Breaking Down the Tampa 2:

Ski, over at the Best Bucs Blog has a nice Buccaneer Blog and from time to time he has linked my articles to his. This week he wrote a good article about the Dominate Tampa 2 Defense that is well renouned as one of the Best Defense formations in the NFL. To learn more about the Tampa 2 Defense check out Ski's blog: http://bestbucsblog.blogspot.com/2005/12/
breaking-down-tampa-2.html

Remember it is Defense that traditionally win Championships....

The Best There Is, Was, and Ever Will Be.

Carnell "Cadillac" Williams, A first round draft pick, and 5th overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2005 NFL draft has started what could be a Hall of Fame Career. My favorite position in football has always been running back. We have had our share of good running backs during the Buccaneers 30 years; Such memorable running backs have been Ricky Bell, James Wilder, Errict Rhett, Warrick Dunn and Mike Alstott (FB, but an actual RB), but none of these running backs have what Cadillac Williams has and that is the Total Package.


In 42 games at Auburn, Williams rushed 741 times for 3,831 yards (5.2 avg.) and 45 touchdowns, breaking the old school career records of 657 rushing attempts by Joe Cribbs (1976-79) and 43 scores by Jackson (1982-85). He added 342 yards on 45 receptions (7.6 avg.) with a touchdown, returned 22 punts for 251 yards (11.4 avg.), had 29 kickoff returns for 609 yards (21.0 avg.) and completed both pass attempts for 48 yards and a score. Williams scored a school career record 276 points, topping the old mark of 274 points by Jackson. He finished his career with 5,033 all-purpose yards, ranking second in the school record books behind Brooks (5596, 1977-80). Williams scored a rushing touchdown in 29 of 42 games in his career and scored two or more rushing touchdowns in 12 of those contests. He earned nine SEC Player of the Week honors in his career, the most in conference history.

Cadillac started the year off right, he quickly signed a six year contract with the Bucs worth $14,000,000 while fellow running backs who were drafted ahead of him, including former teammate Ronnie Brown, who was drafted 2nd by the Miami Dolphins, and Cedric Benson, drafted 4th by the Chicago Bears, held out of training camp seeking much more lucrative deals.
By signing this contract and reporting to training camp on time, he benefited from a full training camp and the help of Coach Gruden. The first four games of Cadillac’s career would prove that…..


On 09/11/2005, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers traveled to Minnesota to play the Vikings, which would be Cadillac’s first NFL game. The rookie carried the ball 27 times for 148 yards and had one touchdown. This was the reason the Bucs beat the Vikings (24-13). It was in the 4th Quarter with 01:34 Remaining, the Buccaneers had the Ball on the Buccaneers 29 yard line. It was 3rd and 1, Carnell Williams broke a 71 yard run for the touchdown. Williams was named rookie of the week.


On 09/18/2005, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers hosted the Buffalo Bills. Cadillac carried the ball 24 times for 128 yards and had one touchdown. This was the reason the Bucs beat the Bills (19-3).Williams was named rookie of the week.

On 09/25/2005, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers traveled to Green Bay. Cadillac carried the ball 37 times for 158 yards. This was the reason the Bucs beat the Packers (17-16). Cadillac started to get a lot of national attention at this point. It became a debate on whether Coach Gruden was over using Caddy. Williams was named rookie of the week.

After just three games, Cadillac Williams did something that no other Rookie in the NFL has ever done:Williams rushed for 434 yards in his first three weeks, setting records as the first rookie running back to ever have three consecutive 100 yard games, and rushing for the most yards in the first three weeks of a career, a record previously held by Alan Ameche of the 1955 Baltimore Colts. Williams was also named rookie of the week for the first three weeks of the season and rookie of the month for September. His shoes and gloves from week three were subsequently retired to the Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

http://www.profootballhof.com/history
/release.jsp?release_id=1705


On 11/20/2005, Tampa Bay Buccaneers traveled to Atlanta to take on a Division rival the Falcons, who had the number on rushing team in the NFL. Some body forgot to tell the Falcons about the Buccaneers new number one rusher, CADILLAC WILLIAMS. Caddy carried the ball 19 times for 116 yards and a touchdown. This helped the Bucs beat their arch enemy 30-27.

