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Late-Season Swoon Shouldn't Be A Surprise

Tribune photo by JOSEPH BROWN III

Bucs fan Eric Walker was feeling a little green after the Bucs' 41-24 loss to the San Diego Chargers.

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By ROY CUMMINGS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 23, 2008

TAMPA - With three losses in December alone, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are suddenly locked in a tailspin of historical proportions. Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised.

Like grooming young quarterbacks, winning in December has never been a strength of the Bucs under Coach Jon Gruden. Since winning the Super Bowl in 2002-03, Gruden's Bucs are 9-16 in what is arguably the season's most important month.

"It's on me, obviously," Gruden said. "It's not good enough. I take pride in preparing a football team. If you want to evaluate all 25 games, I'm sure I can defend myself a little bit better. But statistics are what they are.

"The reality is, that's not very good. We've done some good things down the stretch and in the latter parts of the season. But, clearly, the last two seasons, we've had a lot of injuries. There are a lot of things I've got to do better."

If he doesn't, the Bucs may make history. They're on the brink of becoming the first NFL team since the realignment of the divisions in 2002 to miss the playoffs after starting 8-3.

They're also on the brink of becoming the first Bucs team to start 9-3 and miss the playoffs. The 1979 team came close, but won on the final day of the season. This team, however, faces a tougher road.

These Bucs won't get into the playoffs simply by beating the Oakland Raiders in the regular-season finale Sunday. They need help from the Philadelphia Eagles, who must beat or tie the Dallas Cowboys.

The Bucs are focused simply on winning their game, but they'll have to improve quickly and dramatically in several key areas to get back on the winning track.

The most notable is defense, where the Bucs are struggling to stop the run, rush the passer and get off the field on third down.

In their three December games, Bucs opponents have run for 564 yards and been sacked just three times while converting 21 of 37 third downs, or 57 percent.

"We're all trying to figure it out right now," linebacker Barrett Ruud said of the swoon. "I mean, we're practicing the same. And, yeah, we've had some injuries; but we also got some guys back last game. I don't know what it is."

The offense has struggled, too, particularly with running the ball, with Bucs running backs gaining an average of just 3.4 yards per carry and 76.3 yards per game.

"You know, injuries do hurt you," Gruden said in response to the slide. "And at a position like that, certainly, it's tough. But that's pro football."

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