlock has remained.

Mario Urrita, a 6' 6" 2nd year player with big upside, spent the 2009 season on the practice squad and remains an unknown quantity.  It is not a stretch to say this is a pivotal year for the youngster's career.

Through Free Agency?
Antonio Bryant was the 2nd highest paid wide reciever in the NFL last year (behind Randy Moss in New England).  His 600 total yards placed him 66th among wide receivers in the NFL in 2009.

During free agency the Tampa Bay Buccaneers sent a 2011 draft pick to Philadelphia for wide receiver Reggie Brown.  During the 2006 season, Brown caught 46 pases for 816 yards and 8 touchdowns, his high water mark since entering the league in 2005.  Last year in a diminished role he caught nine passes for 155 yards.

The Buccaneers have stated they will not be big participants in the free agent market in 2010 so I do not believe a replacement for Antonio Bryant will come from free agency.

Through the Draft?
The wide receiver crop in the draft this year seems very typical.  The question is:  What priority does the Buccaneers front office put on this position?  Coach Raheem Morris has stated, and backed up, the intent to be a power running team.  The fact is the offense returns Freeman, Williams, Trueblood, Joseph, Faine, Zuttah, Penn, and Winslow as incumbent starters for the 2010 season.  Wide reciever appears to be the only position of flux on the offensive side of the ball this offseason, so from that perspective it appears wide receiver is a priority.  However, is it a bigger priority than the needs on the defensive side of the ball?  The early picks will most likely be on the defensive side of the ball as it seems that unit needs more help (last in the NFL against the run in 2009, for starters).  Will there be starting talent capable of contributing this season from the mid- to late-round picks this season?

I do expect the Buccaneers to pick at least one wide reciever during the 2010 draft.  We'll certainly revisit this topic once we see who the player or players chosen in April are and what they bring to the table.  For now, however, it does not appear the draft will replace Antonio Bryant.

Certainly replacing Antonio Bryant is important for the long term success of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  A case could be made for the starting pair of Stovall and Clayton with Stroughter as the slot when three wideouts are needed.  But there are questions regarding depth.  Unfortunately, we fans will only get pieces of the answer to look at between now and the preseason.  Once the players get into camp we'll know if there is any measurable loss with Bryant leaving.  At this point, I'm not sure we'll find a gap worth measuring.