On 12/11/2005, Tampa Bay Buccaneers traveled to Carolina to take on a Division rival the Panthers, Caddy carried the ball 29 times for 112 yards and two rushing touchdowns. This helped the Bucs beat the Panthers 20-10. Williams’ 112-yard performance was his fifth 100-yard rushing game of the season, tying the team record in that category with James Wilder in 1984 and 1985, and Warrick Dunn in 1997. Dunn, was a rookie that season, like Williams this year.

On 12/24/2005 (Christmas Eve), Tampa Bay Buccaneers hosted the Atlanta Falcons a Division rival at Raymond James Stadium. The Falcons were eliminated in the Post Season hunt with the Buccaneers 27-24 overtime victory. Caddy carried the ball 31 times for 150 yards and one rushing touchdown.

He also broke two Buccaneer records with his sixth one hundred yard game. The previous record was 5 one hundred yard games during a season. He also ran for over a thousand yards this season as a rookie (which is huge for a rookie) and he topped Errict Rhett’s old rookie team rushing record of 1,011 yards with 1,097 rushing yards with one game still remaining. He truly is the best running back the Buccaneers have ever had.

(Cadillac On having over 1,000 rushing yards)
“That feels great. I think much of my offensive linemen to tie in those guys. They need as much praise as I need. Those guys just paved the way. It did feel great, but this is a team victory and we control our own destiny. If we can come out, and next week win the division, that will be an even sweeter feeling.”

You can vote for Cadillac for rookie of the week, week 16 @: http://www.nfl.com/rookies/vote

The future is bright for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with the 5th overall pick in the 2005 draft Coach Jon Gruden found a diamond. This kid is going to be great for many years to come. He has one more regular season game against the New Orleans Saints, where he should gain over 100 yards rushing for his seventh time this season. Cadillac has also been selected as an alternate for the Pro Bowl. I also think that Cadillac will win the NFL Rookie of the Year Award.

Just to show you that I am not the only person who is hooked on Cadillac, the list for the top 25 NFL jerseys sold this year is out. Would you be surprised to know that out of all the first-round draft choices, Cadillac Williams led the list at number eighth. Alex Smith, the first pick in the draft by San Francisco, was 12th; Cleveland's Braylon Edwards was 13th; Miami's Ronnie Brown was 15th and Chicago's Cedric Benson was 23rd.

BUCS WIN, BUCS WIN, BUCS WIN:

WOW! What a game. I think after this game my nerves are shot, my fingernails are gone and I need a drink. This was a great game. Once again Chris Simms silenced his critiques by playing posed and performing great under extreme pressure. Simms did have two interceptions, but still he remained a leader and took charge of this offense and executed the game winning drive (several times in fact). I think our future is now safe with Chris Simms. I know I was very hard on Simms and I even called for Rattay after Griese went down. However, I am reformed, and I am a Simms believer. The Buccaneers now need to find the money to resign him before he pulls a Steve Young on us and ends up in the Hall of Fame for another team.


What can you say about the rookie of the year?



Cadillac had 150 rushing yards and a touchdown in today’s game with the Falcons.

He also broke two Buccaneer records with his sixth one hundred yard game. The previous record was 5 one hundred yard games during a season. He also ran for over a thousand yards this season as a rookie (which is huge for a rookie) and he topped Errict Rhett’s old rookie team rushing record of 1,011 yards with 1,097 rushing yards with one game still remaining. He truly is the best running back the Buccaneers have ever had.



Thank You, Matt Bryant. What a kicker! Matt had a great 50 yard field goal kick today. Matt Bryant averted the second tie in franchise history by nailing a 41-yard field goal with 15 seconds left in overtime.



