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Oh Yeah, It's Bucs-Cardinals, And It's On

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By MARTIN FENNELLY | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 4, 2007

Updated: 11/03/2007 11:22 pm

This is only the 239th time in the 88-year history of the National Football League that a 4-4 and 3-4 team have met this late in a season.

Let the hype begin.

"Bucs-Cardinals - Two of America's football teams."

Face it, there are two teams today. The Bucs and Cardinals are mere crabs scuttling across the floor before the greatest game in the history of games takes place in Indianapolis. God called Tony Dungy asking about tickets.

The undefeated Patriots play the undefeated Colts about the time the Bucs walk from the field knowing whether they have a season with any kind of end game anymore.

Today's tilt at Raymond James has its own ramifications, even if the rams are kind of scrawny.

And who hasn't been talking about this one in Tampa and Phoenix this week?

Let's forget about Pats-Colts.

We've got our own ballgame.

It's on.

QB Matchup Vital To Victory

The quarterback matchup is key.

Bucs quarterback Jeff Manning mostly has been on his game, though he could be up against it today. Receiver Ike Harrison might miss today's game with a knee injury, putting more pressure on Marvin Galloway.

Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner already has thrown 30 touchdown passes this season, and is on pace to shatter Manning's record of 49, set in ...

Sorry, our bad.

Let's start over.

The Bucs, under Coach Jon Dungy, have lost two in a row, and only bad teams lose three in a row. They could have won at Detroit and should have beaten Jacksonville. But Grungy will have them ready.

It won't be easy against the Cardinals, who are averaging 41.4 points per with a margin of victory of 25.8 points per game.

Wait a second.

Bucs-Cardinals. Right. OK.

Injury update: The Cardinals placed leading rusher Sammy Morris on injured reserve, so Laurence Maroney must pick up the slack against the Colts.

A win would make the Cardinals 9-0 and further speculation that they could be the first NFL team to go 19-0. The Bucs would be 8-0 with a win. Either way, it points to another day of reckoning in late January.

The Bucs and Cardinals are coming off last season's memorable AFC title game, in which the Bucs, led by Manning, came from behind to give Grungy his first trip to the Super Bowl.

Oh, yes, Gruden.

Got it. Gruden.

Dungy was fired by the Bucs after the 2001 season and replaced by Tony Gruden, who led the Bucs to a Super Bowl win.

Where were we?

Grungy Vs. Whisenchick

The Cardinals have been playing with a chip on their shoulder, or at least that might be the case for Cards coach Bill Whisenchick, who was fined by the league and lost two draft picks for videotaping Jets defensive signals.

Arizona beat Washington last week 52-7, and twice went for it on fourth down while leading 38-0 and 45-0, respectively ...

"What did you want me to do, kick a field goal?" Belichunt asked.

Meanwhile, Grungy's book "Quiet Strength" is a best-seller.

This one feels like a toss-up.

But if Garcia can find a way to get the ball to Randy Moss, I like the Bucs, though Bob Sanders and the Cardinals' Cover 2 might have something to say about that.

Prediction:

Colts 30, Bucs 26, Patriots 24, Cardinals 10.

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