The Buccaneers are now once again in first place of the NFC South thanks to a Carolina loss by Dallas today. GO COWBOYS! If the Buccaneers win next week against the Saints (which will not be an easy task), the Buccaneers will be the NFC South division Champs. GO BUCS!

Just where I like Vick, on his back.



Rice destroying Vick, But he is a Pro Bowl QB, YEAH RIGHT!


The Buccaneers Defense played great during the OT drives stopping Vick, which allowed the Buccaneers to win the game. Once again, I think Vick is over rated, I think his Pro Bowl appearance is based off of his ability to run and not pass. But then again I just hate the Falcons and Vick.

Once again Jon Gruden is a genius and I hope the Bucs keep him for many years to come. Maybe now all the Nay Sayers will get off his back.

As promised my Caddy story is coming this week. I was waiting for him to break these records. He is by far my new favorite player in the NFL. I have passed that torch from Alstott, (who is still my favorite) to Caddy for the future.

GO BUCCANEERS:

Just in all the networks are talking about a Patriot and Buccaneer Super Bowl (GOD HELP US).

Pewter Pirates send condolenscenses to Coach Dungy and Family.

Condolenscenses goes out to the Dungy family for their loss. Coach Dungy's 18 year old son was found dead today.

The Colts held a press conference with owner Bill Pollian announcing that Jim Caldwell will take over as interim coach.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the Dungy Family.

Buccaneers in the 2006 Pro Bowl:

The NFL 2006 Pro Bowl is held in Honolulu in February.

The Pro Bowl is the game where the NFC’s best face the AFC’s best. The NFL ALL STAR GAME. However, many will argue that it has become a popularity contest. I do not care about what people believe, all I care about is the Buccaneers that get into this great game. The Pro Bowl on many accounts is a deciding factor of which great players get into the Hall of Fame. Lets look at this years Buccaneer Players that will be in the Pro Bowl.


Number 55, DERRICK BROOKS:
Derrick is among the most decorated all-stars in NFL history. The prototypical outside linebacker, he will be making his ninth consecutive Pro Bowl appearance, extending his own team records for consecutive and overall all-star games. Only three linebackers in the history of the league – Junior Seau (12), Mike Singletary (10) and Lawrence Taylor (10) – have been to more Pro Bowls than Brooks. Singletary and Taylor are already Hall of Famers, and Seau and Brooks are a shoe in after their careers are over.

Derrick had a great season with:
102 Tackles
2 Sacks
1 Forced Fumble
1 Interception

Derricks achievements: 1)Winning Super Bowl XXXVII
2)Being named 2002 NFL Defensive Player of the Year
3)Being voted into 9 Pro Bowls
4)Never missing a game in 11 NFL seasons
5)Over 1,700 career tackles
6)Scoring 7 touchdowns
7)Being named Co-NFL Man of the Year in 2000
8)Winning Byron "Whizzer" White Award in 2004
9)A great community leader
10)A great role model for kids



Number 20, RONDE BARBER:

Ronde will play in his second consecutive Pro Bowl and his third in the last five years. Ronde's three all-star appearances are the most for a cornerback in Buccaneer history.

Ronde had a great season with: 5 Interceptions
19 pass breakups
62 Solo Tackles
2 Sacks
Ronde Barber became the first cornerback in NFL history with at least 20 sacks and 20 interceptions when he got one of each in Tampa Bay's win over Carolina.



Number 9, JOSH BIDWELL:

Josh will be appearing in his first Pro Bowl. Josh's selection is groundbreaking for the Buccaneers, he is the first punter in franchise history to be selected for the Pro Bowl.

Josh was selected for his 45.7 yards per punt average. Josh also had 20 punts downed inside the 20-yard line

Congrats to the Killer Bs as the Buccaneers reported it.

I would also like to congratulate the Buccaneer’s five Pro Bowl alternates: DT Anthony McFarland, fullback Mike Alstott, wide receiver Joey Galloway, defensive end Simeon Rice and running back Cadillac Williams.

I do think that Joey Galloway got a raw deal and should be in the Pro Bowl. Lets hope that he makes it in this year.

A Blast from the Past: Number 56, LB, Hardy Nickerson:

Hardy, Hardy, Hardy, Hardy, Hardy.... The famous chant by Buccaneer fans from 1993-1999.

Hardy Nickerson was drafted in 1987 by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 5th round and 122nd pick overall out of California.




As promised here is this weeks "A Blast from the Past". This is my way to pay tribute to the great Buccaneer players of the past. Some of these players are in our hearts as Buccaneer fans, but will never be honored any other way. This week I picked the great Hardy Nickerson, linebacker for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Hardy was the most popular and hard-working Buc ever, he did more to revitalize the new-Bucs on the arrival of Tony Dungy than any other player.




The Buccaneers acquired Hardy as an unrestricted free agent from Pittsburgh in 1993. This was a time when free agents were not really a big part of the NFL yet. Hardy become one of the all time great free agent acquisitions for the Buccaneers. The BuccaneerÂ’s traditionally have not done well in free agency up until late. During a time that the Buccaneers where deciding who was to be owner, whether the team would stay in Tampa or move out of the State, Hardy was the onconsistencyncy the Fans had. In 1995, the Glazers bought the Buccaneer franchise an ensured that Bucs would remain in Tampa. Hardy had already been to one Pro Bowl in 1993, but it was not until 1996 when Coach Dungy was hired and Monte Kiffin's first season as defensive coordinator saw the Bucs began to turn the corner. Hardy was the focal point of the defensive. Hardy would continue to go to the Pro Bowl from 1996-1999. Hardy played his part in changing the Bucs. Hardy the only Buccaneer Pro Bowler would bring back Pro Bowl T-shirts for the unknown stars and told them this is the level that they needed to play at in order to change the Buccaneers history. The players joined Hardy and in 1997, Alstott, Brooks, Sapp, Lynch, Mayberry and Dunn joined Nickerson in the 1997 Pro Bowl. This marked the change of the Buccaneers along with the new uniforms and logo of the 1997 season. Hardy left the Buccaneers after the Bucs refused to give Hardy the contact he sought. He left as a free agent when the Jaguars offered him a crazy contract. He played through two injury ridden years and was let go by Jacksonville during the 2002 off-season. He spent 2002 as a Packer in Green Bay, proving the Bucs had seen the best seven years of his career. Hardy is now retired and from time to time he shows up at One Bucs Place.



Hardy Nickerson played for the Buccaneers from 1993-1999.



Nickerson at the end of his Buccaneer career: 7 interceptions for a total of 57 yards, 603 solo tackles, 425 assisted tackles, and 9 sacks.

Hardy to this day still holds the Buccaneer record for most tackles during a season with 214 tackles in the 1993 season.



Hardy Nickerson was selected by the Pewter Report as the number 8th greatest Buc of all time and tagged "the hulk”.

Hardy was named as the 3rd Greatest Buccaneer Player of all-time by BUCPOWER.COM in 2003.

Coach Jon Gruden has done his best to keep Buccaneer Tradition alive. He brings old players together with the new players. He has been instrumental in hiring old players to help with his staff: Reggie Cobb and Doug Williams. Lee Roy Selmon has even been offered a job, but has turned it down. However, the Buccaneers have named the War Room for the (draft) as Lee Roy Selmon room.

Seen here is a picture of Coach Gruden with Hardy Nickerson.


Thanks Hardy for all that you have done.

NFC Divisional Playoffs Update:

The NFC Playoff picture to date:
Well for me it all revolves around the Bucs of course, so after their horrible lost this week here is where they stand. Over all this week was a good week for the Bucs and the playoff picture. The two bad things that happened this week was the Bucs lost, but at least it was to an AFC team and not an NFC team. The other bad thing that happen was the Panthers won. They are now alone again at the top of the division.


Here is the break down:


1)NFC WEST:12-2 Clinched Division Title/First Round Bye.



2)NFC NORTH:10-4



3)NFC SOUTH:10-4



4)NFC EAST:10-4



5)NFC South:9-5








Washington at 8-6 would fill the six seed if the Playoffs started today, due to a better Division and Conference record.

The other teams fighting in order of Conference strength is:
Dallas 8-6
Atlanta 8-6
Minnesota 8-6

This week Atlanta lost to Chicago which helped the Bucs. The Bucs face Atlanta Saturday, December 24th, 2005 at Raymond James Stadium. With a Bucs win, it could eliminate the Falcons from Post Season.

Dallas lost to Washington which helps the Bucs out, due to the fact that they beat the Skins, plus it knocked the Cowboys down a game.

Minnesota fell to the Steelers. This also helped the Bucs since the Bucs lost this week. Minnesota was a hot team going into this weeks game, a lost sets them back a game behind the Bucs.

Important Post Season games for the Week 16:

1) Atlanta @ Bucs. A Bucs win would put them at 10-5 and secure a playoff spot.

2) Dallas @ Panthers. Go Cowboys- A Panther lost would give the Bucs 1st place again in the NFC SOUTH. It would also make the Cowboys 9-6 and put them in a tight race for the last wild card spot.

3)Giants @ Washington. Big game for Washington. A win would make them 9-6 and should help them get into the playoffs. The NFC is going to go to the 17 week before anything is for certain.

The New England Patriots skunked the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

This just somes up the Bucs day.


What can you say after a game like this? I say the Super Bowl Champs are back, so AFC beware. I spent this Saturday watching this game with my good friend, who is from Boston and is a huge Patriots fan. (Not a band wagon fan either. I will say at least my friend had class after his team killed my Bucs.)

Who is to blame? I am not sure anyone person is to blame. Chris Simms was sacked seven (7) times. The Offensive Line is to blame. If I was Jon Gruden, the Offensive Line would be paying for this game. Give Simms credit, he is tough after being sacked 7 times. This makes me wounder has Steve Young ever been sacked 7 times mmmmmmmmmmm. Who is tough now. The Patriots are a great football team, and their stars are slowly returning from injury, which will make them a huge factor in the Post Season. The two-time defending NFL champions clinching the AFC East title with a 28-0 victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Bucs 2005 success away from home hits a road block today in Foxborough, where the defending champs controlled the line of scrimmage and gave the Bucs their first shutout loss in six years.

The Bucs still finished the season 5-3 away from home this season and will still be in the playoff race at the end of the weekend. However, they will spend the rest of the weekend watching the Carolina Panthers, who can now regain first place in the NFC South with a win over New Orleans. Come on New Orleans with the upset.

I don’t have much to say after this loss. I think I’ll go on a drinking binge.

Former Buccaneer Defensive End Killed

Darrell Russell, a former standout NFL and Southern California defensive lineman whose promising career was derailed by drugs, was killed in a high-speed car crash early Thursday.
Darrell Russell, was given a second chance by Buccaneer Management. However his career ended during the 2004 training camp with an indefinite drug suspension from the NFL.

Darrell Russell never played a game with the Bucs.

Russell was suspended three times for violating the league's substance abuse policy and his career never really recovered. Russell started his career with the Raiders; After being released by the Raiders at the end of his second suspension, he played briefly for the Washington Redskins in 2003 and was released before training camp by Tampa Bay the following year.

NFC Divisional Playoffs Update:

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have moved one game closer to the post season. The Bucs are now the NFC South Division leader with the 20-10 win over the Panthers this past week. We need to keep the road game winning streak going as we face the New England Patriots this week. Reports out of Patriot's camp is that Tom Brady is questionable for this weeks game. Could we be that lucky?


NFC PLAYOFF SEEDS: (After week 14)


1)NFC WEST:11-2 clinched division title



2)NFC NORTH:9-4



3)NFC SOUTH:9-4



4)NFC EAST:9-4



5)NFC South:9-4



6)NFC East:8-5



7)NFC South:8-5



8)NFC North:8-5